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She didn’t cry.
Didn’t scream.
She just stared at me.
Big, terrified eyes… searching for something. Someone.
As I gently reached out to check her vitals, she suddenly grabbed my arm.
Tightly.
Stronger than I expected for someone so small.
“Please…” she whispered.
“Don’t leave me…”
And in that moment… something inside me broke.
I wasn’t just her doctor anymore.
I became the only person she felt safe with.
And I stayed.
From Temporary… To Forever
Her name was Avery.
She had no one left.
No parents.
No family.
No place to go.
At first, it was temporary.
I told myself that.
“I’ll just help until they find a solution.”
But days turned into weeks…
Weeks into months…
And Avery never let go of my hand.
She followed me through hospital corridors.
Waited outside my office.
Fell asleep holding onto my sleeve.
Eventually, the system stepped in.
Foster care. Paperwork. Decisions.
And then… a question I wasn’t ready for:
“Would you consider adopting her?”