Hank repeated in a daze. There was a huge knot in the pit of his stomach. He kept remembering the warm, tender feelings that crept over him whenever Melissa held out her chubby little arms for a hug, whenever she stared at him with those huge, innocent blue eyes. The unexpected power of those emotions had held him captive for weeks now.“What does that mean?” he asked, studying the agonized expression in Ann’s eyes and feeling his own chest constrict in pain. “Can they do that? Can they just come in here and take her?”“They can do whatever they want,” Ann said wearily. “She’s a ward of the state. I’m just her foster mother.”“But why would they take her away? Can’t they see how traumatic it would be for a three-year-old to be uprooted again? Explain it to them. You’re more than just a foster mother. You’re a psychologist. Surely they’ll listen.”“It’s not that simple. The mother has finally relinquished custody, which makes Melissa eligible for adoption.”
