“We were going to tell you tonight. Well, ask you, really,” said Francine. “After dinner, during dessert. Billy already made cheesecake.”

Nova wrinkled up her eyebrows. Ask what?

“We think you’ve been moved around too much, Nova.” Billy was smiling now, but Francine was still sniffling. “You’ve had eleven homes in seven years. That’s not right.”

“We’d been thinking about becoming foster parents for a while.” Francine wiped her eyes and reached for the bowl again. She fed Nova like she was a baby, but Nova didn’t mind.

“Our kids are adults and we’re grandparents now,” said Billy. “But we felt like we could still be parents too. So we decided to become foster parents.”

“That’s right,” said Francine. “Then, when we read about Bridget in the paper…when we read about you…We thought it seemed like fate.”

There was that word again. Fate. Nova wished she could talk so she could ask what it meant. She guided Francine’s hands, which were holding the bowl, toward the bedside table. She wasn’t hungry anymore.

“You survived,” Billy said. “And you needed a family.”

“We want to be that family,” said Francine. “That’s what we were going to ask you after dinner.”

“Forever,” clarified Billy.

Francine moved from the chair to the edge of Nova’s bed. “Right. Not for just a little while, not as foster parents, but forever. We want to adopt you, Nova.”

“Today was supposed to be such a happy day.” Billy took Francine’s place in the chair. He reached for Nova’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “We had a whole speech about reaching for the stars, following dreams—”

Francine cut him off. “We’ve loved you since the first day we sat with you in the hospital, reading while you slept. We wanted to start the adoption process then, but…”

“But Mrs. Steele said we needed to foster you for a while first. I know it hasn’t been that long, but I think we’re doing fine.”

Nova smiled. She liked how Billy and Francine were always finishing each other’s sentences.

“Our sons can’t wait to meet you,” said Billy. “Joanie’s told them a lot about you. She loves having a little sister. And our grandsons, they’re so excited. I know they’re going to love you as much as we do.”

Francine leaned closer, stroking Nova’s hair again. “Would you like that? I know you can understand me. I can tell. If you could…if you could nod, or say ‘okay,’ if you want…if you want us to adopt you…if you want to be part of our family…if that would be…if that would make you happy…could you tell us?”

Nova moved Francine’s hand away, then pulled her other hand away from Billy. She sat up as much as possible, propped on her elbows. She thought it over.

“Ah.”