Emotions are crowding up in my center, pushing every thought out of my head. I can’t stop looking at Emma. Her response to seeing me is actual light-years away from my mom’s, and this is the most emotion I’ve seen in her ever.

I take a deep breath. “Emma…”

But she’s pushing a folded piece of paper into my hands. “Mason, sit. I need you to read something.”

I look down in confusion. “What is it?”

“Just read it,” she says, and I plop down onto the bench. The paper is folded in thirds, and when my hands finally manage to open it, I see that it’s a letter. The handwriting is shaky, but I know who it belongs to immediately.

Dear Emma,

Once we promised to do anything for each other, and here I am asking for that anything.

Mason is sixteen. I’ve failed him for all sixteen of those years. I’ve been trying to get clean for so long, and I no longer think I can do it. He deserves so much more. Will you please consider being Mason’s guardian? He’s an incredible boy—thoughtful, kind, smart, patient. Everything I wish I was. You’ll love him. I’ve already called his social worker.

You should hear from her soon.

Naomi

P.S. He loves stargazing.

I almost can’t finish the letter, my eyes blur up so badly. Everything about this hurts, actual physical pain radiating from my heart into the rest of my body. She gave up. Not only that, but she asked Emma to be my guardian. That’s why my mom acted that way today, and why the Morgans had showered me in stars the moment I walked into their house. My mom had told them to.

“Why didn’t my foster care worker tell me about this?” I ask.

“Because nothing had been confirmed. Your mom sent me this letter six months ago, but they couldn’t find her to determine if she actually wanted to terminate her parental rights,” Emma says, and I can see in her face how very sorry she is about this. “The timing was a coincidence. Right after you moved in, they called to tell me your mom had come out of the woodwork and made it official. The plan was to let you adjust for another week or so, and then talk about what was going to happen at your next meeting.”

Terminated her parental rights. She’s really gone.

I’m holding the letter too tightly now, and giant wracking sobs are heaving their way through my body. I’ve lost my mom twice in one day. No one should have to endure this.