“Wouldn’t You Like to Have a Daughter? I Can Be Your Daughter, If You’d Like.” The Girl Came Into Our Family on Her Own

This story took place fifteen years ago. I remember it well: a girl at the care home fixed me with her big green eyes for a few minutes, then suddenly asked, Do you have a daughter? Caught off guard, I replied, No.

She let out a sigh, her expression turning solemn. Would you like to have one? she continued. As I tried to make sense of her words, she quickly added, I could be your daughter. If youd like, that is

My thoughts were all over the place. I already had a son he was twenty at the time and had never really considered having a second child. But there was something about her words, A daughter would never be too much, and those wide eyes that drew me in completely.

Id always dreamed of a daughter. I wanted that little princess to buy dresses and hair clips for, to play with dolls, try on makeup together, share all those father-daughter moments. But with only a boy, Id never dared to hope for another child. I thought to myself, Im an older man now, far too settled for raising a young girl. Yet, my heart still wished for a daughter. So I said, Of course I would! She threw her arms around me in a hug so tight it felt like wed known each other forever.

With that hug, she gave me all the affection shed kept bottled up from her years living in the care home. She was called Abigail. She was five then, and had been living at the home since she was about eighteen months old. Her parents had died in a motorway pile-up that claimed the lives of seven people. Ever since then, Abigail had dreamed of being part of a family, but with so many children waiting to be adopted, her turn had never come.

You couldnt imagine how delightful it was for her to have new relatives she worked hard to learn everyones names, thrilled to become part of a family at last. Everyone fell for her straight away; she was such an affectionate girl. At first, my wife was sceptical of my plan, but even she was powerless to resist Abigails charm for long. Within moments, Abigail started calling us mum and dad, and my wife soon accepted her as one of our own.

Abigail settled in wonderfully, keeping pace with her classmates. When she started Year One, it was obvious she stood out for her keen intelligence and her sharp, inquisitive mind. Lately, shes taken up a new hobby: writing poetry. Shes become the darling of everyone, and I thank my lucky stars for that day I decided to visit the care home to see her.