Patience

Another two years later...

Harry pov

I have just turned the TV off when cries start filling the house, I look down at my gorgeous wife who is sleeping on the couch.
"Sleep beautiful, I'll go." I whisper in her ear when I notice she is waking up. I rush to the kitchen and take the bottle I prepared 5 minutes earlier. Going into the hallway the cries become louder, I open the door of the room next to ours and can't help but smile when I look in Jaxon's beautiful green eyes.
Last year Kate and I decided to become foster parents, after an investigation to see if we were fit enough to foster and then a seminar, they allowed us to take care of a child.
Six months ago we got a call that there was a little boy who needed a home. A foster care worker paid us a visit to tell us all about the kid and his background, we had some time to think about it but we didn't need it, two days later we visited Jaxon for the first time and another two days later we took him home with us.

"Hi my little troublemaker," I cooed when I took my son out of his crib. "Are you hungry?" I settled in the rocking chair next to the window with Jaxon draped in his blue blanket in my arms. I teased his lips with the baby bottle mouth piece, eagerly he opened his mouth and start sucking.
"You love your milk, don't you?" I talk to the little boy who is staring at me with his big eyes. Oddly enough for not being biologically related Jaxon looks like me, he has green eyes, just like me and he has the same little chocolate brown curls. When we are out and people say he looks just like me, I feel so proud, my hearts feels like it is going to burst.
When Jaxon is done, I hold him up and pat his back till he burps.
"Awww you already can burp like a farmer." I snicker as I walk with him to the white changing table in the corner next to the window. Silently I change my boys diaper, his little eyes already drooping. When Jaxon is changed I put him back in his blanket and lay him with his head against my chest and start rocking him a little while softly singing a lullaby.
I look outside the window to the blanket of snow that's covering our garden. I can't hold back a smile when I fantasise about the first time Jaxon and I will play in the snow.
I turn around to put my boy back in his crib when I see Kate standing at the door.
"Hi beautiful, you are awake. I wanted to put you in bed right after I took care of our son." I said silently while laying Jaxon down and tucking him in.
"Sweet dreams, little one" I whisper and caress his cheek with my pointer finger.
"I woke up, I will walk to bed myself but thank you for always taking care of me." Kate pecks my lips.
"Go to bed, I will be there in a minute. I will first bring this bottle to the kitchen" I did what I said and after ten minutes I am spooning my wife from behind, my nose snuggled up in her soft hair starting this beautiful dream I often have about my family.

The next morning I am making myself a cup of coffee while Kate is giving Jaxon a bath and putting his clothes on when the bell rings. I look at the clock, already 10 am, since we got a child it looks like time is moving faster or maybe I'm getting old. I laugh at my own thoughts as I walk to the hallway.
"Good Morning Mr. and Mrs. Warson" I say when I open the door. The elderly couple smiles
"Good morning Harry, I told you before it's Henry and Claudine" the woman says. They both come in, Henry gives me a hand while Claudine pulls me into a hug. We go into the living room and I sit down in the armchair while the couple keeps standing at the door, looking a little lost.
"Please sit down. Kate and Jaxon will be ready in a minute." I smile
"How are you both?" I asks when a silence fills the room. I look at Claudine who is nervously playing with her rings, they both have sadness written all over their faces.
"We are okay, thank you." Henry says for the both of them. At that moment Kate and Jaxon enter the room.
Seeing Jaxon lights up Henry and Claudine's faces and my heart breaks for them.
Henry and Claudine warson are Jaxon's biological grandparents. Their daughter Larissa is Jaxon's mom, she got killed by Jaxon's dad a week after the little boy was born. Jaxon's father had no family, his mother only had her parents who have been taking care of him till they found a foster family for him. They are too old to take care of Jaxon themselves and it is of course very painful for them but we made good arrangements so they can see Jaxon every week.
"Ooooh there is my little boy!" Claudine says when she sees Jaxon, the little boy giggles when he sees his grandmother. Kate immediately hands Claudine her grandchild
"You look so cool, with your jeans and hoodie." Henry says with taking Jaxon's hand. Jaxon is wearing a hoodie with 'Treat People With Kindness" in the colours of the pride flag. I shoot Kate a wink because she knows I put the same hoodie in my size on the bed to wear later.
After Kate and I provide everyone with tea we have a nice conversation with Jaxon as biggest topic, his grandparents taking turns to hug and coo over the little boy.
When Jaxon gets tired he start to fuss, I have to hold back because I immediately feel the urge to step in and comfort my boy. When I see Henry start to comfort him, I relax again.
"Look Claudine, when he looks like that, he looks like our Larissa when she was a baby." The woman looks at Jaxon and tears spring in her eyes.
"Yes he does." she said, silently starting to cry. Kate gets up and kneels in between Henry and Claudine with her hands on both of their knees.
"I'm so sorry you lost your daughter, I think that's the worst thing that can happen to a parent. But Larissa will always live on in our hearts and in our little boy. Harry and I will raise Jaxon like he is our own biological child, his life will be as normal as possible but Larissa will always have a place in our lives and our heart. We will make sure Jaxon knows his mother loved him very much. And of course you both will always be a part of his life too. We are all a family now.." Kate says.
Claudine puts her arms around Kate and Henry pats her shoulder, his way of thanking her for her kind words..
"Thank you so much for taking care of Jaxon, I'm 100% sure Larissa would agree when I say he is lucky with a mom and dad like you." Kate looks up to me, glassy eyes full of emotion.
"That's all I want, making Larissa proud because we raise Jaxon to become a good person." I say quietly.
"Come Henry, let's go home. Jaxon is tired." The old man nods, his wife clearly overcome with emotion. Henry gives Jaxon a kiss on the nose and hand him over to me. Claudine who has already hugged Kate now comes to kiss mine and Jaxon's cheeks. We all say our goodbyes and let Jaxon's grandparents leave.
Kate closes the door and leans against it.
"I love you, you are amazing! You know that, right?" Kate asks. These visits with Claudine and Henry are hard on her, these wonderful people are so broken. She wants to help them but she can only be there for them and give them time with Jaxon, I think she feels powerless against it.
"I love you too, beautiful. Come let's put this troublemaker in bed for his nap and than I'm going to cuddle you in our bed." I smile while looking to our boy sleeping in my arms.

A.N.: Hello,
I really hope you liked this part of the story. Please comment and vote.

As a mother of a foster son, I want to point out that situations like the one in this story are rare.
Foster children are almost always children who had to be taken away from their parents for various reasons. Often biological parents and foster parents aren't on good terms. Even if a person isn't fit to be a parent, it is hard for them to let their child be raised by people who they don't know, this will always cause tension.
For foster parents it isn't easy either, what ever the biological family did to the child, foster parents always have to make sure that the biological family has a place in the child's life. The children often have many issues like behavioural problems and will test their foster parents to see if they really do love them unconditionally.
For me being a foster mother is a real gift. People often say it is something beautiful that my husband and I do, but for us it's normal.
Our son doesn't have the same blood as us, but in our hearts, he is our son and our family. I can't imagine life without him. With my health issues often it is very hard and painful but every time my little boy laughs at me or when I tuck him in at night and he says "I love you mommy" I think it's worth everything.

Thank you so much for reading!
All the love,
K. x