Jane and Robert almost simultaneously arched their backs, trying to loosen up the stiffness from the brutal plane ride – thirteen hours with only one short stop an hour ago.

This plane was primitive compared to the jumbo jet that had taken them across the Atlantic. This was a tube, with no bulkhead walls to suggest strength and stiffness. The flight attendants smiled as they always did, but they could offer no comfort for the soreness. In fact, they were so used this travel, it never occurred to them to try.

Jane looked at Robert for the thousandth time. He knew what she was thinking. Would it be alright? 

Would this work? Would they be able to adopt this child, after all?

All they really knew about him was from the photograph the agency had provided. His cherubic smile had melted their hearts immediately, though they were already softened to the whole idea of cross-cultural, cross-continent adoption. 

How many months, years, had it taken to bring them to this spot? Of course they never assumed anything but that they would have kids of their own, the regular way. When a few years passed and nothing happened, they saw the doctors. No problems, just relax, they said. Another couple of years. They started thinking about their options when Jane’s best friend Susan told them about the agency. They were eager to talk to interested would-be parents, and a few month later, here they were, on a plane half-way around the world, bouncing along, worrying and wondering.

His name was Tomas and he was three, a bit small for his age. His parents had died from some disease that had swept through their country, devasting thousands of families. But there were a number of monasteries and convents who’d agreed to take care of the littlest, most vulnerable ones. The government was overwhelmed and glad for the help. Adoption agencies around the world stepped in and began working.

The agency told them they couldn’t really stay in country for long. In fact, everything would have to be handled at the airport. Government officials would be there to verify that everything was proper and legal, and they would only have an hour or two at most to meet Tomas and take care of all the paperwork. 

Robert, being the practical one, had been signing papers for days. He’d consulted lawyers, of course, to make sure everything was legal. And then there was the expense. Thousands in legal fees, more for permits, medical checkups, affidavits that proved they were responsible people, able to take care of a child. “Regular parents” didn’t have to go through all this, he grumbled more than once – but only to himself.

Jane was sure the moment they saw the picture and read the little bio. This was him. This was their boy.

A ping sounded on the plane’s intercom. A voice said in several languages that they were approaching the airport, please fasten your seatbelts.

Robert feeling’s immediately swung swiftly between relief (that the flight was over) and fear (what were they in for)? He still harbored an idea that someone would try to cheat them at the last minute, that they would suddenly need lots more money to “settle things”.

Jane, though, found her heart racing. She knew Robert was handling all the paperwork, and frankly, she had pushed all that aside. There was only Tomas and them, heading home, settling him into his new bedroom, finding out what foods he liked, working through the first few days or weeks with clumsy communication as they worked out each other’s language. 

The little plane landed with a disturbing rattle, but Robert took a cue from the flight attendants, whom he could see all the way at the front of the plane. They didn’t even blink. In fact, he was sure he saw one yawn.

More instructions came over the speakers, but everyone knew what to do anyway. A din rose, as everyone stood, grabbed their bundles from wherever they’d had them stashed, and gently jostled each other in the aisles. 

Jane and Robert only had one bag and Robert grabbed it. He sighed, bracing himself, but felt Jane reaching for his hand and squeezing it tightly. 

“It’ll be okay,” he said in a low tone. “We’re almost there!”

Jane smiled weakly, tried to speak but found the words wouldn’t come. 

They shuffled down the aisle and through the loading ramp.

They’d been told someone would meet them, but they didn’t know exactly how that was going to happen. Blessedly, there was a nice-looking older woman just inside the terminal holding up a sign with their name.

Robert waved at her and they made their way over. She pulled them aside.

“Welcome, welcome,” she said smiling broadly. “We are so glad to see you. We are so glad you made it. Please, come this way.”

She led them down the main airport walkway a few hundred yards, then finally into a small room off to one side. Inside was a man in uniform and another man in a business suit. 

They introduced themselves, but Jane and Robert did not absorb their names at all. The man in uniform asked for their passports, and their papers. The lady who’d greeted them – she repeated her name – took out a large sheaf of papers herself and a few moments went by as the officer and the man in the business suit examined everything. 

Robert felt the anxiety rising in him. More paperwork! But then he calmed himself also. It was necessary – just do what was needed. 

He glanced over at Jane. 

She was clearly not paying the slightest attention to any of this. She only wanted one thing. 

“Please,” Robert said finally, “where is the boy? Is he here? Is there any problem?”

The woman smiled again, grabbing both their hands, then releasing Robert’s and grabbing Jane’s with both of hers. 

“Don’t be afraid. He’s right here. He’s just in the next room. We must handle all of this first. We want to make sure everything is proper before we bring him in. We don’t want to build his hopes up before we …”

She stopped, and Robert suddenly realized what she meant. There was another person who had to be alright with this adoption. The boy had to want this also. Robert chided himself for forgetting Tomas was probably just as frightened as they were, just as anxious, just as worried. 

Finally the officer and the man in the suit seemed satisfied with all the papers. They began stamping various documents, and then said something to the old woman in their own language. She nodded, grinning.

Turning to Jane and Robert, she said, “Come, it’s time to meet Tomas.”

Jane’s heart raced, and she squeezed Robert’s hand so hard it almost hurt, but he only squeezed it back, then put his arm around her.

The old woman opened another door and led them into a little area with a sofa and two large soft chairs. No one was in the room. Jane and Robert instinctively sat on the sofa together. The woman went to another door and knocked on it gently. 

It opened and another woman, pretty, dark-haired, appeared, and wrapped around her leg, was Tomas. 

He looked frightened, confused, unsure, and held onto the young woman as she shuffled them into the room. 

Without even thinking, Jane slipped off the sofa onto her knees, and held out her arms.

Tomas looked at her. 

Suddenly his face lit up and he rushed over to Jane, who wrapped him in her arms and began weeping for joy.

The two women also had tears in their eyes.

It took a moment for Robert to realize he hadn’t been breathing. Then he too slid down on the floor and embraced his wife and their new son.

His new family. 

The flight home lasted only minutes.