We Adopted a 3-Year-Old Boy – When My Husband Went to Bathe Him for the First Time, He Shouted, ‘We Must Return Him!’

After years of infertility, we adopted Sam, a sweet 3-year-old with ocean-blue eyes. But when my husband went to bathe Sam, he ran out, yelling, “We must return him!” His panic made no sense until I spotted the distinctive marking on Sam’s foot.

I never expected that bringing home our adopted son would unravel the fabric of my marriage. But looking back now, I realize that some gifts come wrapped in heartache, and sometimes the universe has a twisted sense of timing.

A thoughtful woman | Source: Midjourney

A thoughtful woman | Source: Midjourney

“Are you nervous?” I asked Mark as we drove to the agency.

My hands fidgeted with the tiny blue sweater I’d bought for Sam, our soon-to-be son. The fabric was impossibly soft against my fingers, and I imagined his small shoulders filling it out.

“Me? Nah,” Mark replied, but his knuckles were white against the steering wheel. “Just ready to get this show on the road. Traffic’s making me antsy.”

A man driving a car | Source: Pexels

A man driving a car | Source: Pexels

He drummed his fingers on the dash, a nervous tick I’d noticed more frequently lately.

“You’ve checked the car seat three times,” he added with a forced chuckle. “Pretty sure you’re the nervous one.”

“Of course I am!” I smoothed the sweater again. “We’ve waited so long for this.”

The adoption process had been grueling, mostly handled by me while Mark focused on his expanding business.

A woman staring thoughtfully out a car window | Source: Midjourney

A woman staring thoughtfully out a car window | Source: Midjourney

The endless paperwork, home studies, and interviews had consumed my life for months as I searched agency lists for a child. We’d initially planned to adopt an infant, but the waiting lists stretched endlessly, so I started expanding our options.

That’s how I found Sam’s photo — a three-year-old boy with eyes like summer skies and a smile that could melt glaciers.

His mother had abandoned him, and something in those eyes spoke directly to my heart. Maybe it was the hint of sadness behind his smile, or perhaps it was fate.

A little boy with striking blue eyes | Source: Midjourney

A little boy with striking blue eyes | Source: Midjourney

“Look at this little guy,” I said to Mark one evening, showing him the photo on my tablet. The blue glow illuminated his face as he studied it.

He’d smiled so softly I knew he wanted this boy as much as I did. “He looks like a great kid. Those eyes are something else.”

“But could we handle a toddler?”

“Of course we can! No matter how old the kid is, I know you’ll be a great mom.” He squeezed my shoulder as I stared at the picture.

A woman staring at her tablet | Source: Midjourney

A woman staring at her tablet | Source: Midjourney

We completed the application process and, after what seemed like forever, we went to the agency to bring Sam home. The social worker, Ms. Chen, led us to a small playroom where Sam sat building a tower of blocks.

“Sam,” she said softly, “remember the nice couple we talked about? They’re here.”

I kneeled beside him, my heart thundering. “Hi, Sam. I love your tower. May I help?”

He studied me for a long moment, nodded, and handed me a red block. That simple gesture felt like the beginning of everything.

A child playing with toy blocks | Source: Midjourney

A child playing with toy blocks | Source: Midjourney

The drive home was quiet. Sam clutched a stuffed elephant we’d brought him, occasionally making small trumpet sounds that made Mark chuckle. I kept glancing back at him in his car seat, hardly believing he was real.

At home, I started unpacking Sam’s few belongings. His small duffle seemed impossibly light for containing a child’s whole world.

“I can give him his bath,” Mark offered, from the door. “Give you a chance to set up his room exactly how you want it.”

A man standing in a doorway | Source: Midjourney

A man standing in a doorway | Source: Midjourney

“Great idea!” I beamed, thinking how wonderful it was that Mark wanted to bond right away. “Don’t forget the bath toys I picked up for him.”

They disappeared down the hall, and I hummed as I arranged Sam’s clothes in his new dresser. Each tiny sock and T-shirt made this feel more real. The peace lasted exactly forty-seven seconds.

“WE MUST RETURN HIM!”

Mark’s shout hit me like a physical blow.

A woman looking over her shoulder | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking over her shoulder | Source: Midjourney

He burst from the bathroom as I raced into the hall. Mark’s face was ghost-white.

“What do you mean, return him?” I struggled to keep my voice steady, gripping the doorframe. “We just adopted him! He’s not a sweater from Target!”

Mark paced the hallway, running his hands through his hair, his breathing ragged. “I just realized… I can’t do this. I can’t treat him like my own. This was a mistake.”

“Why would you say that?” My voice cracked like thin ice.

A confused woman | Source: Midjourney

A confused woman | Source: Midjourney

“You were excited just hours ago! You were making elephant noises with him in the car!”

“I don’t know; it just hit me. I can’t bond with him.” He wouldn’t meet my eyes, staring instead at a point somewhere over my shoulder. His hands trembled.

“You’re being heartless!” I snapped, pushing past him into the bathroom.

Sam sat in the tub looking small and confused, and still wearing everything but his socks and shoes. He held his elephant clutched tight against his chest.

A boy holding a stuffed elephant | Source: Midjourney

A boy holding a stuffed elephant | Source: Midjourney

“Hey, buddy,” I said, forcing cheerfulness into my voice while my world crumbled. “Let’s get you cleaned up, okay? Would Mr. Elephant like a bath too?”

Sam shook his head. “He’s scared of water.”

“That’s okay. He can watch from here.” I set the toy safely on the counter. “Arms up!”

As I helped Sam undress, I noticed something that stopped my heart.

A stunned woman | Source: Midjourney

A stunned woman | Source: Midjourney

Sam had a distinctive birthmark on his left foot. I’d seen that exact mark before, on Mark’s foot, during countless summer days by the pool. The same unique curve, the same placement.

My hands trembled as I bathed Sam, and my mind raced.

“You’ve got magic bubbles,” Sam said, poking at the foam I’d barely registered adding to the water.

“They’re extra special bubbles,” I muttered, watching him play. His smile, which had seemed so uniquely his own, now held echoes of my husband’s.

A bubble bath | Source: Pexels

A bubble bath | Source: Pexels

That night, after tucking Sam into his new bed, I confronted Mark in our bedroom. The distance between us on the king-size mattress felt infinite.

“The birthmark on his foot is identical to yours.”

Mark froze in the act of removing his watch, then forced a laugh that sounded like breaking glass. “Pure coincidence. Lots of people have birthmarks.”

“I want you to take a DNA test.”

A woman with her arms crossed | Source: Midjourney

A woman with her arms crossed | Source: Midjourney

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he snapped, turning away. “You’re letting your imagination run wild. It’s been a stressful day.”

But his reaction told me everything. The next day, while Mark was at work, I took a few strands of hair from his brush and sent them for testing, along with a swab I took from Sam’s cheek during tooth-brushing time. I told him we were checking for cavities.

The wait was excruciating. Mark grew increasingly distant, spending more time at the office. Meanwhile, Sam and I grew closer.

A woman playing with a child | Source: Midjourney

A woman playing with a child | Source: Midjourney

He started calling me “Mama” within days, and each time he did, my heart swelled with love even as it ached with uncertainty.

We developed a routine of morning pancakes, bedtime stories, and afternoon walks to the park where he’d collect “treasure” (leaves and interesting rocks) for his windowsill.

When the results arrived two weeks later, they confirmed what I’d suspected. Mark was Sam’s biological father. I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the paper until the words blurred, hearing Sam’s laughter float in from the backyard where he played with his new bubble wand.

A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney

A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney

“It was one night,” Mark finally confessed when I confronted him with the results. “I was drunk, at a conference. I never knew… I never thought…” He reached for me, his face crumpling. “Please, we can work this out. I’ll do better.”

I stepped back, my voice ice-cold. “You knew the moment you saw that birthmark. That’s why you panicked.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, sinking into a kitchen chair. “When I saw him in the bath, it all came rushing back. That woman… I never got her name. I was ashamed, I tried to forget…”

An emotional man | Source: Midjourney

An emotional man | Source: Midjourney

“An accident four years ago, while I was going through fertility treatments? Crying every month when they failed?” Each question felt like glass in my throat.

The next morning, I visited a lawyer, a sharp-eyed woman named Janet who listened without judgment. She confirmed what I hoped — being Sam’s legal adoptive mother gave me parental rights. Mark’s previously unknown paternity didn’t automatically grant him custody.

“I’m filing for divorce,” I told Mark that evening after Sam was asleep. “And I’m seeking full custody of Sam.”

A determined woman | Source: Midjourney

A determined woman | Source: Midjourney

“Amanda, please—”

“His mother already abandoned him and you were ready to do the same,” I cut in. “I won’t let that happen.”

His face crumpled. “I love you.”

“Not enough to come clean. It seems to me that you loved yourself more.”

Mark didn’t fight it, so the divorce proceedings were quick. Sam adjusted better than I expected, though sometimes he asked why Daddy didn’t live with us anymore.

A boy in his bed | Source: Midjourney

A boy in his bed | Source: Midjourney

“Sometimes grown-ups make mistakes,” I’d tell him, stroking his hair. “But it doesn’t mean they don’t love you.” It was the kindest truth I could offer.

Years have passed since then, and Sam’s grown into a remarkable young man. Mark sends birthday cards and occasional emails but keeps his distance — his choice, not mine.

People sometimes ask if I regret not walking away when I discovered the truth. I always shake my head.

A woman hugging her son | Source: Midjourney

A woman hugging her son | Source: Midjourney

Sam wasn’t just an adopted child anymore; he was my son, biology, and betrayal be damned. Love isn’t always simple, but it’s always a choice. I vowed never to give him up, except to his future fiancée, of course.

Here’s another story: Despite being a struggling single mom, I had to help the elderly woman I found out in the cold on Christmas Eve. I never imagined that my simple act of kindness would lead to a mysterious luxury SUV at my door — or heal my broken heart.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

Prince William Receives New Title from King Charles as Prince Harry Arrives in the UK

The Prince of Wales has received an esteemed new title from the King of England. King Charles III’s title bestowment comes at the same time his secondborn son, Prince Harry, is visiting the U.K. for the Invictus Games 10th anniversary.

King Charles III and Prince William ahead of the Committal Service for the late Queen Elizabeth II in Windsor, England on September 19, 2022 | Source: Getty Images

This week has proved to be an eventful time for the British royal family. Yesterday, a media outlet reported that King Charles III is set to confer the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to his eldest son, Prince William. The announcement was made via Buckingham Palace.

Prince William during a visit to the Mercian Regiment in the South West, U.K. on November 23, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

According to reports, the official date for the role transfer is set for May 13 and will take place at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop.

“In August 2023, following His Majesty’s Accession, the King was pleased to announce military appointments including that the Prince of Wales would become Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps. The role was previously held by His Majesty the King, as Prince of Wales, for 31 years,” discloses the Palace’s message.

Prince William and King Charles III at the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication for King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Edinburgh, Scotland on July 5, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Interestingly, though Prince William is stepping into the role for the first time, the role itself is not new as it used to belong to his younger brother, Prince Harry. The Duke of Sussex’s affiliation with the Armed Forces runs deep.

Prince William and Prince Harry during the Committal Service for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Windsor, England on September 19, 2022 | Source: Getty Images

Aside from previously holding the title, Prince Harry worked in the Armed Forces for ten years, serving two Afghanistan duty tours with the British Army before ending his operational duties in 2015. In addition to Prince Harry, other members of the royal family “have official relationships with many units of the Forces.”

The official website for the King and Queen of England states that the royal family pays soldiers, airmen, and sailors, who serve both at home and abroad, “regular visits.” They have long recognized and supported “the work of the Armed Services.”

Queen Camilla and King Charles III visiting members of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards on peacekeeping duties in Banja Luka, Bosnia on March 1, 2007 | Source: Getty Images

News of the King bestowing the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William comes amid the Duke of Sussex’s recent trip to the U.K., which has raised eyebrows in public spheres. Speculation has been swirling based on the fact that it is widely known that Prince Harry and his father’s relationship has been tense in recent years.

“This is one of the most public rifts in the world. If it was handled in private without so much press speculation, it would have a better chance of being resolved,” asserted royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams while speaking about Prince Harry and King Charles III.

King Charles III and Prince Harry at the "International Year of The Reef" 2018 meeting in London, England on February 14, 2018 | Source: Getty Images

The rift between the father and son runs so deep that even though Prince Harry is currently back in the U.K., a meeting between him and the King of England will not take place. This has sparked heated responses from the public.

“In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not The Duke will meet with his father while in the U.K. this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full program,” announced a spokesperson for Prince Harry.

King Charles III and Prince Harry chatting during the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli event in Gallipoli, Turkey on April 25, 2015 | Source: Getty Images

The statement went on to explain, “The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.” According to a media outlet, King Charles III has a busy schedule because he recently returned to his public royal duties.

Since working behind the scenes amid his cancer diagnosis and treatment, King Charles III held an audience at Buckingham Palace yesterday, where the Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, was welcomed. Further occupying the King’s time is the premiere garden party of the season, which is set to take place at Buckingham Palace today (May 8).

Like his father, Prince Harry is also booked and busy. His time in the UK has been spent on the Invictus Games’ anniversary which kicked off with a panel yesterday. Today, St. Paul’s Cathedral will host a service where Prince Harry is expected to give a reading.

The public has reacted with shock and outrage to the news that Prince Harry and King Charles III will not see each other during this time, with many people expressing disappointment in the King. “That’s absolutely unforgivable, that a Dad can’t prioritize his son. King or not!!!” chastised a social media user.

King Charles III and Prince Harry attending a memorial service marking the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Gallipoli on the Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey on April 24, 2015 | Source: Getty Images

Similarly, someone else expressed, “Harry deserves better. Shame on #KingCharles. He treated #PrincessDiana terrible as well. #TheWholeWorldIsWatching.” “Shameful… but Prince Harry can sleep well at night. He has reached out numerous times,” commented another.

King Charles III and Prince Harry having a conversation during the the Opening Ceremony of the Invictus Games in London, England on September 10, 2014 | Source: Getty Images

Continuing to highlight the tumultuous nature of the late Princess Diana’s relationship with King Charles III, another user noted, “Charles is who Diana said he was 🙃.” Another King Charles III critic called him “petty.”

A Facebooker wrote, “As a parent I can’t imagine not being able to pencil my child into my schedule.” “I can’t imagine anything more important than getting to spend some time with a child that you really don’t see very often,” added another.

Someone else who felt particularly strongly about the matter stated, “Sadly, his father chooses his position over his family. His father has made it very clear where his love is. If he really wanted to see his son he would and could. This whole situation clearly shows that it is all about him and his ‘control over others.’”

Although King Charles III may not currently have the best relationship with his youngest son, with the recent news of Prince William receiving a new title from him, it would appear as though he remains in good standing with his eldest.

Furthermore, he also reportedly shares a great relationship with his daughter-in-law Princess Catherine. Like Prince William, the King had also conferred a new title on the Princess, which we previously reported on April 24, 2024.

Catherine Middleton, Princess of Wales, during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in London, England on May 6, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

On April 23, King Charles III announced that the Princess of Wales would become the Royal Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour. This was the first appointment for any royal. This prestigious appointment places her among an elite group recognized for their significant contributions across various fields, including the arts, sciences, and public service.

The Order of the Companions of Honour was established by King George V in 1917. It is an exclusive society limited to 65 members at any given time. However, additional honorary members from outside the Commonwealth are allowed. Notable figures among its ranks include Sir Elton John, Sir David Attenborough, Anna Wintour, Dame Maggie Smith, and Dame Judi Dench.

Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Prince William, and Princess Catherine after watching a fly-past by the British Royal Air Force's (RAF) aerobatic team from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh, Scotland on July 5, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

The announcement of Princess Catherine’s new role raised eyebrows. It prompted a flurry of online comments expressing confusion and concern. Thoughts from the online community ranged from skeptical to supportive.

“Definitely a distraction as to what is really happening but okay,” one comment read, hinting at underlying royal dynamics. “But where is she?” asked another, highlighting the Princess’s noticeable absence from public engagements. “A Royal Companion never heard of that role,” a person noted.

“She still hasn’t been seen in public since Dec 25th, and no one seems concerned with this at all?” another person expressed. “I hope she is getting better,” a Facebook user shared. “Ermm what kind of title is that?” questioned another, puzzled over the significance of the new title.

It’s clear that while the honor is significant, it also casts a spotlight on Princess Catherine’s recent low profile. This has stirred public curiosity and concern about her well-being and the circumstances surrounding her new royal duties.

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