The nurse had just finished examining Lucy’s newborn twins before discharge, but the moment she returned with the babies, Lucy froze. Instead of the boy and girl she had delivered, the nurse carried in two baby girls.
Lucy and her husband, Ross, had been trying to conceive for years, and discovering they were expecting twins had felt like a miracle. The ultrasound had shown they would be welcoming a boy and a girl, and the couple had spent months preparing for both. But now, as Lucy stared at the two infants in front of her, her face drained of color.
“Where has my son gone? What exactly did you do to him? And whose baby is this other girl?” she cried, fixing her gaze on the nurse who had brought the children into the room.
“They are your daughters, ma’am,” the nurse, Savannah, replied, her eyes glued to the documents in her hands. “I double-checked the reports and I’m confident there is no error.”
“Have you lost your senses?” Lucy snapped back. “I have all the reports right here that prove I was supposed to deliver a boy and a girl— and I was informed of the same right after delivery. There’s no way they’re both girls!”
Lucy could see fear flicker in the nurse’s eyes as she looked up briefly. Before Lucy could press further, Dr. Linda Carter entered the room. “Would you please keep quiet, ma’am? This is a hospital, and there are other patients,” she instructed firmly.
“Quiet? Seriously?” Lucy glared. “Your nurse brings me a random child and then tries to tell me she isn’t wrong! Is this how your hospital functions? Should I call the chief doctor and explain what’s going on?”
Ross stepped in, his voice tense. “I agree with my wife, doctor. We don’t want to cause a scene, but your nurse is lying. We don’t know why—but if we don’t get our son back, we’ll have to call the police!”
“Please, sir, calm down,” Dr. Carter said. “I’m sure there’s just a misunderstanding. Savannah has worked here for years. Perhaps she brought the wrong documents. Savannah, may I see the papers?”
But Savannah refused, clutching the documents to her chest. “There’s no need, ma’am… I mean, I already checked them, and they’re fine.”
Dr. Carter immediately sensed something was off. “It’s fine. Let me quickly check the reports,” she said softly. But the moment she flipped through the pages, she realized Lucy was right.
“Please give me a moment, ma’am,” Dr. Carter said, carefully reviewing each page. “I believe Savannah accidentally brought the wrong paperwork. There was another patient named Lucy Matthews, and she likely confused the files.”
“I’m glad you finally noticed your mistake,” Lucy said sharply. “Next time, I suggest you hire responsible staff members!”
“I’m very sorry, ma’am,” Dr. Carter apologized, then turned to Savannah. “Would you mind stepping outside with me? I need you to find the correct reports.”
Savannah quickly followed, but Lucy noticed the tears forming in her eyes. Something felt wrong—very wrong. Driven by instinct, Lucy quietly followed them down the hall.
She watched them enter Dr. Carter’s office, and soon after, she heard someone crying inside. It had to be Savannah. The door was slightly open, so Lucy sat in a chair just outside and listened.
“What were you thinking, Savannah?” Dr. Carter’s tone was stern. “Lucy Matthews delivered twins—a boy and a girl—at 10:30 a.m. today. Even the reports said that. Why are you lying to them? Be honest!”
“I didn’t have a choice, ma’am,” Savannah sobbed. “The other newborn girl belongs to my sister. Her spouse abandoned her after finding out she was pregnant, and she didn’t survive the delivery. I could have adopted her myself, but my husband refused.”
“Why not place the baby in a nursing home?” Dr. Carter suggested. “She would be well cared for there.”
“I can’t,” Savannah cried harder. “It was my sister’s last wish for her daughter to grow up in a loving home.”
She continued, voice trembling. “When I saw Mrs. Matthews this morning, and how she and her husband supported each other, I thought they would be a beautiful family for her. So I swapped Mrs. Matthews’s son with my sister’s daughter… and placed her newborn son in a nursing home instead.”
“But that’s not right, Savannah,” Dr. Carter insisted. “We can’t allow that. Get Mrs. Matthews’s son immediately. And this conversation must remain confidential. Let me see what I can do to help you.”
Lucy felt her eyes fill with tears. There had been no malicious intent—just a desperate woman trying to honor her sister’s dying wish. Poor child… she thought as she quietly returned to her room.
A few minutes later, Dr. Carter arrived and handed Lucy her newborn son. “Sorry about the mix-up, ma’am. I apologize on behalf of my staff.”
Having overheard everything, Lucy decided not to file a complaint. But that night at home, she couldn’t sleep. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw the other baby girl’s innocent face.
“I can’t forget about her, Ross,” she confessed over breakfast the next morning. “I had a dream that a little girl came to our house by mistake… and ended up living peacefully with us. I know it sounds strange, but I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“It’s just because of what happened yesterday,” Ross said gently. “Try to distract yourself. How about we go out somewhere? It might help.”
“No, Ross,” Lucy said firmly. “I can’t bear the thought of leaving that child alone. I want to adopt her.”
“But honey!” Ross exclaimed. “Are you sure? We already have two children to care for—taking in a third would be too much! Don’t make emotional decisions. We need to be practical.”
“I understand,” Lucy said softly, “but please. I thought about it all night. I want to adopt her. Can we go to the hospital today?”
“Well… honey, if that’s what you truly want, I’ll stand by you,” Ross said, though worry clouded his face. “I’m just afraid it’ll be too much for you.”
“I can handle it,” Lucy insisted. “Please?”
Ross had been resistant—until he held the baby girl in his arms. Her eyes, brown with a hint of green, blinked up at him, calm and curious. Ross felt his heart melt.
“I’m delighted you’re considering adopting her, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,” Dr. Carter told them. “She is indeed lucky.”
“Well, doctor,” Lucy said, “we struggled for years to have children. Now that a child wants to come to us, we can’t let her go. Just let us know when we can take her home.”
“It may take some time,” the doctor explained, “but I’ll submit the documents to expedite the process.”
It did take time, just as she said, but Lucy and Ross had no regrets. When they finally brought the baby home, their family felt complete. They named her Amelia.
Savannah visited when she learned Lucy and Ross had adopted the child and couldn’t stop thanking them. Since then, she has become a regular visitor at the Matthews’ home, often spending weekends with Lucy’s children—the twins, Sia and Mark, and little Amelia.
What can we learn from this story?
- Love and care—not blood—are what truly create families. Lucy and Ross’s decision to adopt Amelia is a beautiful reflection of this truth.
- And sometimes, accidents lead to unexpected blessings. Savannah brought Amelia to Lucy because she hoped the baby would find a loving home—and in the end, she did.
