Chapter 211
Hadley fought back tears, trying to maintain her composure. “Thank you, Joy… thank you, my sweetheart.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Mommy,” Joy explained with a seriousness beyond her years. “If there was no Mommy, there would be no Joy!”
At that moment, Hadley couldn’t hold back any longer. Tears streamed down her cheeks as emotion overwhelmed her.
“Oh, my little one… my dear…”
Joy could hear the distress in her voice. “Mommy, please don’t cry! Joy loves Mommy so much!”
Choking back tears, Hadley managed to say, “Mommy loves you more, my baby.”
“Mommy…” Joy’s plaintive whimper was heart-wrenching. “I miss you so much. When are you coming to pick me up?”
Hadley paused, feeling a deep ache in her heart. She wasn’t financially ready yet to bring her daughter home.
“Very soon,” she promised, her voice gentle but firm. “Please be a good girl, listen to Dr. Williams and Auntie Colleen. Mommy is doing everything she can, and I’ll be there to get you before you know it.”
Joy sounded a bit downcast, but her innate good nature shone through. “Okay! I’ll be good. I promise! Now I’m giving the phone to Auntie Colleen.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I love you.”
There was a slight rustling noise, and then a different voice came through. “Hadley.”
Colleen was now on the line.
“Colleen… thank you so much,” Hadley said, her voice laden with gratitude.
She knew without asking—Colleen had set up this call.
Joy was still too young and frail, hardly old enough to remember her own birthday, let alone her mother’s. She wouldn’t have known about today without help.
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“What are you thanking me for? There’s no need for formalities. Aren’t we friends?” Colleen responded lightly before shifting the conversation. “Hey, regarding the funds for Joy’s surgery, do you have everything covered?”
Upon hearing that, Hadley fell silent.
With a tone of displeasure, Colleen exclaimed, “I can’t believe you’d keep something this important from me! If I hadn’t pushed Mathias, would you have ever told me?”
Hadley stumbled over her words, feeling remorseful. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to keep it from you.”
“But you did!”
Colleen understood Hadley all too well. Hadley definitely didn’t have the money, yet she still refrained from asking for help.
Frustrated, Colleen asked, “Don’t you see me as a friend?”
“That’s not the case,” Hadley responded hastily. “It’s exactly because you are my friend that I find it hard to ask for help.”
Colleen had already been so generous. Hadley didn’t want to take advantage of their friendship and keep burdening her. The thought of continually asking for more was simply unbearable. “Colleen, I’m already in your debt more than I can say.”