The welcome party was at Fancy Valley and Four Seasons!

The food was great, the conversations were rolling, and everyone was making sure to get to know Penny. As the party continued, Duey made his way to find Prue.

She sat on a bench outside the building, observing the night sky. She heard Duey approach and asked him to join her on the bench.

With no time to waste, Prue got right to the point. “I think we should adopt a child. Not a baby, but a younger child who should get a second chance in life and have a loving home.”

Duey, with tears building in his eyes, took both of Prue’s hands in his and said, “This will be the best adventure of our lives. Of course, I’d love to!”

As the weeks passed, Duey and Prue found themselves immersed in the adoption process. One evening, they sat at their kitchen table, surrounded by paperwork.

“I never realized how thorough this process would be,” Prue sighed, shuffling through a stack of forms.

Duey nodded, “It’s intense, but I understand why. They need to make sure we’re ready for this responsibility.”

“Did you see this part?” Prue pointed to a section of the application.

“We need to provide references from friends, family, and colleagues who can vouch for our character and ability to care for a child.”

“That makes sense,” Duey replied. “Hey, why don’t we ask some Fancy Valley team to be references? They’ve known us for years.”

Prue’s eyes lit up, “That’s a great idea!”

The next day at the office, Duey and Prue approached their colleagues. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

“Of course, I’ll be a reference!” exclaimed Sue. “You two will make amazing parents.”

“Count me in,” added Justin. “I’ve seen how you handle challenges here at work. A child would be lucky to have you.”

As the references started coming in, Duey and Prue were touched by the kind words of their colleagues. The adoption agency asked about their work ethic, how they handled stress, and their ability to balance work and personal life.

With all the paperwork submitted and references in place, Duey and Prue found themselves in a state of anxious anticipation.

“Now we wait,” Prue said, squeezing Duey’s hand.

Duey nodded, a mix of excitement and nervousness in his voice. “I hope we hear back soon. I can’t wait to start this new chapter of our lives.”

As they sat on their porch swing, watching the sunset, both Duey and Prue felt a sense of hope and excitement for what the future might hold.

The journey to adoption had been challenging, but they knew it would all be worth it when they could finally welcome a child into their home and hearts.

What will the adoption agency’s decision be?

How will the Diligence family prepare for the possibility of welcoming a child?

And how will this journey impact their roles at Fancy Valley?

Stay tuned for the next issue!