She frowned. Cars like that didn’t belong in this neighborhood.
The sound grew louder. A sleek black SUV turned the corner and stopped in front of her modest house, its polished surface gleaming beneath the streetlights.
Sarah’s heart began to race. She set her cup down carefully. Had she done something wrong? Was this some kind of mistake?
The driver’s door opened. A sharply dressed man stepped out and quickly moved to open the rear doors.
Four young women emerged.
They were elegant, confident, poised. For a moment, Sarah didn’t recognize them. They looked so different—so accomplished, so far removed from the hungry children she once held close.
Then one of them smiled.
Her heart knew before her mind did.
“It can’t be…” Sarah whispered.
“Mama Sarah!” one of the women cried, her voice breaking with emotion.
They ran toward her. The old wooden steps creaked under their hurried footsteps. Sarah stood frozen, tears already blurring her vision.
They wrapped their arms around her, holding her tightly as if they were children again. She nearly lost her balance from the force of their embrace.
When she finally found her voice, it trembled. “Look at you… my beautiful girls. What have you become?”