The World Watching
The adoption process was a battle.
Social workers called him irresponsible.
Relatives insisted he was making a mistake.
Neighbors whispered behind closed blinds:
A white man with nine Black babies? What’s he after?
Some muttered much worse. One man spat at his feet.
“You’ll regret this.”
But he never did.
Richard gave up nearly everything — his truck, his tools, his late wife’s jewelry. He worked every hour he could, repairing roofs and taking late-night shifts. Every cent paid for bottles, cribs, diapers.
He learned to braid tiny curls.
He memorized which lullaby soothed which daughter.
Every night, he counted nine gentle breaths — terrified of losing one.
