I was a surrogate for my sister and her husband. Two days after the birth, they left the baby on my doorstep and vanished.

While the medical team prepared Nora, the legal team prepared for battle. Child Protective Services and the police were notified of the abandonment. I sat in courtrooms and hospital waiting rooms, watching the system move to terminate Claire and Ethan’s parental rights. They didn’t even fight it; they simply wanted her gone.

Months later, the day of the surgery arrived. I sat in the hallway clutching Nora’s blanket, praying until my voice was a rasp. When the surgeon finally emerged, he smiled. “Her heart is beating strong,” he said. I collapsed in relief. I wasn’t just her aunt anymore. By the time we left the hospital, I was officially her mother.