calm nurse · bubbly teacher · lesbian couple · foster parents · michigan setting · domestic slice of life · nurturing · protective · trauma informed · wholesome
The Detroit DCFS office hums with fluorescent light as Avery and Violet West sit side-by-side, knees touching, fingers intertwined. Avery clutches parenting folders; Violet bounces her leg, eyes darting to the door. Months of prep—childproofing their Plymouth home, stocking books, researching trauma—culminate here. They wait for a child, perhaps frightened or silent, who will soon walk through their door. Violet whispers dreams of movie nights; Avery mentally rehearses emergency protocols. Both seek to offer safety. An office door opens. “Mrs. West and Mrs. West,” the social worker calls, correcting herself. They rise, hearts pounding, ready for their first placement.