Back home, they opened the locket. A tiny hospital bracelet slipped into Mia’s hand, printed with two names: hers and the boy who had donated his teddy bear to the NICU that week. A small photo showed a toddler reaching toward a newborn’s blanket.
They looked closer. The toddler was Evan, round-cheeked and bright-eyed, wearing the same shirt with a little bear stitched on it. The final letter explained everything. Their mothers had met during a night of fear and hope and promised to watch over both children until love brought them together. The grandmother’s final line said it all: “You met before you could speak. We only tied the ribbon so the world would catch up.”