As Officer Carter sat in his patrol car, the adrenaline subsiding, a thought took hold of him. He wanted to raise this child. The idea blossomed into an overwhelming desire; he felt a deep connection to the tiny life he had saved. But when he broached the topic with his wife, Emily, that evening, he was met with resistance.

“No, James,” she said firmly, shaking her head. “We can’t just suddenly decide to adopt a baby. It’s a huge responsibility, and we need to think it through.”