I've written twice about the hosting-slash-fostering situation on the Monday evening drama One Tree Hill. Well, last week was the season finale and, in true television fashion, things had to be wrapped up before they left us hanging in other regards over the summer months. Of course, one of those things that was wrapped up in a neat little package and tied with an unrealistic bow was the story of Brooke and Angie, the little baby girl she was hosting so the girl could receive free heart surgery.

Because the writers weren't cruel, the little girl did receive her surgery and recover nicely. There was a moment of panic, mostly due to how the commercial promos for the week of the surgery were edited, in which we wondered if Baby Angie would be okay. But, in the end, she came out healthy and happy.

Of course, as most would expect and many have experienced, Brooke's character bonded with Baby Angie in some big ways. In the season's last episode, we saw her slip and refer to herself as "Mama." My heart broke for her then because, I, too, have felt that tug between knowledge and emotion. You "feel" like a mom to a child but you don't get to wear that title. And it hurts.

The episode saw Brooke faced with the sudden an unexpected return of Angie to the airport so she could fly home to her biological family. Baby Angie wasn't scheduled to return home for eight more days but she recovered quickly and a flight was available so they were sending her off. Brooke deals with this in the only way she can: she packs up Angie's stuff and goes to the airport.

I spent this part of the episode crying, of course. The show handled it with class. There was no elaborate plan to escape with the baby. Brooke did, however, visit the doctor to make sure that she was safe enough to fly (with the minor hope that she would get to stay longer) which hit me as the responsible and, as such, mothering thing to do. In the airport, she was simply handed over to the other party. And we saw tears from Brooke.

I wanted a little more. I wanted a brilliant speech. I wanted something like, "Now I know how your parents felt when they sent you here!" I wanted just a bit more. However, I'm pleased that it wasn't turned into anything overtly negative so I really shouldn't complain too much. (But really, the "how your parents felt" line would have been perfect.)

All in all, it wasn't the complete disaster that I initially thought it would be. Of course, I'm sure that in the coming season, adoption will continue to be part of the storyline. In fact, it's possible that Brooke's character ran off to Vegas with a male character for an impromptu wedding. We won't know, of course, until the new season starts in the fall. Oh, cliffhangers!

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For more on television and adoption, read these posts.



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