Mike & Vanessa Peters
Mike is older than Vanessa by 1 year.
Mike was 34 when Bloom was adopted, and Vanessa was 33
Mike comes from a large family, none of whom live close by. Vanessa on the other hand is an only child.
The reason why Mike and Vanessa don’t have children of their own is because Vanessa had ovarian cancer at the age of 29, only five years after beating breast cancer. She had to have an ovary removed as well as a section of the attached fallopian tube removed as well. However, the chemo drugs she took after her surgery caused damage to the eggs in her remaining ovary. While she isn’t completely infertile, a series of painful miscarriages resulted in the couple giving up on their hopes of starting a family.
The therapy and surgery that Vanessa underwent was pricey and Mike had to borrow money from family and friends in order to pay the medical bills.
It was only a few months prior to Bloom’s 16th birthday that Mike was able to pay back all the money he had borrowed from his family but still had a bit more to go in repaying some friends.
The couple had been looking into adoption and foster care when Mike had discovered Bloom in a burning building.
Mike had called Vanessa at the station while still holding an exhausted Bloom. Vanessa had come as soon as she got the call and it was love at first sight as the two of them held Bloom in their arms. They inquired with the police officers on what would happen to the baby if a parent or guardian weren’t found.
When nothing was found about Bloom’s background, and it was assumed that she had been abandoned, Mike and Vanessa were the first to jump at the chance to foster her.
After a year and a half the couple were finally able to file for a proper adoption.
Bloom grew up happy and healthy and never really questioned her parentage, until a very fateful day in the little city of Gardenia.
