Chapter 2
The Davis'
Nicole went to the spare bedroom that contained boxes and boxes of things including so much paperwork. This was not only from their mother's things but boxes she still had not gone through since her husband's death .She rarely went into this room because of the pain it caused her, but for Brian's sake she knew she had to. She was up there for hours. Brian and Bridget watched Bella while she was going through everything. She finally found the files that most of her mother's paperwork was in. She had never really needed to look in the files marked family so she had never gone through them before. As she riffled through them, she then found old photos mixed in with the files, of both her and Brian as infants along with some other family photos,
"we all looked like such a happy family then, boy how things changed "she said to herself.
After looking a bit more she found Brian's altered birth certificate with his parents' names Lillian Thompson Davis & Michael Davis listed as mother and father on them noting that there was a change due to the adoption in very small print. Looking further she found a very old never opened envelope stamped confidential dated 04/20/1975 She opened it and it was Brian's original Birth Certificate with parents names listed as Mother: Annie Elizabeth Jackson Father Eric John Camden both from Binghamton, New York Born at Binghamton General Hospital (both were listed as minors at the time of the child's birth). Nicole didn't really read the rest but knew she needed to show this to Brian, and then they could figure where to go from there.
The Camden's
As Annie prepared dinner, she periodically glanced at the calendar looking at tomorrow's date circled. Just then Ruthie (their youngest daughter) came in she (still lived in the garage apartment while attending a local college).
"What's for dinner mom?" asked Ruthie "Is it that ultra-healthy stuff you cook for dad or is it anything good? Or should I just go get pizza now at the Promenade?"
Annie was glad for the distraction and replied" Well it is healthy" Annie laughed as she spoke "but I know you like my lemon pepper chicken, so you are safe to eat here,"
She really wanted Ruthie to be there tonight and hopefully tomorrow, because she knows how hard this time of year always hit her.
Just then, Eric entered the kitchen, "any chance I could get a hamburger" he laughed as he spoke.
He knew he could always get a rise out of Annie when he asked for the unhealthy food he wasn't supposed to eat due to his heart condition. He wanted to lighten the tension/mood that was due to what tomorrow represented.
Just then Sam & David came down stairs they both stated "We're starving when do we eat."
A short time later dinner was ready & they all ate talking with very casual light conversation about Ruthie's life at school The boys sports and anything else that would keep the conversation going on the lighter side. After dinner they all carried on with their normal routines
The Davis'
Nicole brought the envelope with the old original birth certificate into the living room where Brian was holding a sleeping Bella, Bridget was in the kitchen making dinner or at least trying to cook something anyway, it was hard because the smell of the food was making her sick to her stomach.
Brian looked up when Nicole entered the room. He stated "boy you were in that room a long time did you get lost in the mess."
"He seemed to be a lot calmer now than he was several hours ago when they 1st arrived, but then again holding a sleeping baby always is very calming ",Nicole thought to herself.
She stood there for a minute not knowing what to do with the information she held in her hand, not wanting to get Brian all upset again.
But then Brian noticed what she was holding and asked "Looks like you found something, anything important?"
Nicole didn't say anything Instead she took Bella from him and handed him the envelope, he opened it and read it, and he must have just stared at it in silence for ten minutes.
He finally said "I can't believe this was with mom's stuff all this time and I never knew".
He read the birth certificate, and he noticed too, that it stated that they were both minors at the time of his birth. Brian read the names of his parents out loud "Mother: Annie Elizabeth Jackson, Father: Eric John Camden" he said it over and over again.
Then he thought to himself "I wonder how my life would have turned out if they hadn't had to put me up for adoption, because except for my relationship with Nicole, nothing in my family life was every really good."
Nicole started to talk to Brian breaking his train of thought, "Brian I saw on a talk show that there is a national adoption registry that Parents & the children they gave up can sign up and be reunited if both are registered. This birth certificate gives you I guess enough information to at least start."
Brian used Nic's lap top to search for the national adoption registry on line found it and completed the application also putting all his contact information, as well as a recent picture of himself on his registration, he had most of the information required because he had his original birth certificate.
Once everything finally loads & saves he stares at the screen and says out loud "they have been registered and looking for me since 1995 since the creation of the website." It stated that parents Rev. Eric Camden and his wife Annie Camden live in Glen Oak California "Oh my God that's 10 minutes from Venice Beach where I live; wow it also says they have been married since 1979 & have 7 children. I have 7 more, biological siblings Nic "
He was astonished that they were so close all this time & he never knew they even existed.
"Nic, it says that Eric Camden is the pastor at the Glen Oak Community Church."
Brian sits back in the chair putting his head in his hands completely overwhelmed by the onslaught of all this information.
Bridget had been listening silently the whole time & put her hand on Brian's shoulder,"Maybe you should let this sit with you a bit and not rush into anything. You should at least wait until tomorrow since it is your birthday maybe contact the church tomorrow."
Bridget was done with the food so they all sat & what she had prepared and then after a while Bridget & Brian headed back to his apartment for the night.
The Camden's
Annie awoke early as she always did, today it was April 20, 2010, and this date was always the hardest day of the year. She did her usual morning routine before anyone else awoke, and just like every other April 20th she went to the adoption registry website. So she sat at the desk next to her bed where Eric still slept and opened her laptop & logged on to the adoption registry website to see if her son had ever registered in the past year. She said a silent prayer but was ready to be disappointed again when the screen loaded and registered with a match, she couldn't believe it their son registered only yesterday. She was so happy when she cried out loud enough that it awoke Eric.
A sleepy yet startled Eric asked "What's going on Annie"?
"Oh Eric I found our son, I am on the website, he actually registered ".
"Well go on Annie "Eric said excitedly, "What does it say?"
"I am waiting for the whole page to load Eric give it a second."
They read the information together Brian Michael Davis, DOB 04/20/1975 Current city and state Venice Beach, CA.
Annie Exclaimed" I can't believe he is only 10 minutes away all this time, let me scroll down I think there is a picture attached."
They both stared with disbelief at the picture, Brian could have been Matt's twin he looked older than Matt obviously & his hair was a lighter shade of brown (as opposed to Matt' very dark brown hair) but other than that the same. Eric read out loud" it says he wants to be contacted and it lists his Cell #",
looking at the clock Eric added" well its only 6:30am so I suppose it is a little early to call him so we will have to wait a while longer".
The Davis'
Brian lay beside Bridget, who still was sound asleep, but he hadn't slept at all & his stomach was killing him, not surprising though with so much going through his mind. Yesterday was a rollercoaster of emotions, after such a relaxing weekend with Bridget and his friends at Big Bear lake, to come home to find out that his job his dad & the family Realty company gone or yet to put it a better way seized by the government, because of his father's betrayal and embezzlement, then to find out everything about his adoption, plus all the other responsibilities he had, no wonder his stomach was in knots.
Brian finally just got up and took a quick shower (not that he had to go to work but he needed to get busy to find a job and also to figure out what to do about his birth parents) he then got some coffee and went into the living room where his friend Dave Greco was already awake playing video games (Dave is staying at Brian's while he figured out his marital problems with wife Deena)
Dave looked up as Brian came in the room, "wow you look terrible Brian"
"God Dave, I didn't sleep last night at all and before you say anything, no I didn't have a fight with Bridget"
Brian went on to explain to Dave all that happened yesterday.
"Holy sh # Brian, no wonder you look like as bad as you do "Dave says trying to sound sympathetic "so what are you going to do?"
"I am not sure" Brian states as he takes some more antacids for his stomach" I do not know if I should call or just show up at the church, But right now I am too tired to think I need at least a little sleep before I can deal with any of this"
He sits back and relaxes in the recliner. Bridget walks in the room 15 minutes later looking freshly showed.
"Well I have some job interviews lined up so I am off, do you want me to see about a job for you too Brian while I am at these interviews" Asks Bridget
"I am not ready just yet to deal with that today Bridg, but I love you and good luck."
She walks over kisses him and says" oh by the way Happy Birthday honey, when I get home we will do something special & try to get some sleep You really don't look well, I know you were up all night"
Brian sits in the recliner & dozes off Unaware that his cell phone is in yesterday's jeans on silent mode & is vibrating.
The Camden's
With Sam and David already dropped at school, Annie looked at the # listed for Brian & dialed it. It rang and went to voicemail it was like listening to Matt's voice
"So, Brian didn't just look like Matt he sounded like him too." She then told Eric, "I called the number Brian listed as his cell and it is the right # but it went to voicemail"
Annie was disappointed that Brian didn't pick up his cell.
She didn't leave a message thinking what would I say," This is you long lost mother". She thought to herself.
Well she figured she could try him later maybe he is at work and can't take the call.
Eric reassured Annie "Don't worry we will get in touch with him he obviously wants to find us to if he registered. The question is how are we to tell our other children about him. We have always made it such a big deal about abstinence before marriage. Especially all the lectures we gave Simon (another Camden child) when he was at college."
Eric and Annie were so adamant about this because they wanted to spare their children the hurt of what they went through. Eric decides to get some work done and after kissing her goodbye he told he would be back early afternoon then left and went to the church office.
The Davis' /Camden's
Brian woke around 11:30, feeling better now that he had slept. Dave was gone to work and he was in the apartment alone. He got and went into the bedroom & looked for his cell & found it in his other pants pocket. The charge was low so he plugged it in and went to take a shower. When was finished and dressed he looked at the phone now charged enough for the display to come on he had missed a call earlier. It was an unfamiliar # but no message was left he put the phone in his pocket.
He had to make a decision on what to do about the Camden's. He looked up on line the church information. He went to call but couldn't get up the nerve to do it. He decided to drive there and hope Eric Camden was in his office. He drove to Glen Oak not a lot of traffic this time of day. So it only took him 15 minutes to get there, he drove around and around the church for another 20 minutes before he got the courage to park and another 5 minutes before he got out of the car to go in.
He was near the building when an older lady called out to him "hey Matt you look like you lost some weight. When did you get back into town?" (This lady was unknown to him but the Camden's knew Mrs. Bink very well)
He asked her if she was talking to him and she stated
"of course Matt who else would I be referring to".
He told her that she must have him confused with someone else he didn't know any Matt .He walked away towards the church office door and went in. Lou (one of the church deacons) saw him come in.
Lou said "hey Matt good to have you back in town I thought you and Sarah weren't coming in until next week. It's great that your family are going to move back here, so when did you get in. You know you look different, lost weight?"
Brian though "I must really look like this Matt guy then though he must be one of the Camden's kids that he read about on his parents profile." Brian advised Lou "you have me mistaken for someone else, my name is Brian, I am looking for Rev Eric Camden"
Lou gave him a puzzled look but then directed him to the minister's office and Eric was sitting at his desk unsuccessfully trying to work on the upcoming Sunday sermon. Brian stood there for a minute not knowing what to say but knowing the man he was staring at was his REAL FATHER. He was losing his nerve and about to leave, as Eric looked up from his work and locked eyes with Brian he remembered the profile photograph and instantly knew it was Brian.
