Chapter 29: Two Worlds Colide
Torrey Marie White was twenty-four years old, a green-eyed beauty with a frame that would have been slim had she not been pregnant. Her hair resembled low burning embers from a dying fire, and that seemed to reflect in her personality. She was quick to make jokes, and even quicker to curse, and she laughed with the heartiness of someone who genuinely enjoys life.
She beamed at the two men as they approached her, firmly shaking their hands, her smile as bright as the day outside. Rick and Daryl liked her the second they laid eyes on her, and pulled their chairs close to hers so they could all talk in a more private manner.
"My, my, you're both such handsome men." Torrey said, taking a moment to sip her Caramel Frappuccino. "It's too bad neither of you swing my way, or I'd probably be making passes at you the whole time."
She laughed, showing them she was just joking without saying as much, and they felt more at ease. "Anyway, what do you two do for work?"
Daryl and Rick shared a glance, and then Rick took the lead, speaking for both of them. "I'm a detective, and my boyfriend works at an auto body repair shop."
Torrey nodded as if she were taking mental notes. "That's good. At least I know the baby will be well taken care of and will get everything it needs. Do you have a stable living arrangement? Or rather, will you have one by the time the baby is meant to come into your home?"
"Yes." Rick stated calmly.
Torrey nodded once more, regarding the men before her. She liked them already, and some instinct inside of her was telling her that they would be perfect for the baby she was carrying. And her instincts had never steered her wrong before.
But still, she had to ask the fated question, "Do either of you have any history of drug or alcohol abuse?"
Of course, both men answered, "No," in unison.
That sun-bright smile was back on her face. Yes, they were the ones who were supposed to adopt this baby.
"I have to ask you the same question, though." Rick said, turning her attention back to him.
Torrey laughed softly, taking another sip of her drink. "I used to drink a lot, throw some wild parties. I never did drugs, though; cigarettes are my drug of choice. But I gave all of that up the instant I knew I was pregnant. I never planned to keep the child, but I wanted to make sure I didn't hinder its chances for having a normal life."
Rick nodded with a kind smile; he respected her for trying to give the child a good head-start, even though she didn't want anything to do with it. He had to admit that if he were in her shoes it'd be hard for him to make the same decision.
"I just have one more question." Rick said.
"Shoot." Torrey replied, looking him dead in the eyes.
"What gender is the baby?"
Torrey sighed, a gentle blush coloring her cheeks. "In truth I don't know. I didn't want to get attached to this child in any way, and I knew that if I found out its gender I'd start thinking up names, and that would cause a whole other mess of problems. Is that alright?"
Rick looked over at Daryl, raising one eyebrow in question. Daryl nodded, a slight downward dipping of his chin, and Rick smiled.
"That's just fine; we don't mind surprises. You know, this was actually easier than either of us expected it to be." Rick chuckled and reached over, clasping Daryl's hand in his own. "And now it looks like we're all set. We'd like to adopt your baby, as soon as it's born and able to leave the hospital."
"Wonderful. I have all the paperwork right here in my purse for you guys; never hurts to be prepared, right?" Torrey rifled through her bag, searching for the papers and a spare pen.
"Wait," Daryl spoke quietly, but his word still caused both pairs of eyes to snap up to him. "I just have to know… does it bother you at all that your child will be going to a same-sex household?"
Rick gave Daryl's fingers a gentle squeeze and stroked the back of his hand with his thumb, but the other man was determined to hear Torrey's answer straight-forward. His eyes were locked on her, his cheeks flaming a vicious pink.
Torrey set her purse aside and leaned forward, folding her hands on the table in front of her. "Of all the questions you could have asked me, about anything else in the world, that's the one you choose?"
Daryl nodded, that same stiff dipping of his chin.
"No, it doesn't bother me. Better to have a gay couple who will love and care for this baby the way it deserves than a straight couple who could have a hundred problems in their background. I like you guys; you seem very genuine, and it's easy to tell that you love each other very much. Most people I find don't have that same look in their eyes as you do. Every time you two look at each other you can just feel the connection there.
"And that's the best environment for a baby to be in. No child wants to grow up in a home where the parents hate each other and fight all the time and talk only of divorce; I know, because I lived through that. But this child will be growing up in a home born only of love, because you two are gonna make it, I just know you will." Her eyes never wavered from Daryl's as she spoke, and the smile that curved her lips was meant only for him.
Rick felt almost like an outsider during this exchange, the third-wheel watching as two old friends carry on a conversation he can never understand or be included in. But then she turned to him, giving him that same smile, and he was a part of them once more.
The conversation grew much lighter then, and the three of them talked about trivial things while Rick and Daryl signed the proper paperwork. They exchanged phone numbers before they left, all three of them agreeing to get together again soon, just because they could.
