Author's notes: Okay, I lied. Looks like it'll take a few more chapters than this. Sorry, but thanks for reading and reviewing for me. I really appreciate it. I hope to be done with this in a few more chapters.
A few weeks passed like it had only been a couple of seconds. Before I knew it, I was heading into court with my newfound little brother and what I hoped to be my adopted family. The lawyer had told David and I that the first day was the only day we could go because the judge would be interviewing us that day. I wasn't sure about it really. I hadn't been inside many courtrooms because going into different foster homes didn't require going to court; all it required were outside dealings, at least to my knowledge. We weren't going to be allowed back after that first day because then the judge had to talk to all the adults and see evidence from the lawyers. But we were going to be allowed to go in the audience, I think that was what they called it anyway, on the last day when we could find out who was living with who. It was supposed to be a short hearing and we'd probably know within a couple of days.
So on the morning we went to court, David and I got dressed up real nicely. He wore one of the little boy suits that Harriet bought him. I had to explain to him what was going on, because truthfully I knew better than anyone what Miranda was doing. He seemed a little mad at me and I guess he thought I had told Miranda to come take us away. After I explained, he was really happy and giddy as he danced around me singing about something he'd learned in school.
But the morning of our interviews, I wasn't really prepared to see my mother, stepfather, and my biological family. It seemed as though my mother had brought all of the relatives I had never known about. Oh there was a grandmother, a grandfather, aunts, uncles, cousins, and step cousins all right. But the one person I really hadn't been prepared to see was a man that I hadn't seen since I was three.
I didn't think I remembered him until I saw his face. I watched enchanted as he stood up behind the barriers and looked straight at us. It seemed like time must have stood still for those brief few moments. In an instant I could smell his scent and see every detail the same as the last time I had seen him. And I was only three that time, so I couldn't understand how he could be so familiar. I remembered suddenly that I had been wearing a pantsuit that had roses on it, and my auburn hair was in two little pigtails. He tugged on them silently as he looked at me again and then walked out our door, leaving only the scent of peppermint from the candy he had brought me.
In the few seconds that I passed him, I remembered all this, but I had no recollection of my mother ever being around. I finally turned my head after what seemed like it should have been about twenty minutes long but was really only a minute or less. David tugged on my hand to get me to move and I became embarrassed as I noticed all the people staring at me. The judge called David back first with Miss Grant to be present as well. He gave me one last sad look with his puppy dog eyes before he moved to step alongside Miss Grant into the back room.
I sat down with Mac numbly, still remembering the man sitting on the other side. I had known before this that there could be no way that David and I would be with Miranda, but this brought about something totally new and confusing. I had so many relatives that I couldn't count them all. And the possibility that I could end up with them? Better chance though they'd never seen me before in my life. I began to piece together how long I should have been with each home or my real family.
It appeared that maybe the first couple of years would be Miranda. Now, what about my biological father? Where and when did I ever stay with him, or was he with Miranda? And what about the other relatives? I was so confused; my head seemed to be spinning around with all the memories and information I was surrounded in. Had my father surrendered his rights to me so I could be adopted? And did that mean I was free to live with the Rabb's and become their legal daughter while David became Harriet and Bud's legal son? So many questions but I had no answers to them.
Mac whispered something to me, but I didn't hear her because I was still staring into space. My biological father stood again and it looked as though he was going to come over to see me, but instead he left the room. I couldn't tell if I was disappointed or glad that he had avoided me. Another memory washed over me as I remembered a small bathtub with a rubber duck inside. I had to have been inside as well because as everything went through in slow motion, I saw him standing next to it with a washcloth and a baby brush. A bump brought me rushing out of the memory. I turned to Harm and whispered, "What?"
He pointed up to Miss Grant as she came walking across the room with David. She helped him sit back down as she brought me in. "Jessi, the judge would like to talk with you now."
I nodded. I could feel the eyes of the entire room wash over me as I crossed the room in my little skirt of blue. I timidly stepped into the room and sat down in front of the judge. He was dressed in the traditional black robe that I saw on TV. "Sit down Jessi. I've been told you like to be called Jessi better than Jessica, am I right?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, I would just like to ask you some questions about your multiple families." When I nodded, he continued. "Now, who do you think really is your family? And when I say this, I mean who do you think really should care for you and love you?"
"I, um…" I hated to admit to the fact I was scared, but they could tell. He smiled reassuringly as I got up my courage to continue. "I think I should have the Rabb's as my family."
He jotted something on his clipboard and then began asking more questions. "Why do you think this?"
"Well, I only remember a few things about Miranda and my biological father from when I was really little, like three. And after that, nobody wanted me until the Rabb's. They told me they love me."
"That's good. It's nice to have somebody love you. What do you remember about your mother when you lived with her when you were six years old? I see that you had a broken arm during that time as well."
"I got hurt. All I remember is her boyfriend at the time was really mean and Miranda didn't do a lot with me."
"Do you think she's changed based on meeting with her a few weeks ago?"
"I don't know. I didn't say a whole lot to her, but I don't think she has cause I don't think she ever will."
"That's okay. You're entitled to your opinions. Where do you think David should live? With you and the Rabb's, with Miranda, or with the Robert's?"
"I would love to have my brother around a lot, but he is good at the Robert's when I can visit him a lot. I never had a biological brother before, so I want him to live where he's best. And he likes Harriet as his mommy."
"Do you know your biological father, Nicholas?"
"Is that his name?" I asked curiously.
"Yes. What do you know about him or any of your other relatives?"
"Nothing really. I have a few memories of him, but nothing recent. Is he David's dad too?"
"Yes he is. Well, lets move on then. Let's talk about the Rabb's now."
"Kay."
"What do you think of them? How do you feel at their house?"
I knew the judge was trying to be really nice to me, but by that question, I was starting to feel like I was in a therapy session. Miss Grant knew it too. I could tell by the warning look on her face that I was to be polite and keep answering the questions while remaining well behaved. "Before I answer the question, I kind of need to go to the restroom."
"Okay, Miss Grant can take you. But make it quick, okay? I'll wait here for you," he said with a lopsided grin.
I was so relieved to be out of the room with all that pressure on me to answer the right way. I just had to make sure we could end up where we needed, which meant I needed to relax before I could answer him without shaking.
TBC…
