Chapter Four- Blood Thicker Than Water

"Good morning Edna. Sorry I'm late." Dr. Brown said as he walked through the doors of his practice.

"No problem Doc. You got a couple of messages here. From some caseworker in New York, she said it was urgent." Edna said, handing him the piece of paper. He looked at it, then at her.

"I'll be in my office." Andy said, walking into the small room and shutting the door. He immediately dialed the number on the piece of paper.

"Hello, this is Dr. Andrew Brown; I'm returning the phone call from a Mrs. Callahan."

"I'm Maria Callahan. I was calling to see if you had any contact with the daughter you gave up for adoption 14 years ago...." He cut her off.

"You mean Angel? Yes, she showed up here last night. She said her parents were dead and that she was sent to Everwood."

"Dr. Brown, you of all people should see right through that story. Let me explain the details to you..."

Andy Brown could not remember when he had been more furious. He had been ready to take Angel in, open his home to the daughter he and his wife and given up years ago. But after what the caseworker told him, she would be lucky to be spending one more day there.

He stormed in the house to find her writing in a notebook on the couch. Angel looked up and saw the anger in his eyes, she immediately spoke.

"Look, it's not what you think. Just give me a chance to explain."

"Explain what? Explain that you broke into your caseworker's office and stole my address and then flew all the way out here? Explain why you made me believe that you were sent here, why didn't you tell me the truth in the first place?"

"Dr. Brown, I...."

"I was ready to open my home to you! Ready to explain to this God forsaken town where you came from, even though most of its residents wouldn't believe me anyway! But finding out that you broke the law to come here? Why did you do that? After all the charges that had been wiped clean in New York, you were given a new start and you threw it all away. Your caseworker said that now you'll probably end up in juvenile detention." He stopped when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"What else was I supposed to do? After my parents died I got passed from foster home to foster home. I was miserable! All I could think about is the man who had written my adoptive mother, saying that my birth mother had died. You know what else that letter said? It said that if I ever wanted to know my birth family I was welcome to contact you. So here I am. I didn't know what else to do, I don't have anywhere else to go," the tears were flowing now, and it broke Andy's heart. " You're a liar, just like the people back in New York. You never wanted to get in contact with me; it was an empty gesture. I'm not going back to New York, but I'm sure as HELL not staying here." She grabbed her notebook and shoved it into her bag. She went for her coat, but Andy stopped her, tears in his eyes as well.

"I meant what I said in that letter. I meant every word." Andy said, staring into her eyes, so much like his own. "But you have to go back to New York now. There's no stopping it. Your caseworker will be here first thing in the morning. I'm sorry Angel. If you would have told me all of this last night, I would have told your Mrs. Callahan that I wanted to file for custody."

She sat her bag down, wanting so badly to believe this man who had given her life. She knew the circumstances of her adoption. The family had an infant son; the father was still in medical school. They couldn't afford another child; much less one who was very sick at birth. "I guess that's the only way. I'll go back to New York tomorrow." Angel took her things into the spare bedroom, closing the door.

Angel did not come in for dinner that night. Andy thought it was for the best, so he could tell Delia and Ephram the truth about everything. He started with a slow and calm voice, telling both of his children all the details. When Andy finished, he noticed Ephram had that angered, "my life isn't fair" look in his eyes, the same look Angel had worn a few hours earlier. After Delia went to bed, Ephram cornered his father.

"There's nothing you can do? You can't tell me that there's no way to keep her here in Everwood." Ephram said, looking sternly at his father.

"I don't know Ephram, I really don't know. I'm going to talk to her caseworker tomorrow, that's the best I can do."

"But this caseworker is coming to get Angel, she's not just gonna change her mind and leave, is she? You have to call her back. Now, before it's too late."

"I can't do that Ephram, you know I can't. She's probably asleep; it just doesn't work that way..." he didn't get to finish.

"Maybe Angel was right; you don't really want her here. What if it was me huh? What if some caseworker wanted to take me back to New York. Wouldn't you do everything in your power to keep me here? It's the same thing. Mom wouldn't have wanted you to let her leave." Ephram said, staring Andy straight in the eyes.

"I didn't know you were so hot on having another sister around here. It seems to me that Angel would just be another person in this family for you to ignore!" Andy said, losing his control.

"It's just not right, sending her away like this. It's not easy losing a parent. We are all she has." Ephram replied calmly. This shocked Andy; he had been ready for a full-scale attack from his son.

"I don't think it can be done Ephram, honestly."

"Then you aren't trying hard enough." He replied, storming upstairs and slamming the door.

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