Amy POV
The news struck me, leaving me speechless and utterly confused. This was not how I had imagined this day going. My whole family was here. We called them, invited them. It was Callie, who told everyone the good news. She had been so excited, so happy, so eager for this day. My parents, my brother and his family took a six hour flight to get here from all the way of across the country, from Boston.
I had been counting down the days since the day we found out the date. 3 weeks ago, I took Callie shopping and we bought her a dress for this special occasion. 2 weeks ago, we made the calls to my family. 1 week ago I ordered a cake just for this occasion with the name – Callie Quinn Scott – written on top of it. What am I going to do with the damn cake? We won't be celebrating anything today. As it turned out, it was all for nothing.
Callie will be devastated, when I tell her. Hell, I'm devastated.
Last night I could barely fall asleep I was so excited. The anticipation for this day were huge. Callie was the same. We had run into one another at the kitchen at 3am at night as we both had walked down to get a glass of water. In the end I had made hot coco for both of us and we had settled on the living room couch under a blanket and watched an episode of "Friends" on which Monica and Chandler adopt their kids. In the end we fell asleep cuddling on the small couch. My neck was stiff, but Callie's arm was numb in the morning, but neither one of us cared.
"It's okay. We will get to the bottom of this and sort this out," Ms. Donner tried to reassure me, finally pulling me back to the reality and out of my thoughts
I heard Callie's laughter in the background, which got me angry, upset and hurt that I cannot adopt Callie today "Don't tell me it's okay! It's not okay!" I barked back, putting all of my anger out on our poor lawyer, who had nothing to do with this, because she was only delivering the news. The truth was, I felt powerless. There wasn't anything I could do to make this better. Not today anyway.
"Aims?" I heard my father call out from the waiting area, where all of my family, including Callie, was sitting unaware of what has happened. Callie's laughter stopped as well the second she heard my father call out in concern.
I cursed to myself before I looked over my shoulder to see my dad standing up along with my mom. My parents were both walking over to me, but my eyes were on my girl, who was looking at me confused. The smile on her face slowly faded away the longer we looked at each other. Seeing her smile slowly turn into realization that I won't be adopting her today, was breaking my heart.
"What's wrong?" My dad asked the second he was up to me "What's the hold up?"
"Callie's birth certificate," I spoke, when I turned to my parents "The copy was altered. She has different birth father," I explained in somewhat numb manner
"What! That's outrageous!" Dad's voice was so loud as he expressed his anger, that I think the whole first floor heard it
"I have to talk to Callie," I announced before I turned on my heal and walked to the waiting area, leaving my parents talk it of with our lawyer
Callie stood up, when I had reached the chairs in the waiting area "I'm not getting adopted, am I?" Callie questioned, when I stopped in front of her. I felt Andy, Nell, Nicole and Olivia's eyes on me as they watch and listened to our conversation as well wondering what the hell is happening.
"Not today, I'm afraid!" I confirmed it in as steady voice as I could manage, so that I don't lose it in front of her. Callie broke the eye contact, when she tilted her head down, slowly nodding it. Accepting it.
"Why?" She lifted her head back up. Her voice was small and it was not far from craking under the emotions.
I took a breath in before I started to explain "Donald is not your birth father," Callie's head snapped up and she once again stared at me. The surprise in her eyes was real. "The court had to get your original birth certificate, because the CPS only had your copy. And on the original certificate, Donald is not named as your father."
The surprise in her eyes was slowly starting to fade away only to be replaced with betrayal and hurt look. She was lied to by both of her parents for a decade. They could have told her the truth, when Colleen was still alive. Callie was old enough to understand it. Donald could have told the truth, when he signed away the papers, but he remained silent. But then again, being silent about not being Callie's birth father was not his first offense. He hadn't replied to Callie's letters. He hadn't asked Ms. Donner one question about Callie, when she vised him in the jail with the abandonment papers. He hasn't expressed his remorse and guilt about that fatal night to Callie, because he hasn't reached out to her and hasn't even tried.
"And who is?"
"Someone named Robert Quinn," I replied
"My middle name is Quinn. Do you think my mom gave it to me, because of...him?"
"It could be."
We stood still, watching each other without saying anything for couple of seconds. I knew there were many questions in Callie's mind, but sadly, I didn't have the answer to any of them. I was just as clueless as she was. And I hated it.
"I will go get some air," Callie broke the silence between us as she pointed over her shoulder to the big glass door and then left the building quickly, before I could say anything. I didn't run right after her, because I knew she needed a minute to herself to wrap her head around the big news.
"So we came down here for nothing?" Nicole asked innocently after we all watched Callie walk out "Callie won't be our cousin after all?" I looked at my youngest niece and the second I laid my eyes on the young girl, my eyes got watery.
"Callie is your cousin," Andy spoke as he got up and moved over to to next to his youngest
"But Auntie Amy said she can't adopt her!"
"Not day she can't. But she will one day," Andy wrapped his arm around Nicole while Nell spoke to the girls "Callie may not be a Scott on the paper, but she is in our hearts!" Nell added looking lovingly to her daughters. Once both of the girls nodded their heads back understanding and acknowledging it, Andy and Nell both gazed up to me in the same loving and supportive way.
~o~o~o~
Callie was standing by the side of the building staring out to the distance. I slowly approached her. When she heard someone walking up to her, Callie looked over her shoulder to see who it was. I was tears in her eyes, when our eyes met, before she averted her look back on the street.
"We will fix this!"
"Oh, yeah?" Callie scoffed not believing me "When?" Callie was angry, when she turned to me "We don't even know where he lives? He could be in the other side of the damn county, different continent for all we know!"
"Then I will track him down to the other side of the damn globe if have to!" I stated without missing a beat. I love this girl and I will do everything necessary to fix this. Even if it means I have to spend countless hours searching for this man.
"And what if he doesn't sign the stupid papers, when you find him? What then?" Callie threw her arms up "What if he whisks me away to Australia or something?"
"Lets not think about it right now," I said not knowing what else to tell her. The truth was, I was scared of that as well. This Robert Quinn guy is the one standing between me and Callie becoming a family. He's the only one who can take her away from me. For good. And I won't be able to fight it. The CPS/Judge likes to rule in favor of the birth parent whenever they could. And even if Robert Quinn doesn't want her, Callie has a new set of grandparents who could. There is new family tree that we don't know anything about.
Callie sighed and turned away from me, her shoulders slumped down "It's not fair!" she sounded defeated
"I know its not," I said still standing behind her and looking to her back of head "But we will get through this. No matter what happens, we stick together" I walked to her side and glanced to her, watching her features "Through thick and thin!"
Callie looked at me sadly, but eventually agreed "Yeah!"
"That's my girl!" I turned towards her and opened my arms "Now come here!" Without any hesitation, Callie accepted and walked into my embrace, pressing her head to my shoulder. I felt her fingertips press into my back as she hugged me back. I kissed her head as I held her, not wanting to let go of her, ever. My left hand rested gently on the back of her head, while my right was wrapped around her middle, keeping her close to me.
"You two okay?" At the sound of my brothers voice, Callie and I parted. Callie briefly turned her back to them as she wiped the tears away from her cheeks.
"We will be," I replied slowly rubbing Callie's shoulder. Once Callie had gotten her composure back, she turned around to face the rest of the family.
"I'm sorry, Callie!" Olivia, Andy's oldest daughter spoke "This sucks!"
"Yeah, it does," Callie agreed keeping her eyes on the ground in front of her
"We should probably head back home," my mom said looking around the whole family, which now stood in a circle "No reason for us to stay here any longer. Ms. Donner said she will contact you as soon as she finds something."
"Yeah, lets go home," I nodded back
~o~o~o~
In 5 minutes, everyone was in the cars. Andy had rented a car for his family, but my parents both drove with us. We decided to take the cake out anyway. After all we paid for it and it's just a cake. No reason for it to go to waste.
"I will go get it!" My dad volunteered, when I parked in the parking lot not far from the bakery
"Okay, thanks dad," I said looking at his eyes in the back view mirror. He winked at me before she climbed out of the car.
Callie was very quiet the whole ride here. I can't blame her. Her life was turned upside down once again. I understand her completely that she doesn't feel like joking and chatting about insignificant topics. There were more important thoughts in her mind. As were in mine. I was already planing my next steps, thinking about how I could find this guy, what I would say when I do.
I exhaled deeply and turned to look out through the driver side window. At first glance I didn't notice it, because my mind processed the information as an advertisement. But when my eyes stopped on the big advertisement on the side of the buildings wall, I actually read what was written on it.
"You have got to be kidding me!?" I exclaimed out as I reached for the seat-belt. I could not believe my eyes.
"What is it?" my mother asked from the backseat, while Callie just turned to me, wondering what's the fuss all about
Without saying anything, I got out of the car, leaving the doors open. My hand rested on the top of the doors as I stared at the advertisement across the street. I heard how Callie and my mom got out of the car as well.
"What's the matter?" Mom asked me again wanting to get a reply out of me
"That!" I pointed to the advertisement
"Oh my!" I heard my mother gasp from my left
"Robert Quinn!" I turned around to see Callie, who was looking at the ad with big eyes and her mouth parted in shock "The millionaire and the owner of the Quinn Windows and Home Constructions!" I think I heard it on the news few weeks ago, that this Robert Quinn guy was opening 5 new stores across the country. He has been on the cover of the People magazine. How did I not recognize the name, when I was told it the first place? The guy is famous.
"It can't be!" Callie got out keeping her eyes on the ad. The girl was in utter shock.
My mother turned to Callie, then back to the advertisement, but then once again looked back at Callie "You two do have similar features!"
"It can't be!" Callie repeated again, this time more quieter as her eyes remained on the ad