brother?”
“I knew they had an older half-brother, but I never met him and they never really talked about him.”
“Can I borrow your phone?”
He pulls it out of his pocket and hands it to me. Andrew answers and I tell him about Becky revealing her relationship to Blake and him giving her information about me. Andrew promises to file a privacy violation against him when we hang up.
Jason draws me to him in the seat with his arm around my shoulder. “You were back there, Parker. I’m sorry, though.”
“What are you sorry for?” I ask, peering up at him.
“For dating her.”
“We had an impossible situation and you tried to move on with your life because I kept telling you to.”
“But-“
“Not your fault. End of story.” I look back out over the city as we rise and fall with the turning of the wheel. The pinpoints of lights mark their spot in this world, saying, “Here I am.” Jason is my light, outshining them all.
ADOPTIVE
“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood but of respect and joy in each other’s life.”
~Richard Bach
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
I stand with my new family and the judge who just signed my adoption papers for a picture. The Waters and the Rivens wait with wide smiles, then join us for a group picture. Andrew…Dad takes their copy of the papers and leads the pack out of the courtroom.
The judge taps my shoulder. “Sara, may I have a word?”
“Your Honor.” I turn to face him and smooth out the front of my jade green sundress to temper my nerves.
“Usually the judge who presides over the family court case from beginning to end would have done this and would know your story better,” he explains. “Yours is a special situation because your adoptive parents took you in, then you were taken into foster care.
“I read your file and I want to apologize on behalf of my colleague for the mishandling of your case. We do our best to protect each child who comes before us in our courtroom. Sometimes our desire to keep everyone safe clouds the actual circumstances and we overstep.”
The admission leaves me dumbstruck.
“This is strictly between you and me,” he clarifies. “I felt with all you went through, you deserved an apology.”
He didn’t have to say a single word to me, but he did knowing if I repeat anything it would mean trouble for him.
“I appreciate it, Your Honor.”
I hold my hand out and he shakes it firmly with a smile.
We gather at home for a celebratory cookout. My new parents refuse to let me help and I retreat to my room, stretching out on my bed for some solitude with P!nk playing on my iPod.
My home is truly here now. I have parents who fought for my return. I have a sister whom I love and who loves me in equal measure.
This is bliss.
“We wondered where you went, Parker.” Jason enters my room, still in his black pants and yellow dress shirt, the sleeves now rolled to his elbows.
I roll onto my side with my arm under my head. “I needed a moment to myself.”
He climbs onto my bed and mirrors me. “You okay?” His hand settles on my waist.
This is bliss as well.
“I’m more than okay.” I stroke his cheek with my fingertips. “I’m savoring the euphoria while I can.”
“What did the judge say to you after we left the room?” He captures my hand and leaves a soft kiss on my wrist.
A shudder ripples through me and he shifts out of focus for a moment. “I can’t say.”
He cradles my hand to his chest. “No secrets. Remember?”
His heart thump-thumps against my hand. “He could lose his job, J. Please don’t ask me to compromise him.”
“You still don’t trust me.”
“I do.” I pull my hand from his and wind the curly tips of his hair around my fingers. “With all of me, I trust you. But if someone in a position of power told you something in confidence that could get them fired or worse, would you tell me after they asked you not to?”
“I don’t know.”
“See my quandary? I’m not trying to keep secrets from you. It has nothing to do with you and it doesn’t affect you in any way. I promise.”
His hand skims my neck and caresses my jawline, but a knock from my open door causes us to raise our heads enough to see who it is.
“Dinner in ten minutes,” Rose…Mom announces.
“We’ll be down in a minute, Mom.”
Her