The Truth

12

October 3, 2012

Unbeknownst to Kinsley, Stevie had been trying to get Chris and Lori to have her over. But Lori keeps turning her down saying that Kinsley needed time to adjust. Living with Lori and Chris so far had been okay she had a nice bedroom with a king sized bed. She and Jessica had hit it off swimmingly and had spent almost every night hanging out. Mostly drinking, as Jessie had just turned 21. Kinsley introduced her to Tequila and the younger cousin had taken a fancy to it as well. 

Walking into Kristen's studio she didn't feel like she fit in there. it was gaudy with clean lines and I was pristine, almost like a hospital would be. 

"How can I help you?" The woman at the front desk asks.

"Um, I have a meeting with Kristen Messner-Buckingham at 3:30." She sighs. She had an interview at Cedars-Sinai that morning and now she was about to sit through an awkward meeting with her potential step-mother. She felt like she was going to vomit but never the less she was doing it anyway. 

Kinsley was shown to a waiting area and she waited for about five minutes before a blonde bubbly woman stuck her head out of a doorway. 

"You must be Kinsley McCullough. I'm Kristen Buckingham, come on in." She holds her hand out. Kinsley shakes it and follows her in the room where she sits down and immediately pulls out the envelope. 

"So you're here for a design consult?" Kristen asks.

"Actually...um, no...I couldn't think of any other way to get in contact with you." Kinsley sighs.

"Oh?" Kristen asks narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms over her desk. 

"I know you're going to think this is fake and you're probably going to want to have me arrested and you probably won't even show him this, but please read it." Kinsley chews on her lip handing the envelope over.

Kristen takes it skeptically and she opens it up and scans the documents, she clears her throat and Kinsley knows she's going to read it aloud so she shrinks back in the chair. 

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Buckingham,  My name is Kinsley Mae McCullough. I was born on May 21st, 1987 a little after two in the morning. I was placed up for adoption here in California. My adoptive family moved to Michigan when I was two years old. Their names where George and Betty. George owned part of an ice cream shop and she was a stay at home mom. My father was arrested for domestic violence when I was eleven and my mother overdosed on Crystal Meth when I was twelve. That's how I found out I was adopted. 

"I've enclosed a letter that my biological mother wrote to me when she put me up for adoption, my birth certificate, and my adoption certificate. My mother is Stevie Nicks, and I know that may seem left field but that's why I included the letters. I've come to California to try and get some answers about my family history and why I was put up for adoption. I'm not looking for any money I just want time. 

"Mr. Buckingham, I don't know if you're my father. Ms. Nicks had never disclosed that in any of my forms, it's not on my birth certificate, it's not in her letter but I've done my research and you are one possible candidate for my birth father given the time frame. I know you might not even be my father, but I just wanted to put the feelers out, maybe get a DNA test done and then I just want to know about the family history if we are in fact related. Afterwards I'll walk away and you won't hear from me again unless you want too. 

"I've also included a picture of myself, my address, and my cell phone number. Sincerely, Kinsley McCullough." When Kristen finishes reading the letter she looks at Kinsley and she looks at her deeply. 

"You look like Stevie, but you have his cheek bones." Kristen states.

"What?" Kinsley asks bringing her hand up to her cheek bones. 

"Lindsey has high cheekbones. You have his cheekbones. And that's his nose...other than that, you're the spitting image of Stevie. I can't guarantee that he'll want to make contact with you, but I'll give him the letter." Kristen assures her. 

"Thank you, I feel absolutely horrible ambushing you like this but..." 

"No, don't be. You have the right to know about your biological life." Kristen shrugs. 

"Well I appreciate it." Kinsley stands up to excuse herself from the room. 

When she walks out of the building, she does a lip twill and she heads to her car. Traffic was a bitch compared to what it was when she was in Michigan, but her compact-ish car made it easier to weave in and out of traffic. 

When she gets back to Lori and Chris' house, the family is watching some trashy day-time television in the living room and she kicks off her stilettos and she collapses next to Lori on the couch.

"How'd it go?" She asks.

"Well, I don't know. Kristen didn't really react. She said I had Lindsey's cheekbones and nose but the rest was Stevie's. She read the letter out loud to me and she told me she was going to give it to him, but that doesn't mean anything." She states. 

"And how'd the interview go?" Chris jumps in. 

"I think it went well. They're looking for an ER nurse and my credentials looked good to them, but we'll see what happens. I go to Ronald Reagan on Monday." She huffs. 

"You know, you don't have to get a job." Lori sighs. 

"Lori, I can't live off of you guys for the rest of my life. It's just not right." She shakes her head. 

"Kinsley, Stevie invited us to dinner, Friday night. She really wants you to go, but you don't have to if you don't want to." Chris looks at her changing the subject. 

"It's okay...You guys can go. I'll just order pizza and watch movies." She shakes her head.

"Kinsley, she asked me what your favorite thing to eat was." Lori tells her.

"Oh?" 

"That means she's going to cook. Aunt Stevie, doesn't cook that often." Jessie states.

"What do you think? Should I go?" 

"I think she really wants to get to know you. I also think she really wants to be your mom." Chris gives her a sad smile. 

"Okay, I'll go. What did you tell her my favorite food was?" 

"I didn't know what to tell her, but I know you don't like greek food." Lori smirks.

"Feta is disgusting." She states matter of factly crossing her arms.