Family is Forever (Sequel to Running on Insulin)

Chapter 76

Dad and Josh, and Mom and I played this weird game where we tried throwing a hanger across the room and making it land, and stay, on the coat rack across the room. Dad got one that landed on the rack, and then flipped around a couple of times and eventually fell off. We kept doing that until Dad said we had to go have dinner so that he and Josh could get ready for the show.

Mom and I followed them to the 'dining room' and we chose our meals and I did my best to bolus for it. I figured I could bolus a unit or two if I started going up.

We sat with some of the crew and Dad introduced me around to them. They were all really friendly and welcoming.

After dinner, Mom and I went to sit in the dressing room while Dad and Josh met with their manager before changing for the show. Just before they were set to go on stage, Mom and I went to the side of the stage so we could watch them go on stage, and then watch the show from where we were. It was pretty cool seeing how everything gets set up and seeing Dad and Josh getting ready.

They went on stage, both of them giving me a hug and a kiss on the head, and then went to get ready onstage.

Suddenly, a car on the stage burst into flames! I jumped. Mom reassured me it was okay and part of the show. I relaxed, but it still worried me.

They were starting with HeavyDirtySoul and it was amazing!

"Hello, Buffalo!" Dad said after the song. The crowd cheered.

"I want to introduce you all to someone. If I can convince her to come out here," he said looking over at me. I looked at Mom and she nodded.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," she said. "But Dad wants to introduce you to his fans."

I took a deep breath and wondered, how bad could it be? I slowly went up the steps and out onto the stage. All I could hear was screaming. Uncle Josh smiled over at me and came out from behind his drums while I walked, slowly, over to Dad. He met me part way and wrapped me in a hug.

"I'm sure a lot of you have heard about my daughter, Samantha, who Jenna and I adopted last October. Well, now that school is over, she and Jenna have come out to join Josh and me, and I wanted to introduce you all to my amazing daughter, Samantha!"

The crowd cheered and screamed and I could hear my name being called as well. I smiled, and Dad kept his arm tight around me.

"You want to say hi?" he asked, putting the microphone close to my mouth.

"Uhm, hi," I said, quietly, my voice amplified around the arena. People laughed. Were they laughing at me? I looked at Dad and he was smiling. He whispered in my ear that I was okay, and no one was laughing at me. He could tell that's what I was thinking.

Uncle Josh had come up beside me.

"Did you want to say something, Josh?" Dad asked. He nodded and took the mic from Dad.

"Jenna and Tyler didn't adopt a daughter. They got me a niece. I don't know why they think she's their kid when it's obvious they got her for me."

I laughed.

"Well, I dunno, Josh. She lives in our house, she eats our food, and we buy her clothes. I think she's ours."

"Nope. I just let you borrow her. Permanently," he joked.

"Well, I'd complain that you don't provide nearly as much, but then, Christmas happened, and you all spoiled her so I can't really complain."

I rolled my eyes.

"Can I go now?" I asked. Dad put the mic close to my mouth again.

"What was that?"

"Can I go now?"

Everyone laughed.

"Well, I guess so," Dad said, and I crossed the stage back to Mom.

"You did great," Mom said, as she wrapped me in a hug.

We watched the rest of the show from the side. It was kind of cool to see what Dad's shows were like.

At the end of the show, just before they got off the stage, Dad called Mom and me onstage again.

"So you all know Jenna, and you've all met Samantha, but what you didn't know, and who you haven't met, is Jenna's tummy. You guys! Jenna is pregnant!"

I froze.

The crowd cheered and Dad kissed Mom's stomach. The sounds in the arena sounded like they were coming from far away.

Stanley was right. They were going to have their own kid eventually, and they'd get rid of me. Why would they need me anymore?

I turned and ran. I didn't know where to go, so I ran to the bus and launched myself into my bunk, crying into my pillow.

I thought I had a family, but why would they want the expensive, diabetic kid, when they were going to have their own kid?

What hurt the most was that they told everyone in the arena. Everyone would know that now that they were having a kid of their own, they'd be shipping me off somewhere else. Back into foster care, maybe.

I lay in my bunk and cried, and cried.

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A/N - Poor Samantha. What's going to happen to her now?

Find out in Book 3. "And Baby Makes...?"

Thank you so much for your support, votes, reads, comments, etc. It's been fun writing Samantha's story. The third installment is coming soon.

GB - 15/11/2021