Finally Home

15. Tyler

Samantha had taken to coaching like a duck to water. I was impressed to see the plays her and her coach had come up with. I was looking forward to seeing them in action at the game next week.

But I had an idea for Sam that I think she might like.  Something special for just the two of us. 

I had her come into the living room and sit down with me.

"'Sup, pops?" She asked, crutching her way into the living room and flopping down beside me. I pulled her into a hug.

"I had a thought," I said.

"Uh oh," she said, looking up at me.

"Don't be a brat, or I won't tell you what it is," I said.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. What were you burning brain cells on?" 

Brendon snorted. I frowned at him.

"Well, I wondered if you'd want to go on a trip with me. Just you and me."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I have connections and I was thinking maybe next weekend you'd want to drive up to Cleveland with me?  We could go see a Cavs game, maybe meet the team?"

"You. Have. Got. To. Be. Joking!" Sam said sitting up fast and turning around. "Really?!"

"It was just a thought," I said, pulling the tickets out of my back pocket.

She grabbed them from me and stared at them.

"These are floor seats!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, they gave me these, too," I said, pulling the VIP passes that would give us access to the arena  early, and access to the team, from my pocket.

Samantha launched herself at me.

"Thank you!  Thank you so much!" She exclaimed.

"I thought we could leave Friday after school, drive up, have dinner, the game is Saturday, so we can tour around Cleveland a bit if you want."

Sam's eyes were wide and sparkling.

"Well, it was just an idea. If you don't want to go, that's okay," I smiled.

"Don't be stupid, Dad!  Of course I want to go!"

She hugged me again.

"I did good?"

She looked up at me and smiled.

"You did great."

"Wait until you see what I got you," Brendon said.

"For what?" Samantha asked.

"For your party tomorrow. It's a gotcha gift."

"You didn't have to get me anything," Sam said. "You're just supposed to come celebrate."

"Darn it. And it's non-refundable, too," Brendon smiled.

Sam hugged him and smiled up at him.

Dinner arrived and we got Rosie situated and then sat down and had a loud, boisterous and fun family dinner. Sam and I talked about basketball, and our upcoming trip. We'd be somewhat limited by her broken ankle, but not too much, I didn't think.

It was so wonderful to look at Samantha, smiling, laughing, engaging. We were finally able to put the rocky past two years behind us and truly celebrate being a family of four - almost five.

After dinner, Sam helped put leftovers away, then played Fortnite with Brendon while Rosie sat in her lap.

When Jenna told Rosie it was bedtime, she looked at Sam who smiled at her and kissed her on the head. She whispered something in Rosie's ear and Rosie smiled and got up immediately to follow Jenna upstairs.

"What did you say to her?" Brendon asked.

"That," Sam said, aiming a shot at a character. "Is between me and Rosie. On your left!"

Brendon turned his character around and shot at the sneaking - fish? - headed toward him.

The two of them continued playing until I told Sam it was time for bed. She put the controller down, gave Brendon and Sarah hugs and crutched her way up the stairs to her room.

"Is she excited for tomorrow?" Sarah asked.

"I think so. She needs it now, since she's out of basketball. But she seems to be taking that in stride," I smiled.

"I love that you guys are doing this for her," Brendon said.

"How can we not celebrate her?  We came so close to losing her so many times, and finally, even though it took a judge and a life threatening injury, she's home and safe and doing so well. She's not the kid we adopted almost three years ago. She's not Samantha Deitz. She is truly Samantha Joseph."

Jenna smiled at me with tears in her eyes.

"That kid has been a part of this family from the day we met her, a sopping wet, unconscious girl lying on our couch," Jenna said. "I swear, we both felt an instant connection to her."

I nodded.  There had always just been, something about Samantha.

We sat up and talked for a little while longer before all of us made our way up to bed, ready to celebrate our daughter the next night.

When I went in to check on Samantha before I went to bed, I realized what she'd said to Rosie that got her to go to bed so quickly. Sam had gone into Rosie's room when she went upstairs, and had brought her sister into her room where the two of them were fast asleep, Rosie curled up next to Samantha, Sam on her back, her arm around Rosie. I looked at Jenna who was smiling.

"They're so beautiful together," she said. I nodded, pulled out my phone and took a picture. The flash woke Samantha up.

"What?" Sam said, looking over.

"Nothing kiddo. Just checking in on you. Go back to sleep,"

"Mmhm," Sam said, closing her eyes and rolling over, wrapping her sister in her arms. Rosie rolled a bit closer to Sam and sighed. Jenna and I smiled at each other again.

Brendon poked his head in as I was closing the door.

"Sam brought Rosie into her room. That's what she said to get her to go to bed," I whispered to B. I showed him the picture I took.

"Cuteness overload," he said.

We all separated and went to our own rooms, ready to celebrate our first child.