Finally Home

16. Samantha

I woke up because Rosie was patting my cheek.

"Hi SaSa!" She said when I opened my eyes.

"Good morning Rosie posey," I smiled, sitting up and pulling her into a hug.

"Is party?"

"Today, yep!" I said. "Should we get dressed?"

"No. PJ breakfast," Rosie said.

"Good idea. Let's go get Mom and Dad," I said, grabbing my crutches.

Rosie opened my bedroom door and ran out. And right into Dad.

"Happy Gotcha Day!!" Dad, Mom, Uncle Brendon and Aunt Sarah cried. I nearly fell over.

"Good morning!" Dad said, coming into my room and giving me a hug. "How's my daughter?"

He said it with such a huge smile.

"I don't know," I said, and looked at Rosie in Mom's arms. "Rosie, how are you?"

"I good, SaSa!"

Dad fake punched me in the shoulder.

"You know how nice it is to call you my daughter and not have to question if someone is going to come along and challenge that anymore?"

I smiled up at Dad.

"Do you know how nice it is to say I'm your kid, and no one can challenge that anymore?"

"I love you, Samantha Joseph. Emphasis on the 'Joseph'."

I hugged Dad tight, then hobbled over to Mom and hugged her, too.

"Love you, Mom," I said.

"Love you, too, daughter," she smiled at me.

"And I love you too!" Uncle Brendon said, hugging me, as well.

"Love you, too Uncle B," I smiled at him. And at Aunt Sarah.

"And I love you too, Aunt Sarah," I smiled and gave her a hug.

We all went downstairs where Mom made waffles and bacon. We all had breakfast and talked about the day. We were going to be pretty low key for most of the day, but Mom and Dad had a photographer coming to take some family photos before we went to the hotel where we were having the party.

After breakfast, Uncle Brendon and I played a little Fortnite before we all went to get ready for the rest of the day. Mom helped me wash my hair, since showering with a cast on was hard. I washed myself after we got my hair washed, and then I got dressed. Khakis and a nice shirt. I'm a total tomboy. And Mom and Dad don't make me wear dresses, which is good.

I dried my hair and brushed and styled it. Now that I have real parents, I can let my hair grow a bit longer than Stanley let me. A few times he just shaved my head. Now, I just let it grow to about my shoulders. I like it that length. I can put it in a ponytail, or let it hang loose. Today, I was going to mostly let it hang loose but I put some mousse in so I didn't have it flying all over the place.

Once that was all done, I hobbled downstairs.

The photographer had arrived and was setting up in the living room. Mom and Dad were talking and Rosie was watching the photographer.

When I got into the living room, Mom and Dad's faces lit up. I loved how happy they always seemed to see me. Something I don't think I'll ever get tired of. My birth mom used to light up like that when I'd come home from school. Stanley always looked like he forgot I existed and when I came home from school, he remembered the nuisance I was.

But Mom and Dad, every time, are always so happy to see me. And I'm always happy to see them.

The photographer got us all set up and took a bunch of pictures, then took some of just Mom and Dad, just me and Rosie, just me, just Rosie, just Mom (and her belly) and just Dad. Then we moved outside and Uncle Brendon and Aunt Sarah were in a few of the photos, too.

Once we were done with photos, we had a quick lunch and then headed to the hotel. I was getting excited because all of my friends and my whole extended family was coming. I was looking forward to seeing Uncle Pete and Uncle Patrick, Andy and Joe, Zack and Kala, and of course Dad's parents and my aunts and uncles. It was going to be a fun night.

At the hotel, Mom made sure I had a snack and that I had some time to relax and rest. The party was called for six, we'd be serving dinner, and we wanted the photographer to take some family photos here, too.

Rosie and I sat on a couch for a little while, and Rosie was leaning on me playing I-Spy.

Suddenly, someone covered my eyes and a very deep voice said 'guess who?'

I knew it was Uncle Pete.

"I know! It's my favourite uncle!" I said.

"You're right!" He said taking his hands off my eyes.

"Oh. Hi Uncle Pete. I thought you were Uncle Patrick," I joked. Uncle Pete pretended to be upset. I laughed and gave him a hug.

"How're you doing, kiddo?" He asked.

"Not bad," I said.

"Sporting some new hardware I see," he said pointing at my foot. "Brendon told me about your ankle. Sorry to hear."

I shrugged.

"It's okay," I said. "My coach asked me to help manage the team and help coach. So I'm still on the team, even if I'm not actually playing."

"Well, that's awesome!" He said.

Uncle Patrick came over just then and said hi and gave me a hug. Joe and Andy were with him, too.

Then, Mom called me and said people were arriving. So I had to go into the party room to greet them.

The night was amazing. We had veal parmigiana for dinner with spaghetti, a Caesar salad, and a huge cake for dessert.

Dad and Uncle Josh played 'Formidable', and then Dad made a speech.

"Samantha," he started. "You came into our lives on a cold and rainy October night. You were scared, drenched, and just a mess. Now, I don't know what you looked like when you were born, but I'm guessing it was pretty close to that, too. Just less mud."

People laughed. Everyone knows the story of how I wound up with Mom and Dad.

"But in three years. Three turbulent, sometimes traumatic, challenging and sometimes scary years, you have become such a confident, strong, compassionate and simply amazing person. Mom and I are in awe of the changes you've made in your life. You're now living life mostly on your terms. Though you do still have to keep your room clean and help out with chores."

More laughter.

"I'm not going to stand up here and talk for hours. But Samantha, you need to know how proud Mom and I are of you, how much we love you and how glad we are you fell into our back yard."

I got up and gave Dad a hug. Mom came over and I hugged her too. And Rosie. Because she was in Mom's arms.