Better Off Alone (Adopted by Brendon and Sarah Urie)

14. Callie

Mom and Dad were actually learning sign language. So were most of their friends. And John, who came to go over things that would make the house safe was also really nice. And for the party they had gotten a sign language interpreter so I didn't have to have my nose in my phone all night to talk to people.

Uncle Zack and Aunt Kala came over first. And then their teacher and then everyone else. I was watching a movie when they came.

When I got hungry, I went to the kitchen and had to pass their lesson. They were learning to spell their names using finger spelling. I had to laugh at Dad. He spelled his name with 'Ms' instead of 'Ns'.  I told them I'd be giving them sign names eventually anyway and then had to explain what that was. I kind of had an idea for Dad's, but I wasn't sure yet. Mom had me stumped. But I'd only known them, like, two days really, so I had time. I hoped.

I went into the kitchen looking for a snack and found yogourt and strawberries and showed them to Mom and Dad and did a thumbs up or down to see if they would say yes or no. They said yes, so I put some cut strawberries in a bowl and put yogourt over them and grabbed a spoon.

I went back to watching my movie and after a while Dad texted that everyone was leaving. I lifted my hand and waved figuring they'd see it.

Dad came over and asked if I wanted to go swimming. I signed after the movie. I hope he got it.

When the movie ended we got ready to swim. I ran upstairs and put on my bathing suit and waited for Dad downstairs. I played with Penny and Bogart while I waited.

Dad came downstairs and we went outside. I went to the edge of the pool but Dad cannonballed in and got me drenched. But it was funny. I got in the pool. They had a pizza shaped floaty so I got on that. Dad and I swam and splashed in the pool for a while. Mom came out and watched. She was smiling and laughing and taking pictures.

It was kind of a perfect day.

Eventually, Mom motioned to get out of the pool and said Uncle Zack and Aunt Kala were coming back for dinner. Well, she spelled their names and said 'eat'. I assumed she meant they were coming and not that we were eating them.

I crack myself up.

Dad said to go shower and so I went upstairs and showered. I changed into some of the new clothes they bought me and grabbed my phone and went back downstairs.

My phone vibrated so I checked it. A text from Dad.

'Guess what? Your grandparents want to meet you. They're going to come up this weekend.'

I looked at him with a question on my face. I don't have grandparents that I know of.

'My parents are coming to visit to meet you.' Dad said.

Ohhhh. Uh oh.

'Don't look so scared. They're going to love you.' Dad texted.

I doubted it. I couldn't be that lucky. I bet his parents will make them take me back.

I turned around and went up to my room. I wasn't hungry anymore. I climbed onto my bed and curled up. Tears built behind my eyes. I couldn't stop them from coming. But I knew that Dad's parents would make them take me back to the Children's Home. It had happened before with the one foster family that seemed nice. They'd said they were going to learn sign language but Mrs. Carver's mother came to visit once and the next day I was shipped off to another foster home.

Why would this be any different?

I felt a soft hand in my shoulder, but I didn't want to turn over.

Mom turned me over.

She smiled at me with sad eyes and texted to me.

'What's wrong little bug?'

A nickname?

I shook my head.

'Come on Callie.  Tell me.' Mom texted.

'Is Dad's parents going to make you take me back?'I texted

'Why would you think that?'

'Because. The Deaf kid is hard. And Mrs. Carver's mom made her get rid of me.'

Mom pulled me up into a sitting position and hugged me.

'Boyd and Grace, Dad's parents, are very nice, understanding and wonderful people. They are going to love you.'

'That's what Mrs. Carver said,' I said. 'But her mom made her call my social worker and sent me to another foster home.'

Mom shook her head and smiled.

'Boyd and Grace don't get to make those decisions in this house.'

Mom hugged me again.

'It's dinner time.' She texted.

'I'm not hungry.' I said.

Mom sighed, I could tell, and ruffled my hair and left my room. I lay back down and curled up again.

Strong arms lifted me off my bed and I struggled to get away, but they held me tight. I looked up and Uncle Zack was holding me.

I frowned at him. He sat on my bed and held me in his lap and hugged me. Then he took out his phone and started typing.

My phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my pocket.

'Sarah told us you're upset and why. Boyd and Grace are awesome and will love you. And even if they don't, and tell your mom and dad to send you back, they'll have to go through me, Aunt Kala, Uncle Pete, Uncle Josh, Uncle Mike, Uncle Dan, Aunt Nicole, and everyone else.'

He smiled at me as I looked up from his text. I've never had so many people fighting for me and I started crying harder. I wrapped my arms around Uncle Zack and he rubbed my back while I cried. When I finished, he looked down at me and smiled again.

'You're here to stay, little bug,' he texted. I hugged him.