did you hear about river?

chapter 9

December 2021

I had been in an absolute state the minute I left. I missed Maxy and Elijah.

One of the worst things about having ADHD was the reliance you formed on people and having that taken away was so hard.

I just cried and slept and worked all day.

I'd wake up at 6, work out, shower, go to work for 9, stay there usually until around 7-8 and then come home, work out, shower and then sleep and cry as well.

I walk into my apartment when I notice that something feels different. I can smell something different.

I chose to just leave the place altogether.

I call Pin as I make my way down the stairs and go to the lobby.

"Pin, I think someone is in my apartment." I say and he gets onto immediately.

I go up to the desk where Sally is working.

"Hey Sal, was there anyone here to visit me?" I ask her and she smiles at me.

"I've only just got here but Haiti would've wrote it down. Ah yes, one Elijah Wang. Looks like this." She shows me his guest ID and I blush when I see how good he looks.

"Okay, thanks Sal." I say and she smiles and lets out a laugh when she sees my blush.

"Have fun." She says.

"Oh gee, it's not like that." I say but laugh anyways and wave and check my personal phone and call him.

"Hey." He says.

"Hi. Are you the person in my apartment?" I ask.

"Yeah, we need to talk. It's urgent and I need to make this decision soon." He says.

"Okay, I'll be right up. Next time call my work phone." I say.

"I will. See you soon?" He says.

"Yeah in a minute." I say as I cut the phone and make my way upstairs.

I go up to my apartment and this time Elijah is waiting for me

"It's about Maxy." He says.

"What about him? Is he okay?" I ask as I drop my stuff on to the counter.

"Yes and no." He says. So cynical.

"Elaborate." I urge him and he continues.

"His parents, they passed away in the tsunami." Elijah says and I don't feel bad.

They were horrible parents who only cared about drinking and drugs. I do feel bad for Maxy though, he deserves a proper childhood that his parents could not even be bothered to give him and it's not like they couldn't.

"They need someone to adopt him." He says and I nod.

"Who's up for it?" I ask.

"Well, he's only asking for two people to adopt him and that's us. All I can think of is him all the time." He says.

"I agree. Wait, US?" I say as I look at him, in the eyes this time.

"Yes, us. He loves us River." He says and I sit down.

"Can you even adopt a child with ADHD?" I ask.

"Yes." He says as he laughs.

That was a silly question.

"I mean I want to say yes but..." I don't want to get hurt.

"Are you sure you want to be a parent, with me...?" I ask and he nods.

"Yes. Especially you. You'd be a great mother River." He gets closer to me and I move back just a little. "You we're adopted yourself, you know that you will know so much more than me. However, Maxy loves us. That should be enough for now."

"You're right. That is enough and obviously money but I've got a lot of that." I say and he laughs.

"That's a yes?" I nod. "Okay, we'll get him nearer the end of the month, on the 20th. Let's go fill out some paperwork." He says and I get up.

I was ready for this. I think.

***

I sit down on a seat, trying not to go into full panic mode.

"Elijah, what if I'm a bad parent?" I ask him and he pats my back, again and again.

"You won't be River. You're going to be amazing. I saw it when we were Guyana. Trust me." I take a few deep breaths and thank him.

I hold his hand as I think.

Elijah had moved in and we had decorated a bedroom, for Maxy.

Blue, his favourite colour with a lovely bed and a soft mattress.

His social worker said that he had been struggling with nightmares and I knew that Jolie would be able to help him.

I often felt bad for Jolie. Living with Sacha was like her own hell.

The first week, he was good, then he was back to not being kind.

I could hear all their arguments as she lived below me and often did come visit me to spend the night.

She had left for a few months to bunk with JT and JC and their partners in Alaska that's how bad it was.

She only came back yesterday, to help me and Elijah with Maxy. She said Sacha could help too as much as they argued because she was so selfless but as much as I felt bad I had to do what was best for Maxy in this moment.

He needed support from people who could be there for him and Jolie would always be there for him.

Always.

I stand up as I dig my fingernails into the palm of my hand to stop the anxiety.

Elijah stops me as he uncurls my hand and hold it for me to stop myself from piercing my skin.

It's crazy how anxious I was about this, I was just scared I would be my own parents and that I'd be them.

"River. Relax." He says as I loosen my death grip on his hand as it states that his flight has landed.

We go to wait for him and carry our sign for him that says his name and when he comes through with his little suitcase and backpack, his social worker not far behind him, Elijah and I run to hug him and I know we are going to be good parents.