Legal Prejudice 2 - Weather The Storms

Chapter 17

Michael grabbed Allie's shoulders to ground her, "Relax. They aren't going to be checking the counters for dust. It'll be okay Allie." She smiled nervously, "I'm just scared she won't like us, especially with all the stuff online." Michael tilted her chin, "It'll be fine Allie, we'll just answer anything honestly." He kissed her and the doorbell rang.

It had taken nearly two months to be allocated a social worker, and no matter how hard she tried, Allie couldn't help worry they would be rejected. She walked behind Michael who answered the door. Patricia Alvarez had driven onto the driveway and looked up at the pretty, clearly newly renovated house. Despite her large workload she'd been intrigued with this new case, and looking forward to meeting these people. Firstly rich lawyers would normally use a private agency adoption route, then there was the fact one of them was British. But the really intriguing element for Patricia was what she had read online when she was checking out their background. She ran a hand through her slightly unruly grey streaked hair and rang the bell.

When the door opened her first thought was that if she had been asked to imagine a successful male lawyer from TV or film, he would look just like Michael. Allie appeared from behind her husband smiling hesitantly at Patricia, who's next thought was that she looked smaller and more delicate than the photos online which were usually the ones taken at the American Bar Association dinner, before Stuckey and before Carrie. Michael was smiling broadly as he invited her in, and Patricia took in the polished floors and fresh decor.

They sat down in the open plan living area with its large sectional couch adjacent to the kitchen. Michael made drinks as Patricia and Allie took seats and the former said, "I love your home." Allie glanced at Michael wishing he was sitting with her before replying, "Thanks, we haven't been here very long but we love it already. Michael came and put the drinks on the coffee table adding, "Yeah, we had an apartment a couple of blocks away before, but Allie and I wanted a long term home." Patricia nodded and getting her file out said, "So, it's nice to meet you guys. Why don't we start with how you guys met, and what brought you to adoption? And Allie how did you come to be in the US?" Michael had sat down next to Allie and taken her hand. Allie hesitantly started, "I worked in our firm's London office, and about three years ago now they talked to me about taking the Californian Bar exams and moving to the L.A. office to be a kind of link between US and UK law for clients. It took just under a year to study and pass the exam, then a few months to arrange the transfer, and I've been here ever since." Patricia nodded encouragingly, so glancing at Michael she continued, "Michael's friend Susan was the real estate agent who helped me find an apartment," She turned to her husband, "in the same building as Michael. She introduced us and the rest is history as they say."

Patricia smiled, "I see. So as I'm sure you understand, we always do some background checks on folk who apply to adopt, and think it's best to tackle head on what happened to you Allie. Is that okay?" Allie nodded and Michael squeezed her hand. Swallowing she began, "I'd been working here for a few months, and not long after I began seeing Michael I was abducted by a guy at work and he drugged me so he could commit sexual assault. Michael and Daniel who I work with figured out what had happened and found me before anything could happen." Patricia instinctively reached out and patted her hand "That must have been terrifying." Allie whispered "It was." Patricia prompted, "And can you tell me how did you come to be shot?" She nodded and Michael slipped an arm around her waist, "Daniel had been separated for around a year when I started my job over here. He was asked to be my mentor, oversee my work I suppose when I started. His estranged wife Carrie became convinced Daniel was in a relationship with me that had led to them splitting up. I'd never even met him at the time they separated and I was obviously thousands of miles away. Some of her friends worked with me and with Michael, and they encouraged her in thinking there was something going on between Daniel and myself. Dan, Michael and I are very close friends." She looked at Michael, " And Daniel and Michael have known one another for years, but I've never been romantically involved with Daniel. We did talk about it before I ever met Michael properly, but we agreed we wouldn't go there because Dan was struggling through the end of his marriage and Carrie had such an issue with me that we knew it would affect their little girl. Carrie had a history of mental illness, and months later she stole a gun from a friend she visited in Nevada who she knew carried one in her car glove box. She waited outside of our office and shot me twice."

Patricia sat back, "Thank you for telling me that Allie, I know it isn't easy. I understand from your medical report you were pregnant when you were shot and you lost the baby as a result. Michael, can you tell me how you felt about that?" Michael pulled Allie a little closer, "We didn't know about the pregnancy, it showed up in the blood tests, but I know we'd have loved that baby. The hysterectomy was much harder to come to terms with for both of us. Allie covered his hand with her small soft one and nodded. Patricia gave them a sympathetic look. "According to your medical Allie you still have your ovaries, so I'm just interested in why you have decided not to pursue surrogacy?" Allie looked at Michael and said, "Well, for me I'd worry about the uncertainty about whether the treatment would end with a baby, the disappointment and how many times we might have to do it. Michael had talked about giving a home to a child who needed parents, and I realised wanting a family was more important to me than having a newborn or replicating my genes." Michael added, "I had a really difficult home life as a child, my single mom was an alcoholic, and I suppose I wanted to give a kid like me a chance to live in a home like my friends Susan and John raised their kids in." He sighed, "And I have to be honest, Allie really suffered after the shooting, and now she's made a full recovery I would be worried about the risk to her health with IVF."

Patricia looked at them carefully, "Okay, we'll obviously need to explore all this in more detail in the various sections of your home study, but thanks for your honesty. I want you to understand I'm not here to judge you guys in any way. I'm here to understand how your life now and the things that got you here will impact on your ability to parent, and also help me match you eventually to a child. Ultimately this might sound harsh but my priority isn't really you guys, it's getting kids the right parents." Allie smiled and her body relaxed a little in response to the message that they would be moving forward and not rejected after the first meeting. This didn't go unnoticed by Patricia, who couldn't help think already how likeable she was.

Patricia continued, "So before I give you a rundown of what would happen from this point if you continue to move forward, I wanted to ask about Daniel's daughter. You've obviously disclosed the restraining order you guys have in place, and I can see there's been a lot of online chat about you guys and Daniel and his little girl. Can you explain how things work with you all? They both nodded and Allie said, "Emmie was almost four when I was injured. I'd met her a couple of times in the office, watched her for Dan when Carrie hadn't turned up to collect her and Dan had meetings. She said turning to look at Michael, "It's hard to explain, but we are a really close group, Max my boss and his wife, Daniel, Susan and John, my friend Robyn and her husband Jeremy. Daniel was suddenly a single Dad and we all just wanted to help. The bits I could help with went from simple tiny things like putting Emmie's hair in a ponytail, to stuff like getting her new clothes. Then she asked if I would do things like go with her Dad on show and tell day at pre school." Michael added, "Dan helped taking Allie to her daily physical therapy if I had stuff at work I had to get to after she was discharged from hospital. He used to collect Allie before dropping Emmie at pre school." Patricia nodded and Allie continued, "At some point Emmie asked Dan if she could call me mommy." She smiled at the memory, "I think I actually laughed, just because Daniel had said Emmie had said something serious, and I was worried it was something she was really upset about." Patricia narrowed her eyes, "And how did that make you feel Allie? Does Emmie think you really are her mother?" Allie shook her head answering the second question first, "No, Emmie's smart and she sometimes asks Daniel about Carrie. He's told her Carrie's brain is sick and she's in a kind of hospital to try and help her. To be honest I was fairly relaxed. I thought she may start calling me mommy and then let it drop, but it's actually stuck. I'm happy to be that kind of energy in her life, I love her to bits." Patricia turned to Michael "How about you? That must have been a bit strange for you? I'm guessing her Dad is just that, so what does that make you?" Michael smiled lighting up his beautiful features and shrugged, "I told Dan at the time it didn't bother me." He laughed, "A lot of people would say I'm pretty tuned into the mind of a four year old. Truth is, my Dad left when I was four and I can remember just wanting to have a Dad like the other kids. Allie loves Emmie, and if she can be there to do the stuff her Mom can't, I don't see the harm." He looked at Allie and laughed "And I'm Uncle Michael who gets to do the fun stuff." Allie leaned back against him, "He's amazing with Emmie, she loves him."

Patricia sat back and couldn't help observe "It's interesting isn't it, how society accepts all kinds of unconventional family set ups, but a heterosexual couple helping out a close straight male friend creates a heap of online debate and innuendo." Allie blushed and Michael laughed. Patricia smiled "Why don't I explain what happens from this point and then we can finish for today and set up the next appointment."