I was nervous about going to the hearing doctor. What if I really didn't have any hearing at all? Would Mom and Dad change their minds? Would they send me back?
Don't be stupid, Callie, I thought to myself. They know what your birth dad did. And the foster dads and brothers. And uncles. And you stabbed Dad and they didn't ship you off to Crazy Town like Melanie said they should. And it's not like they'll be surprised to find out you're deaf, stupid.
I lay in my bed staring up at the ceiling. It was Saturday morning and I didn't have to be up yet for anything. I guess someone brought me up here last night, because we were watching a movie the last I remembered.
The door knock light went off and the door started to slowly open. Mom poked her head in.
"Oh! You're awake," she smiled at me. I nodded and smiled back. "Are you hungry?"
I shrugged. I wasn't that hungry, really. My stomach was in knots. What if they really hope they can 'cure' me? That weird family tried that once. The neighbours called and I was gone the next day. They were the first that were okay. They didn't hurt me or anything, but they were really weird and really religious and thought they could cure my deafness with prayer and some other weird ritual.
"Come downstairs. Your grandparents are already up."
I slid out of bed, grabbed my phone and followed Mom downstairs.
"My cupcake!" PopPop smiled. Dad was in the living room holding Penny Lane and smooching her. Granny was in the kitchen making food and PopPop was setting the table for breakfast.
"Did you sleep good?" PopPop signed awkwardly. I smiled. I didn't care. They were trying. I nodded and smiled.
"You sleep on me in movie," PopPop said. I knew he meant I fell asleep while we were watching the second movie. I shrugged and smiled shyly.
"Sorry," I said.
"No. Okay. Me happy you safe feel," PopPop signed.
I smiled and went over and hugged him.
"Thank you, PopPop. You can text if it's easier," I texted to him. He read the text and smiled.
"I want try ASL. You sign, I try," he signed. I hugged him again.
"Thank you," I signed to him. He took my face in his hands and kissed my forehead. He stepped back and, smiling, made the sign for 'I love you'. I signed it back.
I turned around and saw Mom and Granny smiling and watching. Mom was filming a video on her phone.
"Can I put on Instagram?" She signed to me. I nodded.
Penny Lane ran up to me and was jumping up at me, so I picked her up and gave her a kiss. Dad came up beside me and looked down at me, smiling.
"The second best day in my life was the day we adopted you," he said.
"What was the first?" I asked, pretending to be hurt. He knew I was joking and smiled at me.
"The day I married your mother," he said, pointing at Mom. I smiled. Yeah. I was being dumb. They weren't trying to change or cure me. They weren't going to dump me if the hearing doctor said I had not enough hearing to try hearing aids or something.
"Breakfast!" Granny signed to me as she put a dish on the table. It was something called a French toast bake. It looked really good. Mom cut us all pieces and handed us our plates while Dad poured us all juice. He and Mom were having coffee.
There was also fruit on the table. Of course there was. Mom loves fruit and makes sure I eat some every day.
"So, Callie," Dad said, getting my attention. "Winter break. What should we do?"
YOU ARE READING
Better Off Alone (Adopted by Brendon and Sarah Urie)
ФанфикCallie has been in foster care for six years, since her mother died when she was six, and her father gave up custody, citing caring for her was just too difficult. Foster home after foster home would call her social worker and tell them to take her...
