adopted by sandra bullock (and her gf cate blanchett)

chapter 45

everyone had taken the news relatively well.

after a few moments of subtly wiping tears and trying not to make sandy or the kids feel more vulnerable and emotional than they already were, the group broke apart into separate conversations, an action led by jen sarah and cate in an attempt to not let the others bombard the kids with questions.

cate invited will, jason, george, and matt out to the backyard for a quick smoke, knowing that they were the usual crowd that found themselves enjoying a cigarette, cigar, or joint outside of most functions, plus jen, but only when she was drunk.

jen offered to help sandy in the kitchen, and amanda joined along.

sarah motioned for the kids to come meet holland, which they did after an encouraging nod from their mother.

"so," holland started, "tell me about yourselves! sarah has been gushing over her knew niece and nephew all day"

dylan blushed, and danielle shot a dirty look to sarah, causing holland to laugh.

"well," dylan began, "we're 14, turning 15 in june. we were born here, but moved around a lot as kids, so we've lived in a lot of different countries."

dani chimed in, "dylan really likes music and sports, and i like books and movies, but we both like a lot of the same things since we grew up together"

"you two seem very close, it's so great to see" holland said with a warm smile.

dani liked holland a lot, she was peaceful and graceful, and at risk of offending sarah with a comment on their age difference, dani could almost see holland as a grandmother-type figure.

dylan felt the same, and was particularly entranced by hollands quick wit and humor.

while the kids conversed and answered numerous questions from the couple, asking equally as many about hollands career and sarah's wild stories, sandy was answering questions of her own in the kitchen.

"this..." amanda began, "this is a lot to take in sandy."

amanda was so happy for her friend, but couldn't help but be skeptical about this major change in sandy's life.

having two young girls at home, amanda understood well the challenges of raising kids, especially in the hollywood world.

she had known sandy a long time, and while she wasn't as rambunctious as she was in their younger years, sandy was still the type of person that loved to throw parties and travel for work and go out for drinks with friends, she was the first of their group to suggest going on vacation to explore a new city, the first to go sky diving or cliff jumping or chase any sort of adrenaline, the first to suggest they all head back to her place for a last minute celebration and often the first to wake up with a hangover the next morning.

it's no secret that sandy had natural maternal instincts, always doting on her, jason, will, and jen and reeces kids, but from amanda's perspective- which was admittedly not as close as cate sarah or jen- sandy was more the "fun aunt" type, happy to entertain kids for a few days but never speaking about kids of her own.

she said as much to sandy.

sandy was taken aback, to say the least.

"i know this is sudden, and the situation very unusual," sandy responded to amanda's inquiry, "but these are my kids, my heart and soul. i know i wasn't able to raise them in the traditional sense, but when i saw them, in the hosp- house, i mean in their house, i felt such a strong urge to love them and keep the safe. they've had too much instability in their lives, and if i can provide them with any sort of help or comfort for as long as they want to be in my life, i want to rise to meet the challenge and be the best that i can be to them."