Are We Out Of The Woods Yet?(A Taylor Swift Adoption Story)

Prank Calls and Planning

Amara's POV

Adam's just finished playing his turn in scrabble, and it's Andrea's turn next. I'm currently winning, but it's not like their giving me any competition. They both are so fixated on their phones just waiting for updates from Taylor. It's funny how Taylor is updating them, and not me, on the conversation going on about MY future.

It's not like I'm protesting about both of them being on their phones. Andrea clearly said that I wasn't going to be able to get down there, and I'm choosing to take that as a challenge. Them not paying attention to the game gives me more time to think. How am I going to get myself into that meeting...

It would be so easy to just run through the door and sprint down the stairs, but that's not subtle and I most likely will get caught... I need to find a way that's respectful, yet brilliant. Turning my attention back to the game board, Andrea has just played and now it's my turn. Squinting down at my letters, I have few left so I spell out P-H-O-N-E and watch dismally as Adam calculates the points. I could've done better than that...

He writes down 13 points in this little tally sheet we have going and starts to play his turn as I turn my attention back to formulating a plan. Staring at the game board, inspiration hits me like a train.

P-H-O-N-E !! Phone!! I'll use the phone!! Yes!!!!!

Glancing back at the Andrea and Adam, they both are deeply engrossed in their individual cell phones, and I take the opportunity to grab the home phone from its charger and I sneak it under my shirt.

Now I need to find a way to be alone.... I tell both of them that I need to use the bathroom, and they barely look up to acknowledge what I've just said.

Perfect.

I manage to hide the small smile slowly appearing on my face as  I speed walk to the bathroom. It's there that I pull out the phone I've just brought with me and place it on the counter. My plan is simple, I need to find a way to call Maxine and make her let me in. I know how important this Syria project is to her, and I'll simply tell her that I won't do it unless I'm let into the room. The only major problem is that I don't have Maxine's cell number, and even if I did, she probably wouldn't answer my call.

But I do know the CIA center's number.

I remember that it was on a sheet on my first trip there, and closing my eyes, I try to pull up the picture in my mind. Photographic memory perks right here people. It takes less than a minute and I'm just so happy with myself. Holding the phone up, I dial *67 to make the caller id anonymous before I put the number in and with shaky hands I wait until someone picks up.

CIA Outreach Center, Carole speaking. How can I help you today?

Smiling, I put on my best little kid voice: "Um hewwo? I'm cawling because I want to speak to my Auntie.. she works thewre".

Sure sweetheart.. who's your Auntie?

Amara: "Um my Auntie Maxine!! twell her its an emwergency"

Sweetheart your Auntie is working right now.. can I take a message?

Amara: "No!!! Its an EMWERGENCY!!"

Carole pauses a bit before saying that she'll put her on the line. Success!! I'm grinning from ear to ear for a short lived moment before I hear a door open downstairs and I know that Maxine has just gotten up to answer her phone.

It's go time.

I hold the phone to my ear waiting to hear Maxine's voice.
(M= Maxine  A= Amara)

M: "Sara? are you alright? Auntie M's at work right now honey!!"

She actually thinks her niece is calling her... well this should be a bit of a nasty surprise..

A: "Hey Maxine! It's actually Amara and I need a favor".

I hear her gasp and I'm trying so hard not to crack up laughing. When she finally gets back on the line she sounds very grumpy.

M: "Well that was very very clever.. I'll give you that. I'm in the middle of a very important meeting with your foster mom, and so just know that the answer to me doing a favor for you is most likely no".

Not so fast Maxine.. She has no idea about the conversation me and Taylor had the other night about Project Sparrow (the Syria trip) and as far as she's concerned, Taylor doesn't want me to go whatsoever.

A: "Well you see, Taylor and I have been talking lately, and I'm actually seriously considering not going on that Syria trip..."

I sigh dramatically for her benefit and smile as I hear high heels clacking on the floor downstairs. Oh she's pacing. I've just made her nervous. Grinning, I continue on with my statement.

A: " If only I knew what was going on down there so I could make a more informed decision...

I pause for emphasis before continuing again, this time in a much more condescending tone.

A: "And that's where this favor comes in. Either I'm let in that room in five minutes tops, or I'm signing out on the Syria trip."

Listening closely, the sound of high heels clacking has stopped downstairs and I realize that she's stopped pacing.

M: "Amara you do realize that I wasn't the one who kicked you out.. It was Taylor.. perhaps you should be talking to her?

She's going to try to avoid this and distract me. Not happening.

A: "Maxine I don't care how you make this happen. I'm just letting you know that if I'm not in that room in the next five minutes, the Syria plan is OFF. And I mean it".

I hear Maxine laugh before she starts speaking again:

M: "As much as I dislike you at the moment, you truly are a remarkable young lady. I'm asking you again to consider going to the CIA academy, because you truly will fit right in".

My response is simple:

A: "Maxine you have four minutes".

Smiling sneakily, I hang up the phone before flushing the toilet to make it seem like I actually was using the bathroom, and  I wash my hands. Opening the door, I'm met by curious worried glances from Andrea and Adam.

Adam: "Amara are you okay? you were in there an awfully long time".

I tell both of them a made up story about getting distracted with the mirror and to my relief they both buy it. the monotonous game of Scrabble continues once again, but this time I'm alert and hopeful. If I analyzed this situation correctly, I think Maxine will definitely pull through. A minute later, the door opens and to my surprise, it's not Maxine, it's Taylor... and she is fuming. Andrea and Adam immediately stand up to greet her as I try my hardest not to laugh.

   Taylor is just like me in the sense that she's super good at hiding her emotions. With me, it's a defense mechanism, but with her, it's a learned skill through years and years of practice. She does it very very well, and although I know that she's fuming mad and Andrea probably does too, Adam is completely oblivious to the situation. I feel like that's why she makes her way to him first before she turns to Andrea and I. Andrea is her mom and therefore she immediately knows something is up when Taylor informs all of us that I need to come downstairs.. I see her watching Taylor very intently from the corner of my eye, and I just hope that she doesn't put two and two together and figure out that my long time spent in the bathroom and this are related.

We all make our way down in a slow procession and I skip ahead joyously as Taylor tells Andrea and Adam that Maxine refused to continue the meeting if I were not present. 

I know Taylor feels that I was somehow involved in this, but I'm positive that she knows nothing about the specifics. I can't help but be  proud of myself, yet another brilliantly executed plan.  As we finally turn the corner and head into the meeting room, I meet Maxine's eye and she glares at me.

I smile as everyone retakes their seats, and the meeting starts up again. Mwahaha.. you thought you were deciding on my future without me? think again. Sinking back into my chair, I tune in to the conversation and listen as they all continue the discussion. I know Taylor is most likely going to bring this up later tonight, but for now I don't care. I'm just super happy that I'm here.