Flesh and Blood

Picture Proof:Is That You?

I followed Travis to the attic entrance. He pulled down the ladder and I looked behind me to make sure my parents weren't watching

"Where are mom and dad?"

"They went shopping."

"What are we doing?"

"I'm trying to help you Cassie. I feel really bad because I know that all of this started after we told you that you were adopted. I feel like we've confused you and made you feel like you don't belong or something."

I followed him through the attic to the very back over the garage. My parents had put a bunch of baby stuff that belonged to me up here. He moved a panel away from the wall and pulled out a dusty box and set it down in front of me. 

"What is this?"

"You wanted to know where your baby pictures were...they're in here."

"Why?"

"I told you Cassie. I'm trying to help you figure this out. This isn't a joke or me being a jerk or something. I'm honestly trying to help you. I want my sister back and I think the only way that is going to happen is to help you find all of the answers."

We sat down in front of each other with the box between us. I lifted the lid and there were tons of papers and pictures in it. He started going through the papers as I pulled out piles of photos. I couldn't understand why he was trying to help me. He never cared before. Maybe last night changed something in him. I still didn't know how to feel about what happened. I went through picture after picture. I didn't understand why they never put them in the books. Most of them were just me at a park. Half way through this big stack I came across a picture of a young girl holding me and smiling. I didn't recognize her, but she looked familiar. I turned it over and my mom had written "Cassie age 18 months with Savannah."  

"Who's Savannah?  Babysitter?"

"I don't know. I don't remember her Cassie. She might have been the babysitter"

We kept searching for answers. 

"What are the pages?"

"Just documents. Personal information isn't on any of them."

He reached the bottom of the box and under all of the papers was one picture. It was a young, blonde haired, blue eyed man holding a newborn baby. He was smiling, but it was fake...you could tell he was sad. I flipped it over "Cassie, 12 hours old with Jon"  Jon? The same Jon that called my mom at the mall that one day?? 

"Travis...who's Jon?"

I held up the picture and he shrugged "Dunno."

"Anything?"

He scanned the last of the pages and stopped 

"Yeah actually. Looks like your birth parents had an open adoption, but your birth father closed it suddenly when you were 2 and your birth mother closed her end the next year."

"Does it say who they are or why?"

"No."

I stared at the picture and my cell phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket

"Hey Seth"

"I'm outside. You're coming with me to Comic Con at the Convention Center"

"I don't know if that's such a good idea Seth.  There was a lot of drama here after you left last night. I'm afraid of making it worse."

"You'll be back by dinner. I promise."

I got up and made my way to his truck. Travis promised to clean up and put everything back. I kept two pictures from the box. The one of me with Jon and me with the babysitter.  I scooted over to the middle seat and stared at the picture of me as a newborn. I was really studying everything about it. I wanted to figure this all out, but to get the answers I wanted I had to talk to my mom and I didn't want to hurt her feelings again.

"Whatcha looking at?"  Seth asked peering over at me quickly

"A photo. Travis is helping me try to figure out this whole adoption thing. Last night was really bad and I think he feels guilty."

"What happened?"

"My dad hit me. I mouthed off and made my mom cry and he lost his temper with me and slapped me.  I've never been hit before...ever."

"Sorry Cassie. I love you."

I half smiled "I love you too."

"So what's up with the photo?"

"It's me as a newborn and the guy holding me...his name is Jon. I was in the shower this morning I started remembering this thing that happened at the mall when I was in 6th grade. Some guy named Jon called my mom and told her a good friend had died. When I asked my mom who Jon was she told me that he was just a business partner. And then literally 30 minutes later I find a picture of someone named Jon holding me. He looks so sad....he's smiling but it's not a real smile. You know how you can tell when someone is faking it?"

"MmmHmm"

"Well, he's faking it. So what's at this comic con that we're going to?"

"There are some wrestlers there that I grew up watching and I'm dying to meet them. I bought us tickets and everything. It'll be fun. Do you ever watch professional wrestling on TV?"

"No, but it sounds interesting. Who are we seeing?"

"Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Paige, Corey Graves and JoJo"

I shrugged "I have no idea who any of those people are, but could be fun...right?"

"I promise you'll have fun."