This Too Shall Pass

Chapter 20

As I pull away from Signe I see that the table in the Gazebo is piled with presents and food. I wonder why. I guess the confusion on my face must have shown because Signe and Annabelle start to chuckle.

"Claire... You did NOT forget," Mark laughs, "Check the date."

I click open my phone and see that it is, in fact, August 18th. My adoption day.

"Oh my god." I whisper. "I don't know how I forgot."

Everyone laughs and Signe hands me a blue paper plate. Everyone grabs some food off the counter and we all dig in. Signe, Dad and I all celebrated my adoption day as if it was my birthday, since PAX often overlapped my actual birthday. Amy finally catches up to us and puts on a fake pouty face and groans in playful annoyance and scolds us on how we didn't wait for her slow ass to get over here.

As we finish up the last of the desserts, I feel my phone start to vibrate in my pocket. When I pull it out I see that Daddy is trying to FaceTime me. So of course, I accept it.

"Hey, Claire!" His voice sounds sort of staticky, ususally that only happens when the devices you're videochatting on are in relatively close proximity of each other, but I think nothing of it.

"Hi! What's up?" I greet perkily.

"Nothing much. How's the party? Mark told me all about it, I wish I could be there!"

"It's going great! Everyone say hi!" I turn the camera so everyone else is in view, including a very confused Chica, Bambi and Bean as they see Dad through the screen.

Everyone waves and greets him with smiles all over their faces. Annabelle tells me to open the mountain of presents, she takes my phone out of my hand to show Dad and urges me to open them. I reach forward to grab the first bag. Inside of it is a hoodie of Septiceye Sam. I smile brightly before opening all the rest of the gifts. It was mostly merch from my favorite bands, YouTubers, movies, games, and book series. The last one however, was simply a white envelope. There was no name on it so I dont know who It's from.

When I open it there is a card with a $20 bill in it with a note.

Hey, Claire...

Happy gotcha day!

I'm sorry I never kept in contact with you all these years... Once I found out where you were I started to write this for your special day.

I got pregnant with you when I was 13... My family kicked me out and I lived with your father and his family. We decided we were too young to raise you. Some people told me to get an abortion but once I saw your ultrasound I couldn't do it. I wanted to see you open your eyes and I wanted to meet my baby girl. Your father and I didn't want to let you go when we met you for the first time. We held you and held you and cried for hours knowing that we wouldn't be able to see our daughter for a long time, and that she wouldn't be ours anymore. Once you were born we (reluctantly) put you into the adoption system, hoping one day you would find a family that loves you like we do. I hope you have that family right now.

I'm currently financially stable and married to your father at almost 24 years old, you have a 2 year old brother named Jonah and an 11 year old cousin who lives with us named Aren.

I know you might hate me for leaving you, but if you ever want to speak to me or our family this is my contact information.

Lillian_Girton@Gmail.com

621-659-5502

I love you, have a great Gotcha Day!

-Lillian, Jonah, Michael, and Aren Girton.

I stare at the note for what seems like hours, not knowing what to feel. I'm about to take my phone out to email her but I hesitate. Then a hand touches my shoulder, it's Mark's. He smiles down and me and plucks the card from my hand, placing it back into the envelope and tucking it away.

"We have one more thing for you, Claire..." he says softly, as if speaking to a creature of delicacy.

There aren't any gifts left on the table and Signe gestures to behind me. I turn to see a man walking towards me, a smile plastered on his face. I jump up off the bench, scraping my knee I'm the process, but I don't care. Tears build in my eyes and I run forward to him as fast as my small 12 year old legs can go.

"DADDY!" I scream, running forward, sobbing tears of joy. I throw myself forward into his arms and he lifts me into the air, spinning me twice as his arms engulf my body. I breathe in the faint smell of dust and dirt masked by his scent of home. He holds me tightly, but I hold tighter.

"Claire, I missed you so much!" He whispers as I begin sobbing again, a smile plastered to my face permanently. "I love you."

He puts me down and I look at him fully. He wears his uniform but he now has hair again, no more than 3 inches in length, but a dark, rich brown color. He looks like an actor. (Seriously, the first picture he posted of it, he kinda looks like Daniel Radcliffe...Is that just me?)

"Coffee bean..." I chuckle. "You're a coffee bean!"

He laughs, "FINALLY! THE COFFEE GODS HAVE ACCEPTED ME INTO THE CULT!"

We all burst into laughter as Daddy exchanges greetings to everyone. Including a sobbing Signe who apparently also had no idea that he was back.

"So... So we can go home now...?" I ask softly, looking up at Daddy hopefully. He smiles warmly and nods slightly. I smile and start to jump up and down and spin in circles. Annabelle walks over to me as Mark, Amy, Signe and Daddy start to talk to each other and looks at me.

"I'm gonna miss you, it had been 2 years since we saw each other last before Jack was deployed." She says.

"I'm gonna miss you too. But on the bright side, Signe and I were talking about flying out a bunch to check up on baby Tim."

Annabelle smiles and touches her growing stomach. "Sounds like fun." She gives me a long hug before bringing me to Mark's car which holds all of my things. "We already planned for you to go home, that's why none of your stuff is in our room anymore, we shipped it back. It should be getting there in about 3 days."

"Thank you." I sigh "I'm just... Really gonna miss it here..." I take a long look around, breathing in the scent of the ocean breeze. Annabelle nods thoughtfully and we make our way over to the group of adults.

"Claire" Daddy kneels down to meet my height, "are you ready to go home?" I nod enthusiastically and he stands. "Our flight leaves in 3 hours." He holds up three tickets, one way back to Brighton. I immediately pull my phone out to text the group chat.

Claire: Guys, meet up by the high school at 3pm on Saturday. I sent something out there for you guys and Signe says she'll bring it to yall.

Carson: I have soccer but I'll make my mom skip it.

Myah: okay

Sarah: Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Shannon: sounds good fam

Cat: Mhm!

I smile and pocket the phone again. Daddy looks at me and asks the question with his eyes. "High school, 3pm, tomorrow." He nods and turns to speak with Mark again.

Hey Brighton? Get ready. Claire McLoughlin is coming home.