Just Breathe - Adopted by Mandy Gonzalez - COMPLETED

8 - Pancakes

"Hey Mandy." I said walking into the kitchen on my birthday.

"Morning Becky, happy birthday princess." She gave me a tight hug and kissed my forehead.

"Thanks Mandy." I hugged her a little longer and then whispered something. "I think I'm ready."

"Ready for what honey?" She asked holding me an arms length away.

"Ready to face the world, face being more different than I already am. Ready to tell the world I've been adopted and that our squad mom is my mom. That your daughter is my sister and your husband is my dad. I'm ready to tell the world that you're my forever family. I may be treated differently, but I know you love me all the same, and I love you all." I stood on my tiptoes and wrapped my arms under hers and my head on her chest.

"We definitely do love you. And I'll do my best as your mom and your squad mom to make sure you live the same online life as you did before. You know I don't tolerate when others are treated differently. That's the whole point in the squad. And if anyone tries to treat you differently because you're my daughter, I'm going to be really upset and angry by it. If you get any negativity, let me know. Okay? I love you Becky and I want what's best for you." She hugged me back and rubbed my back.

"Okay, I'll let you know. Thanks Mandy."

"Anything for my girl. Anyway who wants breakfast pancakes? I have all your favourite toppings. Then we will give you your presents."

"I'll go get Maribelle then." Mandy gave me another kiss on the forehead before I ran out of her arms and into Maribelle room. I jumped on her bed and cuddled her. "Morning sis." She slowly opened her eyes and groaned. "You are such a teenager and you're only 6."

"Becky, Happy birthday sissy. I didn't realise it was you. I thought it was dad." She hugged me back.

"Thanks Mari. Anyway do you want pancakes?"

"Mom made pancakes?" Her energy shot up as she jumped out of bed.

"Mmhm." She grabbed my hand and bolted out the door. I laughed as I was dragged along.

"I heard pancakes." She called once in the room.

"Come on then girls, tuck in." She placed a pile of crepes and a pile of thick fluffy pancakes on the table in front of us.

"Wow. Thanks Mandy. This looks great." I looked around the table at all the topping, whipped cream, lemon and sugar, syrup, "STRAWBERRIES AND CHOCOLATE! My favourite!" I yelled. "This is amazing, thank you so much. I love you mo...Mandy" I instantly buried my head in my hands and started hiccuping as I began to cry.

I felt Mandy's comforting arms around my shoulders. "Becky, it's alright. You don't have to call me mom. I understand sweetie. It's still very new to you. It's okay, take your time."

"But, I want to be able to call you my mom. I'm proud to be your daughter. I love you like you're my real mom. I want to call you my mom, just something stopped me. And I don't know why. And that's annoying me. The fact that something in me won't let me say it, it's annoying." I broke down in her arms feeling completely helpless.

"It's okay though. I know you find it annoying, I understand that, but I'm here for you honey. You can always talk to me. As your squad mom or your real mom. You can count on me."

"I know. Thanks, for everything Mandy." I squeezed her and then let go looking at the food. I grabbed a banana and chopped it into thin slices, then sliced the strawberries. I took a crepe and caked in chocolate. I sprinkled the banana and strawberries on and rolled it up. I took a bite. "Oh my gosh, that's so good. This is the best crepe I've had in ages. Doug's missing out." I giggled and looked at my sister. I took another bite of the mouth watering deliciousness.

"Um Becky, you have a little something on your face." She took my phone and opened the camera to face me.

"Oops." I licked my lips and then wiped off the rest with a bit of kitchen role. "That better?" Maribelle giggled and nodded at me. I finish my first crepe, then have a lemon and sugar one. I then have a pancake with syrup leaving only one crepe and one pancake left on the table when Doug walks in.

"It's a Thursday, you never make pancakes on a Thursday. And there's loads of topping, strawberries, chocolate, bananas, syrup, lemon, sugar, it's endless." I look up at him as Mandy looks like shes had a bucket of ice water thrown at her and is about to kill someone.

"Are you being funny and making a joke or do you actually not remember?" Mandy asked her husband. He looked at me and at Maribelle.

"Becky when did we adopt you?"

"November 15th, two weeks ago, so it's not an anniversary of that." Maribelle answered for me. I kind of felt a sickly feeling in my stomach. My own adopted father didn't know my birthday. It was all I'd heard him and Mandy talking about since they took me in as their forever child. And he didn't remember. Even my 6 year old sister knew it was today. "And I turned six earlier this month. So it's not that." She continued. I simply looked at Mandy.

"I'm going to chill in my room." I sighed. I walked away from the table glancing between my parents. Someone so loving and kind, who said she loved me at the start of everyday and ended each day saying she was proud of me. And someone who didn't want me in the first place, had become nicer but now couldn't remember his own daughters birthday despite it being the only conversation of the week. Once in my room I locked the door and curled up under the covers. I took a picture of Mandy and I, from when we first met at the Eliza Project presentation, that I had printed and put in a frame, and hugged it to my chest. I cried into it feeling absolutely miserable. "I love you mom." I whimpered into the frame.