Just Breathe - Adopted by Mandy Gonzalez - COMPLETED

68 - Court Room and Birthday Presents

I changed into something slightly smarter and then the four of us headed to the court room to have my name legally changed. I was going to be Becky Carly Melini-Gonzalez and I couldn't be happier. When I was adopted the paperwork made my last name be purely Melini, given that was my fathers last name. But because I was adopted we wanted to double barrel it to include Mom's maiden name. Technically we were all just 'Melini's', Douglas Melini, Mandy Melini, Maribelle Melini and Becky Melini. But because mom kept her surname as Gonzalez for the stage it felt right for me to have Gonzalez in my full name. And whenever someone got mad or was calling for someone they always double barrelled it. It was complicated, but it's what we wanted to do as a family.

"Are you excited Becky?"

"Very, I couldn't be more excited I can't wait for Karen and Chris to be my Godparents and for my name to officially be Becky, but yeah. It's going to be good."

"I'm so excited for you sissy."

"Well thank you." I hauled my sister into my hip and groaned. "You are getting too big." She just giggled in my arms and held me tightly.

"Why do you think mom and dad stopped carrying me then?" It was now my turn to laugh as we headed into the building.

"Uncle Chris, Auntie Karen." I put my sister down and ran into their arms.

"Happy birthday Becky."

"Thanks guys, now let's do this and head home. Mom and dad wouldn't let me open my Birthday presents until you were there." I rolled my eyes and Chris and Karen giggled.

"Okay then, let's do this." We went in and within an hour I was officially Becky Carly Melini-Gonzalez and Karen and Chris were my Godparents. We headed home and went into the living room to see a huge pile of presents.

"Mom, Dad, you didn't have to get me any of this. I have you guys and Maribelle and that's all I need."

"It's your birthday Becky. We're going to get you presents, also we got you special debut gifts."

"It's not like you've already got me a puppy, celebrating my debut in the summer. Speaking of which, where is Benny?" I headed into the kitchen to see my puppy sleeping in his bed. "You're so cute Benny." I stroked his fur and went back into the living room.

"Come on Becky, open them up. Also these include gifts from your uncles and aunts and grandparents."

"Okay then." I opened all the gifts receiving a massive supply of art things including canvases, paints, brushes, sketch books, stencils, everything I could imagine. All of which were from my grandparents, and my actual aunts and uncles. "Dad I'm assuming you brought this lot then the others payed you back?"

"Yes, I knew I had to get the best for my little girl."

"Thanks Daddy." I gave him a hug and then opened the official playbill pyjamas and laughed. "These are the best, thanks Chris."

"Anytime Becky." Next was a copy of Karen's CD in physical format and some cash for me to choose what I wanted.

"Yeah, sorry I only got you some money, your mom didn't give me any ideas and I thought you would like to get something yourself rather than have me get something random."

"It's fine Karen, thank you, it's very generous."

"Okay, Becky your first present from us is in my old office, then your second present is in there and you have to find it." Dad told me.

"Oh, Okay." I stood up and took both mom and dad's hands as we walked towards what had been an empty office for months now. "No way dad." I said as soon as I opened the door. I gave him the tightest hug imaginable. Then did the same for mom. I looked out into the room seeing I had my own art studio, there were places to display my work, an easel for larger paintings, a cupboard for all my paints and things I'd been given along with space to store blank canvases. There was a pin board on one wall with photos on and the last wall had a few of my previous paintings that I'd done and left at dads studio. "Thank you all so much. I love it. Mari, we're going to have a lot of fun in here together."

"Yay. I know I got in a bad mood with you earlier, and I'm really sorry about that. I do love you so so so much Becky and I have the best big sister ever! And I'm so sorry about what I said about how everyday is a special day for you. Today's also a special day for me, because I get to see my mom and my big sister perform in Hamilton." She began tearing up and I instantly held her close to my chest.

"It's okay Maribelle, I forgive you. Yes it did hurt when you said that to me, but I love you so much that I can look past all that. You are my little sister and you mean the world to me. It's been so hard on me with all the late rehearsals, because I haven't been able to spend time with my family much, I feel like I've missed out on so much in the last month. But I love you and that's what matters, I hope we can spend lots of time together, in here and in the recording studio, just being sisters and having fun."

"I would like that a lot."

"I would love it even more." I gave her a kiss on the top of her head and hugged my sister close to me, never wanting to let her go.