Unexpected

A new daughter

"Sam, your call had me worried! What's going on? Are you and Lily okay?" Julian burst through the door. He went straight to his wife to check her over.
Julian was so focused on Sam that he didn't notice the teenager sitting at their breakfast bar.
"Jules we are okay. I called you because we have a guest. I leave you two alone to talk. I'll be upstairs because Lily is already down for her nap."
The patriots player looked after his wife and than to the girl. She looked kind of familiar but he didn't know why. The teenager just stared at him.
Julian grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge and leaned against the kitchen counter. "Hi. So I am Julian. And you are?"
Melly lowered her head and stared at her hands in her lap. "I am your daughter." She said quietly but loud enough for Jules to hear and almost choke on his water. "Well sorry, but my daughter is upstairs with my wife taking a nap."
Melanie took a deep breath. She knew that this wouldn't be easy. So she pulled a paper out of pocket and unfolded it. She slid it across the surface closer to Jules. "That's a copy of my birth certificate. It has your name as a father on it." She took a deep breath before she continued. "Look I grew up not knowing who my father was because my mum never talked about you. I had a nice stepdad in between so that's okay. I don't really want anything from you but I need a signature and I will leave you alone and you can forget about me." With her last words she went to her bag and grabbed a folder out of it. She opened it and put it on the counter for Julian to read. Melly sat back down on the chair she previously occupied and twisted nervously the water glass in front of her.
Jules was speechless. He started to read the papers in front of him and glanced from time to time at the teenager. When he read her mother's name it all came back to him. She was his High School sweetheart. They went to prom together and he never saw her again after they graduated and went to different colleges. As he kept reading on he was shocked "...deceased. Your mum is dead?" He looked up at the girl. He could see the tears forming in her eyes. She blinked a couple of times to get rid of them. "Yeah. She had cancer and lost the fight." Another deep breath and a sip of water later she continued. "I don't want money or anything. If you sign the papers I will get emancipated. So nobody has to worry about me. I can take care of myself."
Julian had to swallow the lump in his throat. He was overwhelmed and totally unprepared for this situation. The girl across from him looked miserable. He didn't know what to do. She seemed shy and kept looking down. He went over to sit next to her. "I am so sorry about your mum." He reached out to give her a hug. As soon as he touched her she flinched away and fear was visible in her eyes. Julian immediately pulled back. "I didn't want to startle you."
Melly looked up. "It's okay. I just didn't expect it.... so will you sign the papers? Then I will go back to California and you never hear of me again."
Jules took a deep breath. "Seriously I don't know if I should. From the papers I know your 16 only a few months. You finished High School a year early and got college ahead of you. That looks like you are a smart girl.... You know I have so many questions right now. Like why was I not called by CPS. How did you get across the country without raising any red flags. You are a child and shouldn't be traveling alone and you shouldn't live on your own. Hack if this was Lily I would be worried sick."
He rubbed a hand over his face. He just meet his other daughter and should just sign her away.
"Well I am not Lily. I had to grew up fast and I really don't need a stranger looking after me. I am doing just fine. Please just sign the papers." Julian sighed and stood up. This was a lot to take in. He went back to the folder and flipped through the pages. He observes the teen some more. She seemed a bit skinny, bags under her eyes and her clothes were worn down. Her words seemed well practiced but didn't fit her behavior or appearance. His thoughts went to his wife and sleeping daughter. What would Sam say to all this. He had a daughter with another woman, well it happened years before her but still. His wife had already talked to the girl some time since the call reached him over an hour ago. There were three dishes in the sink. So his wife fed the teen. Actually the longer he thought about what Sam would say if he did sign those papers. He would probably have to sleep in the guest room because she would be so mad about how he could let a teenage girl fend for herself.
"I think I can't sign these papers. You just lost your mum a few weeks ago. You shouldn't have to fend for yourself. I am sorry I didn't know about you. But I would like to get to know you."