Waking Up Married

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Juice comes home that evening and we are sitting down for dinner. "How's your work coming?" Juice asks Michael. "Good. I have something I need to talk to you about though." Michael says. "What's that?" Juice asks. "I have to write an essay about the most significant moment in my life so far and I wanted to write about coming to live with you guys but I didn't want to write it until I talked to you and Sis so that I know what I can put in and what I can't." Michael says. Juice looks at me and smiles and says "When we get done, we'll sit down and make an outline so that you know what you can put in there." Juice says. "Thanks Juice." Michael says.

After dinner, the guys are in the living room, working, while I clean up the kitchen. "I'm gonna head to the shower." I tell the guys. They nod and get back to writing. After my shower, Juice and I are sitting in the living room watching tv when Michael comes back in. He hands me his laptop and says "Can you read it? Tell me what you think before I submit it?" he asked. "Sure." I say. I look at the essay and read what he wrote.

Growing up, I didn't know where my next meal was coming from. I didn't know what it was like to have people around that loved me, people that would take care of me. My parents weren't good to me. They abused me and neglected me all for their own vices. I'm supposed to write about the most significant moment of my life so far. That moment was the day I met my sister and brother-in-law. She's not my biological sister but she's been better to me than my blood family. You see, my parents were killed as a result of their love for their vices, leaving me an orphan. The woman that I call my sister, knowing that my parents were dead and that I would go into foster care, took me in, no questions asked. Since living with her and my brother-in-law, I have felt more love and more support than I ever did with my parents. But my sister is more than a sister to me. She's the mom I never had. My brother-in-law is the dad I never had. They support me. They love me. They make sure that I am safe and that I know that they will always be here for me. So, the most significant moment in my life is when I came to live with them because it was the first time in my life that I actually felt what love was.

I look up at Michael, Juice having read it over my shoulder, with tears in my eyes. I put the laptop on the coffee table and walk over to Michael. Pulling him to me, I say "That was beautiful kid. I am so glad you feel that way because we love you and we don't want you to ever think that we don't." He hugs me tight and says "I love you guys." Smiling, Juice says "We love you too kid."

After Michael heads to bed, Juice and I head to bed as well. Lying in bed, thinking about Michael's essay, Juice says "He really is a good kid. We lucked out with him." I smile and say "We did. I am so proud of him. You know he asked me about what to put in the essay because he knew that there were things that the club wouldn't want him putting in there?" I asked Juice. "Really?" he asked. "Yeah." I say. We go to sleep not knowing that we would have a surprise the next day.

Sitting at the table eating breakfast, Michael says "Can I talk to you about something?" We look at him and Juice says "You can talk to us about anything." He looks at his plate and says "I have been thinking about something that I put in my essay and I want to talk to you about it. I know we are telling everyone that you are my sister but I was wondering if you would adopt me instead of just having custody of me?" he asked. "That what you want?" I asked. "Yeah. My mom and dad weren't good to me at all. You and Juice treat me like I'm your kid instead of your brother. I'd like to make it official and you guys become my parents." he says. "Tell you what, let me and Gabby talk about it for a few minutes and we'll see what we need to do." Juice tells him. "Fair enough." Michael says.

After breakfast, Michael heads to his room to work on his assignments while Juice and I head to the back deck with our coffee to talk. "What do you think about what he asked?" I asked Juice. "Babe, I want a big family. He's a good kid and if that's what he wants, I'm all for it. What about you?" he asked. "I want a big family too. I don't feel like his sister. He needs a mom. That's what I feel like with him." I tell Juice. "Then I guess we have our answer. We'll tell him and then call Lowen to come over with the papers." Juice tells me.

Walking back into the house, we go to Michael's room and I say "Juice and I talked about what you asked and if it's really what you want, then we would love to be your parents. Are you sure this is what you want?" I asked him. "Yeah it is. I've been thinking about this since you took me in. This is what I want." he tells me. "Well, I'll call Lowen to get the papers going. Looks like you get a new mom and dad kid." Juice says before walking out of the room with his phone to his ear. Michael walks over and hugs me and says "Thanks Momma." I smile as my eyes tear up and I say "We love you son." before kissing the top of his head.

A couple of hours later, Lowen is sitting in our living room with the three of us. "This what you want, Michael?" she asked. "It is. I'm the one that brought this to them." he tells her. "Okay. Well, since you have custody and his parents are deemed MIA, it won't be hard to push this through. I'll have the judge sign off but you will still have the thirty day wait before it is official but as long as the parents don't come forward, after thirty days, he's your son but as far as we are concerned, he's now, Michael Ortiz." she says. We all sign the papers and she heads out to get the paperwork filed.

That night, we are getting ready for bed and Michael comes over to us and says "Night momma. Night dad." he says and we smile. "Night kid. Love you." Juice says. "Night son. Love you." I say. Smiling he says "Love you guys too." before he heads to bed. After a few minutes, sitting in bed, I still have tears in my eyes. "Are you okay?" Juice asked. "Yeah. I just never knew I could be this happy. One drunken night gave me a husband and now a son. I'm really happy." I tell him. "Good baby." he says before kissing me and we both fall asleep in each other's arms.