Big Girls Don't Cry ✔️

Unexpected call

Baxter

I contacted my attorney regarding Martin and Kelsey adopting a child. I explained what I needed, and the attorney met with me. We met at his office, and I explained the situation to him. He listened until I finished.

I sat there as Carl rubbed his jaw, then he spoke. "There is an option of closed adoption, where the birth parents don't know who the adoptive parents are. We seal the birth records until the child turns eighteen."

I thought about it. Martin and Kelsey wanted to be parents. Why shouldn't they have the opportunity to be one? Rose and I were lucky when we got a phone call from Kelsey. I saw how my brother and sister in law forced her to be someone she isn't. They tossed her out like trash, and that wasn't right.

"Okay, but I don't want Martin and Kelsey to know anything about the birth parents until the adoption is final. I'll tell them," I told Carl.

"I know the attorney who is handling the adoption case, and I'll work out an agreement with him," Carl said.

"I don't want the other people to know I have any involvement with this situation," I reminded Carl.

"Baxter, no one will know," he assured me as I nodded. I got up and left Carl's office as I went home.

I walked into the house, and Rose greeted me.

"What did Carl say?" Rose asked.

"Carl's going to speak to the attorney who's handling the adoption and push everything through for us. He'll have one of his assistants contact Martin and Kelsey under the guise that they are part of an adoption agency," I explained as Rose looked at me worriedly.

"Baxter, I'm worried the people will find out," Rose mentioned.

I put my hands on Rose's arms and reassuringly rubbed them. "This baby will have a better start and life instead of what some stranger can provide," I told Rose as she nodded. It was a gamble, but I planned on making it.

*******
Kelsey

Martin and I returned from grocery shopping, carrying in grocery bags. We set them down on the counter in the kitchen and started putting things away when Martin's phone rang. He answered it, and all I could hear on his end was uh-huh, yeah, okay, and other one-word answers. I continued to put things away as he hung up the phone.

"What was that?" I asked Martin.

"That was an adoption agency," he said as I stopped and walked over to him.

"Okay," I said as I looked at him with concern.

"The agency wants us to come down. They want to speak to us," Martin said as I furrowed my brows. I wasn't getting my hopes up because every time I do, they tell us no.

We finished putting away the groceries, then went down to the address the agency gave Martin. We pulled up to a building and got out of the car. I took a deep breath as Martin took my hand and led me into the building.

A woman greeted us and showed us to an office. Another woman stood up from her desk and walked around it as she greeted us.

"Martin and Kelsey Hayes?" The woman asked.

"Yeah," Martin answered.

"I'm Mrs. Abernathy. Please take a seat," Mrs. Abernathy offered as we sat down in chairs in front of her desk. She sat down in a chair behind her desk and opened a file as Martin, and I sat there. She handed us some papers. "I need you both to sign these forms."

We took the forms and looked them over, and my eyes widened as I looked at it, stunned. I looked up at the woman. "These are adoption papers," I said, surprised.

"Yes," she said as she smiled.

We read through the papers as I looked at Martin. "We're getting a baby," I said, shocked.

Kelsey, we're getting a little girl," Martin said as my expression changed and I started crying. Martin put his hands on my face and looked at me. "We're getting a daughter."

"Martin, we're getting a family," I said as I cried and Martin pulled me to him. All the time's people denied us is finally over her.

Martin let go of me and wiped his eyes. "Where's a pen?" He asked as the woman handed him an ink pen. He signed, and I signed. We had to sign forms including the application for the birth certificate for the name.

I stopped Martin. "Wait," I said as he looked at me. "She needs a name."

"Oh, uh, I'd like to name her after my parents if you don't mind," he said as I looked. "My dad's name was Jordan, and my mom's name was Annabeth. I want to name her Jordyn Annabeth Hayes," he suggested as I looked at him and smiled.

"I like that," I said as I smiled and Martin smiled back. Martin wanted to honor his parents, and he supported me through my transition. I tried to return the favor. We filled out the forms and handed them back to the woman. She took them and stood up and left the room.

We waited for her to return and talk. We had to go shopping to get baby items. As we waited, a door opened, and Mrs. Abernathy returns carrying something. She walked over to us and set down a car seat as we sat there, stunned.

"Say hello to your daughter, Jordyn," she smiled as I sat there speechless.

"Can we hold her?" Martin asked the woman.

"Yes, she's your daughter," the woman said as Martin undid the harness and picked her up. Jordyn let out a small sound as Martin held her in his arms.

"She's so tiny," Martin mentioned as he held her, then he handed her to me. I took her and held her in my arms.

"How about a picture?" The woman mentioned as we both nodded. Martin wrapped his arm around me and took Jordyn's hand with his finger as he looked at her while Mrs. Abernathy took a picture with a Polaroid camera.

Mrs. Abernathy handed the picture to us as Martin took it. He held the car seat, and I placed Jordyn back inside as I buckled her into it. We stood and shook the woman's hand as she congratulated us on our new addition.

"I'll get the paperwork filed and call you when the adoption is final."

"Thank you," I said as we left the office and Martin carried the car carrier out. I couldn't believe we were finally parents. Our dream finally came true.