Call Your Girlfriend

Part 33: In Which Helen Is Ecstatic

Waking up this morning, I'm so excited. I'm already dressed and waiting for Max to finish up in the shower. I don't know what's taking him so long.

Okay so maybe I'm trying to rush him out the door- But! It's an exciting day when you get to adopt a baby!

He finally comes out- dressed and looks at me at the door.

"Calm down- I'm ready."

"Let's go then!" I happily say and he comes walking over after stuffing his wallet in the backpack.

"Are you perhaps excited?"

"Very much so!" I bounce slightly and he laughs as we exit the room. We head to the elevators and he takes my hand in his. My heart flutters.

"Have any names picked out?"

"Of course! If it's a boy Sylas Sebastian Sharpe-Bash for short. Or if it's a girl Elowyn Elyse Sharpe- can call her Low or Leesy." I know they're weird names and maybe I'm putting too much English novel thought into them, but trust me- I have thought about these names since I was a little girl. Since I can't use the name Zurah, Elowyn has always been my second.

"Cute. I like Bash and Elowyn. Very unique. Very you." I smile as we get in the elevator and head down to the first floor.

"I talked to Sandra- my adoption agent- she says that our Japanese respondent she is working with is already at the hospital finalizing everything. His name is Hiro Tanaka (he-ro tah-nah-kah)." We make our way to the curb and hail a cab. One picks us up and we ask to go to Kyoto City Hospital. It's only about a mile away and yet it feels like it takes forever to get there.

"You nervous?" He asks as I look out the window and bounce my knee.

"A bit. This is all just too surreal. I mean- We are in Japan- getting a baby. I just...I don't know- I'm so many feelings right now I can't pick one." He kisses my temple and tries to calm my nerves a bit. When we pull up in front of the Hospital- that's when I start feeling the nerves and pressure intensify. Max pays the man and we just stand there looking at the huge building that is so different than our own. The whole complex I feel is way bigger than the Dam, but very simplistic. We head in and the lobby itself is very large- kind of like the atrium. There are a few people waiting around and chattering. I have no real concept of where we're to go, but a man comes up to us in a grey suit and has a brief case.

"おはようございます！私は大樹田中さんです。あなたはヘレンシャープさんですか？" (oh-hi-yo go-z-I-ma-s! Wah-tah-she wah He-ro Tah-nah-kah San-n deh-s. Ah-nah-tah wah Helen Sharpe sah-n de-s kah?)(Good morning! I am Hiro Tanaka. Are you Miss Helen Sharpe?) He asks and I bow my head slightly.

"はいそうです。よろしくおねがいします。" (Hi, so-de-s. Yo-ro-she-ku oh-neh-guy she-ma-s) (Yes that is correct. Nice to meet you.) I say and he smiles and bows as well.

"Welcome! How are we today?" He switches to English and I smile and hold Max's hand tightly.

"Very good. Very excited. How about you?" I ask and he smiles.

"I am very well myself. I'm sorry. So rude of me- who is your friend?" He turns to Max and extends his hand.

"Max Goodwin."

"He's my..." Boyfriend? We didn't discuss it.

"Fiancé." Wow! What the fuck Max!? I look at him and he winks at me.

"Wonderful! Come with me to the conference area and we can get started." He leads us through the lobby and down a narrow hallway before turning right and opening a door. He turns on the lights and shuts the door behind us. Gesturing us to sit, he smiles and opens his brief case, taking out a small stack of papers and some pens. "English for you."