Adopted by Dear Evan Hansen: Could we go on For Forever?

Adulthood

**Ryder's POV**

I rolled out of bed, hitting my alarm as I went. I put on a pot of coffee and checked my phone. There was a text from Aba asking me to call him when I woke up.

"Hello?" He asked when the dial tone disappeared.

"Hey, Aba. It's Ryder. You asked me to call you?"

"Yeah, hey, kiddo. How's the show going?"

"Good," I put my phone on speaker and started making breakfast, "What about you?"

"It's going great. I'm in San Francisco right now and it's beautiful. I miss you, though. How's the rest of our clan?"

"They're good. I'm getting lunch with Dad today and Momma's coming to the show tonight. I talked to Mom and Papa yesterday. Wait a minute - what are you doing up? Aren't you three hours behind?"

"It's okay," Aba promised, "I was needed on set at five this morning so I was already up. Don't worry, Trix."

"Do know when you're going to come back to New York?"

"I'll be back for Hanukkah and Christmas - I promise. We'll get everyone together and go ice skating in Rockefeller Center."

"I miss you, Aba," I sighed, moving to the dining room of my apartment with my breakfast and mug, "I miss you a lot."

"I miss you, too, Ryder, and I promise I'll be back soon - Oh, shoot, I gotta go, kiddo. I'll talk to you soon, okay? I love you, Ryder."

"Love you, too, Aba. Talk to you soon."

Aba hung up and I scrolled through the latest news - national and within the Broadway industry. I got my first job interning on Wicked fresh out of high school when I was eighteen and took classes at NYU half online and half in person. Now, I'm twenty-nine and am stage managing an original Broadway show called Death? Not Today.

I left my dishes in the dishwasher and got dressed. I put my script and the paperwork I'd been working on last night into my backpack and poured coffee into the Dear Evan Hansen tumbler I'd gotten for my first Hanu-mas(a mash up of Hanukkah and Christmas) with my new family.

I put on my shoes and shrugged into my coat, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. I put my house keys and my theatre keys into my coat pocket with my wallet and phone and grabbed my tumbler, locking my apartment behind me. Thanksgiving was barely a week ago and already the chills of December were starting to nip at any exposed skin.

I unlocked the stage door of the Imperial Theatre and walked around the silent building as I turned on lights and brought the place to life. Before too long, the PSM and ASM showed up, as well as the rest of the cast and crew.

"Ryder!"

I turned around to find our leading gent, Dustin Grant, chasing after me with one of the cameras you get for doing Broadway.com vlogs.

"What can I do for you, Dustin?"

Dustin thrust the camera in my face and asked, "What was your adoption process like?"

"What?" I blinked, "Oh, uhm... Slow," I told him, "And not normal. It involved juvie and the hospital."

Dustin gaped, "You've been to juvie?!"

I laughed and nodded, "A lot of petty theft. Though, during my first custody hearing, I punched a bailiff." I snapped my fingers, "I also once faked my death."

"Okay," Dustin blinked as he processed that, "I'm going to need that story later. Who knew you were such a rule-breaker?"

"Let's see - everyone in the NYPD, most of the judges, a few doctors, and my parents."

Dustin's eyes flashed as if he remembered his initial mission, "Oh yeah, your parents! You're adopted and our show features a character who was adopted and I figured I'd ask you questions about being adopted - is that okay!"

I chuckled and pulled a wrench from my pocket to fidget with, "Sure. Fire away."

Dustin asked me questions about foster care, juvie, and growing up adopted and I answered them to the best of my ability without getting too deep in detail. Even when he put away the camera, Dustin followed me back to my office and continued to ask questions about the things I'd skimmed over, like punching a bailiff and faking my death. He asked if I got a new identity and I laughed and said,

"No. I just got a placement on the other side of the city and asked the doctors to tell the family I had been with that I had died."

He opened his mouth to say something more, but my phone rang. The name "Mom" flashed across the screen as well as a picture of me and Mom on the ferry to visit Ellis Island. Dustin left me alone and I sat back in my chair.

"Mom, you are a lifesaver. You could not have called at a better time."

"Hello to you, too, Ryder," Mom laughed, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I was just explaining my fake death to Dustin."

I heard Mom sigh, "I sometimes still can't believe that you did that, Matrix."

"Yeah," I rubbed my forehead, "Oh, was there something you wanted to talk to me about? You did call me."

"Do I need an excuse to talk to my daughter now?"

"I guess not. So, what're you up to?"

"Nothing much, kiddo. Oh, I'm coming to see the show tonight with Momma."

I sat up straighter, "Really!"

"Yep. We're going to be in the mezzanine watching you as the proud parents we are."

"You've seen the show before. You, Momma, Papa, Aba, and Dad all came for opening night."

"That doesn't mean I'm any less proud of you, Ryder. I just wanted to let you know. See you tonight, love."

"See you tonight, Mom. I love you."

"I love you, too, babygirl. Bye."

"Bye."

The line got disconnected and I sat back in my chair. I spun around once, then went over the PA system.

"Good afternoon, everybody, this is your stage manager. I would like everybody to know that Dear Evan Hansen OBC members Laura Dreyfuss and Kristolyn Lloyd will be attending our second show. Laura and Kristolyn also happen to be my parents, so let's make this a good night - no pressure."

Aaaand that's a wrap!
Thank you all for being amazing and supportive throughout the progress of this story. This is the end of the plotted story, but, as I've said before, if any of you send in requests for one-shots, I'd be happy to put them in.

You're all amazing! Stay safe and stay healthy.
-Spaceheater1