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dariusfrasier · 4 years ago

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Belated Birthday

Darius: Ever since the visit with her mom, Macy had been quiet. We still celebrated when she graduated with her bachelor’s degree. Ava, Audrey, and I took her out to dinner and had a celebratory cake at home. She even talked briefly to her dad on the phone. But my usually gregarious girlfriend was not nearly as talkative or animated as before. I knew she had a lot on her mind so I didn’t press or try to force her to talk to me. It wouldn’t have done any good.

I let her do and feel whatever she needed to. I trusted that when she was ready, she’d let me know. It didn’t mean we were any less close than usual. When we watched tv, she still pulled my arm around her shoulders and snuggled against my side. And at night, once we got in bed and turned out the light she still used my chest as a pillow and draped her arm over me. We didn’t need words to communicate.

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Macy: I had so many things on my mind and I wasn’t sure how to deal with any of them. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure I would ever be ready to deal with some of them. The conversation with my mom kept playing and replaying in my head. It was taking me a while to process everything. I didn’t even remember taking my exams, even though I aced them...or close to it. The last few weeks had been a blur.

The one thing I was sure of was the fact that my mother had kept a lot of things hidden from me...and even my dad. How did we get past this? I was still stuck on the fact that somewhere out there, I had a sister, half-sister? I sighed as I went to the kitchen to refill my cup with the tea I made before going back to the porch to sit and think a little longer.

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Darius: I heard her in the kitchen, so I finished up my emails to Lisi and Leo about our project’s final steps before logging off my computer. “C’mon, George. Let’s get you some fresh water before I go check on our girl.” He padded along behind me to the kitchen. I spotted Macy out back as I filled George’s water bowl with ice and water. “Here you go, Buddy.” Setting his bowl down, I ran my hand over his soft fur.

I cleared my throat before opening the back door so I didn’t startle her. “Hey.” I grinned as I walked over to kiss the top of her head. I found myself stroking her hair almost the same way I stroked George earlier. Was I soothing her or myself? No idea. I took a seat beside her and looked out over the yard. “Did you want to go see your Dad later? It was his birthday last week, right?”

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Macy: I looked up at Darius and smiled, nodding my head, “Yeah, it was. And I want to, we have that gift for him. I just don’t know if I’m ready to face her too.” I sighed, “My mind is all over the place and I still can’t process the fact that somewhere out there I have a sister that I’ve grown up my whole life not knowing. So now, not only did she keep my dad from me but now a sister too.” I looked back out across the way, “I don’t know how I’m supposed to process all of that.”

I was quiet for a few minutes before I continued, “I’m not blind to everything she went through, I know it sounds like I’m ignoring all the horrible things that she had to endure, I’m not. But does knowing that now really change the way she treated me growing up? The way she allowed him to treat me? I was an innocent child. She could have sent me to my dad, she could have protected me somehow and done better. Instead, she took away my dad and apparently also my sister.”

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Darius: I let her words settle around us. I wanted her to know I heard every word. I rested my hand on her thigh while I thought about how to respond. “Your feelings about how she treated you are absolutely valid. Nothing could or should change that.” My thumb drew slow circles on her leg. Again…was I trying to soothe her or me? “I have been thinking about everything we found out. And I might have an idea of something we could do. An action we could take that might be a start at least. It was a strange idea, but it’s all I have right now.”

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Macy: I listened to Darius as he talked and sipped my tea, I looked over at him when he finished, “What kind of idea? And why is it strange? And do I need to be worried?” I couldn’t help but smile at the last question I asked him. He had been so amazing through all of this and gave me the space I needed to process everything. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. He wasn’t insecure and needing to be right there through it all, he knew that it was a lot to take in and allowed me to go over everything at my own pace. He didn’t hover and was always there if and when I was ready to talk.

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Darius: “When we were watching tv the other night, I saw a commercial for one of those at-home tests. Not sure if you noticed it. A DNA test.” I glanced at her but couldn’t read her expression. “What if you told your mom that you wanted her to take one with you to help you find your sister? Tell her you want her to help you find her and make sure she’s ok?” I wasn’t sure Macy would like the idea so I decided to tell her the rest.

I leaned back and closed my eyes, then started to tell her the other idea. “Not sure how much I told you before. Had my appendix out when I was 7? 8? Complications. I needed blood. That's when we found out. They weren't my parents. It was biologically impossible. I tried to block out a lot of it. The confusion. The investigation. They found the other kid. Their "real" son. On paper anyway. They tried to contact the family and see him, but the other family refused. Through a lawyer no less.” I sighed and opened my eyes, leaning forward, arms resting on my knees. “So…I get it more than you know. Wanting to find your sister. To get to know her. I said “we” before. I’m suggesting that I take a test, too. See if I have any family out there who wants to know…me.”

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Macy: It took me a minute to process everything Darius had said. I was in shock. “Wow, I can’t imagine what that must have been like. How come you never said anything before now? The whole time we were looking for my dad, we also could have looked for your family, too.” I couldn’t imagine finding out so young that your parents weren’t your parents. “What happened after the other family refused? Did they neglect you?” I guess a part of me was scared that my sister would neglect me. I could understand if she didn’t want to see my mom, but what about me? I was only a child, I didn’t even know, could she really hold it against me?

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Darius: I shook my head. “Wasn’t important, Catwoman. They never treated me badly. Never intentionally made me feel like a stranger...until puberty hit. That's when well... Happy 12th Birthday! You're even more of a freak now that you shift. They thought I was trying to run away. Tried grounding me, but every time that itching started I found a way out. I had to….You can guess the rest. It wasn’t until a few years before we met that I fully understood what I was…besides a freak. Being alone worked for me...mostly...over the years, but now I have you.” I held my hand out to her. “Finding your sister might not be the fairy tale ending it is in books and movies, but I think if you can see that she’s ok. That she knows she’s a shifter and that you were too young to do anything. That might have to be enough. Maybe you’ll grow close. That would be great. But I know you’re more realistic than to hold your breath.”

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Macy: I took his hand and nodded, “To be honest, I’m not even sure I want a relationship with her. And I’m not sure if that makes me horrible or not. A part of me wants to find her, as you said, make sure she’s okay and that she knows. But another part of me doesn’t want to disrupt her life, especially if it’s a good one. What right do I have? That’s if she even knows that she’s adopted. I mean...what would I say? ‘Hey I don’t know if you know this or not, but we’re sisters. Oh, and you’re adopted cause our mom didn’t have a choice?’ I mean that would just be cruel.” I sighed as I shook my head. There were so many unknowns and I think a part of me, maybe not as big a part as before, blamed all this...confusion and uncertainty...on my mom. If she had stood up to her parents or even been honest with my dad, things would be totally different right now.

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Darius: “Well, if you and your Mom take the DNA tests, and there’s a match. It would mean someone else took one, yeah? So they probably know they’re adopted or at least suspect. So hopefully you wouldn’t be faced with revealing that.” I kissed the palm of her hand. “I just…I know you’ve been struggling with everything and maybe doing this. Something concrete would help you. Especially when you start grad school in a matter of weeks. Right? You still want to do that?”

———————-

Macy: I smiled and nodded at him, “Yes, that is something that I still want to do. I’ve worked way too hard to let anything stop me now.” I thought about everything he said, he was right. If they had already taken a DNA test, that means they knew and they were looking for us...or at least someone. “What do you think she’s going to say?”

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Darius: “Your mom?” I waited until she nodded. “I hope that she was serious about wanting to make things up to you. If she was, then she should agree right away. It’s basically just a cheek swab, right?” I leaned back in the chair. “If you really meant your sister or I guess half-sister, I think it will depend on what her adoptive family is like. If she’s had a good life, then it might be an easier adjustment. Then again. If she had a hard time growing up, she might be really angry. At your Mom, not you. You were so young. Wasn’t anything you could do.”

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Macy: “I’m not so sure. I mean she could be angry at me. Our mom kept me but didn’t keep her. She could think it’s my fault once she finds out. I mean I wouldn’t blame her. Though to be honest, I think she’s lucky she didn’t have to grow up stuck in that house. I honestly hope she had a better life and a better environment than I did.”

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Darius: “Let’s start by trying to find her first and worry about the rest when we get there, deal?” She sighed and slowly nodded. “How about you text Mike and see if he’s up for some company and bring him his present? If you don’t want to see your Mom, we could meet him at a restaurant and treat him to lunch, but I kinda think we should just face her and get it over with. Sort of like ripping a band-aid off. But it’s up to you.” I got up from my seat and leaned over to kiss my beautiful girl before gently removing the empty glass from her hand and heading back inside.

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Macy: I watched Darius go and knew he was right. Eventually, I would have to face my mom. So why put it off? I grabbed my phone off the table beside me and sent a text to my dad, asking him to call if he wasn’t busy. I sat back against the chair and waited, smiling when my phone started ringing. I looked down and saw it was my dad, “Hi, I hope you weren’t busy.”

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Mike: I had just put a load of laundry away when my phone buzzed with a text from Macy asking me to call her. I tried not to worry about something being wrong and called her back. “Hi, I hope you weren’t busy.” “Never too busy for you. Everything ok?” I took a seat on the couch. Luckily, it seems that she and Darius just wanted to drop by with a birthday present. At least that’s what she said. “I’d love to see you, Sweetheart. You don’t need to bring a present.” I glanced towards the kitchen. JJ was outside trying to make my backyard more presentable. At least I think that’s where she still was.

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Macy: I couldn’t help but laugh a little, “I know I don’t have to bring a gift, but I want to bring a gift. Besides, I’ve already got it, so wouldn’t it be a waste if I didn’t bring it?” We both laughed. I was quiet for a few moments, “Will Mo…,” I cleared my throat, “JJ be there as well?” When my dad didn’t answer, I took a deep breath, “It’s alright if she will be. I…I guess it is time we talked. I was just more or less trying to, um, I guess prepare myself? If that makes any sense at all.”

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Mike: I will never tire of hearing my daughter laugh. I hung onto that feeling when I answered her. “She’s here. I think she’s trying to garden? Or pretend to. She spends as much time outside as she can.” Which reminded me of my sister-in-law actually. “I should probably let her know you’re coming. I think she’s been hoping you’d want to talk again.”

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Macy: I sighed and nodded, then remembered he couldn’t see me. “I’m not exactly sure what she’s expecting. I…I don’t think I’m ready for her and me to have a heart-to-heart about us. But I do have some questions and there are things I would like for us to talk about. I am willing to talk, but just…not about her and I. Not yet.”

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Mike: “That’s understandable. At this point, I think she’ll be happy to talk about the weather.” Not exactly an exaggeration. “If you feel up to it, maybe we could even order some food. Share a meal? Just think about it. No pressure.” Sometimes food is a good distraction or buffer. But I would never force Macy to spend more time with JJ that she wasn’t ready for.

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Macy: I thought about his offer, “I’ll talk to Darius and see what he says. I’m sure as long as I’m okay with it he will be too.” I bit my lip and continued, “I won’t promise to do it, but…I guess I’d be willing to try.” I just hoped I could get through it if I did.

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Mike: “Thank you, Macy. I appreciate you even considering it. I can’t wait to see you. Drive carefully. Love you.” We ended the call and I went to find JJ. It was only fair that she had a chance to freshen up at the very least before seeing Macy again.

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Macy: After we hung up, I couldn’t help but smile. I really think I have the best dad. I sighed as I stood up and went to look for Darius. I figured I would run everything my dad said by him and see what he thought the best thing to do was. Maybe he’d have an idea of how I could get through this without losing my mind.

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Darius: I was wiping down the counters and then putting a few things in the grocery list when Macy walked in. “Hi,” I said as I reached my hand out to her. “Did you talk to your Dad?” George nearly tripped her as she made her way over, but I was right there to catch her. “I think he did that on purpose. The little devil.” I chuckled and hugged her to my chest.

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Macy: I laughed as I slipped my arms around Darius, “He does realize he doesn’t have to play matchmaker anymore, right?” We both laughed and I nodded, “I did talk to him. He’s happy we’re going to stop by.” I took a deep breath before telling him everything we talked about. I gave him a few minutes to think before asking, “So what do you think?”

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Darius: As she filled me in, I played with her hair keeping one arm around her waist. “So what do you think?” I thought for a few moments. “I think the fact that you’re even asking me means that we should go see him. And, if you want to, talk to your mother about taking that test. We can stop at the store and see if we can pick some up on the way. If you want to.”

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Macy: I thought about what he said. He was right, we could stop by the store and pick some up, or at least see if we could. But what then? What if when we tried to talk about it she shut down? Or even flat out refused to do it. Where would that leave us? “What if she says no? Or doesn’t even want to talk about it? What do we do then?”

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Darius: She was going down a dark path again. “Hey, look at me.” I tilted her chin up. “Focus on seeing your dad and wishing him a happy birthday. Especially since you haven’t spent many of them together.” I leaned in to kiss her. “If we tried to stay calm, I doubt she’ll be able to turn us down. It’s a simple request.”

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Macy: I returned his kiss and nodded, “You’re right. My dad deserves to have a good birthday and we deserve that time together.” I hugged him tight, “And if she does say no, we can cross that bridge when we get there, right?” “Right.” I smiled up at him and kissed him again. “I suppose we should get ready to go. Dad is expecting us sooner rather than later,” I laughed.

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Mike: After ending the call with Macy, I straightened up a little in the living room and then went to find my roommate. “There you are,” I said as I stepped off the back porch. The yard definitely looked a lot better since she’d been here. It actually looked like someone cared. Not that I didn’t. It was just…there before.

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JJ: I turned around when I heard Mike’s voice and smiled, “Hey, what do you think? It’s not done yet, but it’s getting there. I have a few more things I want to do, but it’ll take a couple of days to accomplish everything.” I really did hope he liked it. Though, if he didn't, I could always change things around. After all, gardening was a good distraction from my thoughts.

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Mike: I walked over and took a good look. “I think it looks great. But, more importantly, it makes you smile. That’s my favorite part.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “So, I just got off the phone with Macy. She and Darius are going to drop by with a birthday present for me. They’ll probably be here in about,” glancing at my watch, “20 or 30 minutes? Give or take.”

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JJ: The smile I had been wearing faltered a little bit. “I see.” I took a deep breath and asked the next question, dreading the answer, “And am I welcome or should I make myself scarce?” I couldn’t blame Macy if she wanted me to get lost. I hadn’t been the best mother to her in a long time.

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Mike: I took her hand in mine and squeezed lightly. “I think she has some questions for you actually. And maybe, if we all feel like it, we could order some food and have dinner together. But we decided to leave that up in the air.” I swear I could feel JJ’s heartbeat speeding up through her fingertips. I knew she longed to see Macy, but I knew she was nervous about it too.

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JJ: I let out the breath I had been holding. I wasn’t sure what Macy’s questions would be, but I made a promise to myself that I would answer them all honestly, or at least as honestly as I could. I looked at Mike and nodded, “Alright. That…that’s good. At least she is willing to talk to me.” I gave his hand a squeeze, “I really should go get cleaned up before they arrive. Thank you, for…for everything.” I smiled.

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Mike: “Nothing to thank me for.” She laughed a bit and shook her head before heading back inside. I decided to give her a few minutes alone in the house while I wandered through the yard looking at all the subtle but impactful changes she’d made to the yard. She really seemed to have a gift for working with plants. With nature. Sighing softly, I took another look around and then followed her inside.

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Darius: We were in luck. The local Walgreens had DNA tests in stock. We picked up 3. Two for Macy and her mother, and one for me to take. I had mixed feelings about it, but I honestly had nothing to lose. “We should be there in about ten minutes, Catwoman. You look great by the way.” I rested my hand on her knee. “It will be great to see your dad again.”

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Macy: I smiled and nodded, “Yeah, it will be. I’ve missed him. We really need to start making more plans with him.” I took Darius’ hand in mine absently drawing circles with my thumb while he drove. “Do…do you think my sister is like me? Or rather…like us?” I remembered how hard it was explaining everything to my dad, even though he handled it great, but that didn’t mean my sister would too.

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Darius: “From what I remember your mom telling us, it sounded like her parents tried fixing her up with others in the pack. So if he was also a shifter, your sister would definitely be one, right?” I pulled up in front of Mike’s house. “When we find her, it’s not going to be an easy thing to bring up in conversation. But we’ll figure it out.” I turned the car off and tucked the keys in my pocket before leaning in to kiss her, then I went around to help her out of the car.

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JJ: I washed my hands in the sink and dried them off, completely lost in thought as I headed to my room to change clothes. I grabbed a washcloth from the shelf and made my way to the bathroom to clean up a little more. I had a million thoughts going through my head, but the main one was wondering what Macy would want to talk about. I didn’t want to upset her again like before, but how was I supposed to act? Did I keep my distance and let her speak to me first? Or was it okay if I spoke first?

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Mike: I was just finishing emptying the dishwasher when I thought I heard a car pull up. I walked towards the front of the house, stopping near JJ’s door to tell her I thought they were here. I placed my hand on the door briefly as if I could give her some of my strength. Taking a deep breath, I continued to the front, peeking out the window and opening the door as Darius and Macy walked up. “There’s my beautiful girl,” I said, holding the door open.

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Macy: I couldn’t help but grin when my dad greeted us. I let go of Darius’ hand and rushed up the steps to hug my dad. “Hey, Dad. Happy Birthday!” I giggled as I caught the end of his eye roll. “Oh come on, it’s totally worth celebrating. Don’t you agree Darius?”

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JJ: I could hear how happy Macy was with Mike, how easy it was for them to be together. It made me happy, but at the same time, it made me sad. I wasn’t sure that Macy and I would ever have a relationship like that, especially after everything that had happened between us…and because of me. I could only hope.

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Darius: l just chuckled and shook my head as I followed Mile and Macy inside. It was good to hear her and Mike laugh together. She hadn’t laughed much in a while. “Happy Birthday, Mike. Sorry, we’re a little late.” It wasn’t because we didn’t want to see him. I knew he understood that.

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Mike: I ushered Macy and Darius into the living room. “Make yourself comfortable. Can I get you something to drink? Coke, tea, water?” They took their seats almost exactly where they were when JJ first showed up. I couldn’t help but wonder if this visit would go better. “Coke would be great, Mike. Thank you,” Darius said before turning to my daughter.“Macy?”

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Macy: I smiled and nodded, “Coke would be great, thank you.” I couldn’t help but look around and wonder if JJ was going to join us. A part of me wanted her to, I had so many questions. But a part of me wasn’t sure I was ready for some of those answers. I took a deep breath and settled back into my seat.

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JJ: I kept telling myself I was giving the three of them some time to visit before I interrupted, but I knew that wasn’t true. I was stalling because I was afraid of facing Macy. Our last visit didn’t go so well, my fault. I couldn’t blame Macy for how she felt. I had blindsided her. I should have thought that through a little better. I stood from my bed and took a deep breath before heading to join them in the living room.

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Darius: I rested my hand on Macy’s knee. So far so good. Then a door opened and her mom walked in. Macy quickly grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I looked over and nodded politely to her mom as she tentatively took a seat. I rubbed my thumb along the back of Macy’s hand until some of the tension eased.

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Mike: I was bringing the drinks in when I realized JJ had joined us. I handed Macy and Darius their drinks. “Here you go. I brought you tea, JJ. Would you prefer Coke?” I gave her a reassuring smile and made sure my hand brushed hers. As much as I loved seeing my daughter, I really didn’t want a repeat of the last visit.

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Macy: I took a few deep breaths and reminded myself that I didn’t want this to go like last time. I concentrated on Darius rubbing his thumb on my hand and looked at JJ. There were so many things that rushed to the surface to say, but none of them were nice. Instead, I smiled a little, “Hello.”

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JJ: I looked at Mike and smiled, “Tea is perfect. Thank you.” I glanced across the room at Macy and Darius, a little surprised when Macy gave me a small smile. I quickly covered the shock and smiled at her, “Hi Macy, Darius. How are you both doing?” I could do this. We could do this.

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Darius: “We’re good. Thank you,” I said before taking a sip of my Coke. “Wanted to stop by and give Mike his birthday present before it was time for Macy to buckle down in grad school. How are you?” I gave Macy’s hand a squeeze. I knew her dad was as proud of Macy as I was.

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Mike: I took my seat and watched JJ and Macy for a moment before taking a drink and setting my glass down. “So proud of you, Macy. Can’t believe you’re about to start graduate school.” I nodded briefly to Darius who I knew was Macy’s rock. First as a friend and now as her partner.

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Macy: I couldn’t help but blush a little as both Darius and my Dad put their attention on me. “We all know I wouldn’t have made it this far if it hadn’t been for the two of you helping me through so much. And our roommates. I know it drives you all crazy when it comes to my papers.” I laughed a little.

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JJ: I glanced at Darius, “I’m good, thank you for asking.” I smiled as I listened to Darius and Mike brag on Macy. I was proud of her too. She’d always been a smart one, no matter what was said in the past. “What are you majoring in? Um, if you don’t mind me asking that is?”

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Darius: I nodded politely when Macy’s mom replied, then turned my focus back to Macy. “You know we never mind reading your papers. Better to read them than to have to write them,” I teased. “I’m not sure that I would have the patience or the brains to get through graduate school myself. Writing papers was never my thing. I preferred drawing or building things with my hands.”

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Mike: It was good of Darius to include JJ in the conversation. Even if only briefly. “I hope that Macy has inherited her love of school from me. She certainly did not get her beauty from me,” I winked at JJ. If only this lighter mood could continue we might actually have a pleasant visit.

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Macy: I couldn’t help but shake my head and laugh, “Y’all are too much. And believe me, writing those papers isn’t a walk in the park. It’s why I annoy everyone so much.” I tilted my head and looked at JJ. “What about you?” She looked at me confused for a moment. “Me?” she questioned. I nodded and smiled a little, trying to extend an olive branch, “While you were at school, did the papers stump you?”

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JJ: I can’t lie, I was shocked that she was actually willing to include me in the conversation, and not just to be polite. I thought back to when I was in school, “You know, I really don’t remember. I think the few that I did write I was…very picky about them. I remember with one paper, I didn’t want to use the same word over and over again. So, I’d write a paragraph and go back and underline the same word if it was used more than twice. Each word got a different color. After that, I would grab a dictionary and see how many other words I could use in place of that one.” I couldn’t help but laugh a little, “Sometimes I just ended up with a jumbled-up mess.” I shook my head.

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Darius: I leaned back and watched the tentative conversation between Macy and her parents. They were actually starting to feel like a real family. I did my best to stay quiet and sip my drink as I listened. As she spoke to her mom, Macy let go of my hand and reached for her soda. I moved my arm around her shoulder.

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Mike: “I seem to remember finding you in the cafe a few times with your dictionary and colored pens. I’d buy you a chocolate croissant for luck and sit with you for a while.” I lost myself in the past for a moment. Shaking my head briefly to clear it, I reached for my drink. “I think JJ asked you what you were majoring in, Sweetheart.”

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Macy: I set my drink down and nodded my head, “I’m going to be a therapist.” I stopped for a second and, in fairness of trying to start over, I decided to choose my words wisely. “Shifters, especially teenagers, I think need someone outside of their family to talk to. Someone who isn’t in their day-to-day life…passing judgment. Not everyone comes from a perfect family, pack, or however, they want to word it. So my plan is to help shifters, of any age, understand and work through any issues they may have dealing with things. I also plan to help all teenagers, not just shifters. Teenagers struggle every day, sometimes it’s family and friends. Other times it's school or just personal feelings. I want to help them understand that no matter what is going on, they’re not alone. There is hope.” I looked over at Darius and smiled, “There’s love out there for them. They just have to hang on long enough to find it.”

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JJ: I couldn’t help but smile, the amount of pride I felt listening to Macy outweighed the sting of her words, even though she chose them carefully, I knew the pain behind her words was because of me. I cleared my throat before saying anything. “Macy…that’s…really amazing. There are no words. I think it’s wonderful that you want to use your time helping others. You’re going to be amazing at it. I know we’re still on very shaky and rocky ground, but if there is any way I can help just let me know. I will do whatever it is.”

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Darius: When Macy turned to look at me and smiled, I fell in love with her all over again. “I wish I had someone like that to turn to when I was growing up. But then again, I might not have found you when I did.” I knew it might make her a little uncomfortable in front of her mother, but I couldn’t help but sneak a quick kiss. Hopefully, she'll forgive me later.

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Mike: I got something in my eye and needed to wipe it away. Yeah. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. “I agree. You’re going to do a wonderful job, Macy.” I shifted my attention to JJ. “I have quickly learned as we’ve gotten to know each other, that our daughter can do anything she sets her mind to.” I grinned and took a drink, facing Macy again. “So, what’s this I heard about a birthday gift?”

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Macy: I couldn’t help but blush a little when Darius gave me a kiss, but I didn’t mind. “Thank you, all of you. I am going to do my best and I hope I don’t let anyone down.” I couldn’t help but laugh when Dad brought up his birthday present. I looked at Darius and smirked, “Did we say something about a birthday present?”

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JJ: I couldn’t help but laugh with Macy as she picked on Mike. I knew she didn’t remember much of when she was younger, but I hoped that eventually, I could remind her of how we used to celebrate her birthday, starting with a homemade over-the-top breakfast. I just hoped we could make it back to that point, that I hadn’t completely screwed up.

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Darius: I reached down beside the couch and handed the gift to Macy to give her father. I was still a little surprised that we were sharing laughter together after… last time. “This gift was a collaboration between Macy and me. We hope you like it.” In truth, it wasn’t the smoothest of collaborations. The present was a framed collage of photos. Photos of Mike and Macy primarily. I had to convince Macy that we should include a few of the photos of her mother when she was in college. She requested that I include at least one picture of us since it was a family collage. It took me by surprise and it took me a while to agree. It felt like a bigger step than any we had taken so far.

——————-

Mike: Watching Macy and JJ have a somewhat relaxed and casual interaction was the only real present I needed. I took the present from Macy. “Thank you. Both of you. I can’t imagine what this could be.” I laid it on my lap and slowly unwrapped it. It was a large rectangular wooden frame. When I turned it over, it took my breath away. Here in my hands was my family. Macy. JJ as I first knew her. And Darius. If it wasn’t for Darius, I might never have gotten to meet my daughter. “This is…..” I had no words as I wiped my eyes.

——————-

Macy: I was so happy that Dad liked his gift. My eyes teared up a little when he started wiping his eyes. “I’m hoping that means you like it?” When he chuckled and nodded, I grinned. “Good, I’m glad. We thought it would be nice for you to have something to remind you of all of us.” I reached over and squeezed Darius’ hand. I hadn’t even realized how nervous I was about the gift.

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JJ: I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. This was a moment for Mike and Macy, one that they deserved. I did my best to hide my smile though. When Mike flipped the picture frame over, I had seen the pictures at the same time he did. It made me so happy to see pictures of me included, even though they didn’t have to. It meant so much to me and gave me a little more hope that maybe all wasn’t lost as I thought.

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Darius: I watched her mom’s reaction when she saw the photos. The gift was for Mike and no matter how Macy and her mom felt about each other, Mike cared about both of them. Of course, she should be included in the photos. Even if the photos were older. I squeezed Macy’s hand back and then whispered in her ear about the DNA tests.

—————

Mike: I showed the photos to JJ and then got up to hang the frame. “I think this is the perfect place, don’t you?” I took down a landscape that I had bought at a home goods store years ago and replaced it with the framed photos. It was a great spot visible from most of the seats in the living room. “Is this straight?” I asked as I stood back to look at it.

—————

Macy: I looked at Darius and nodded, not sure how to bring up the DNA tests. I smiled when I faced my Dad and JJ again, “I think it looks good there.” I bit my lip and sighed. “Um,” I looked over at JJ, “so I have a question…maybe more like a favor to ask?” I could tell she braced herself for the worst and I was surprised at the guilt I felt. Hmm, odd. “I..we..bought these DNA home test kits. I was wondering if we could take them and see about tracking down my sister. Unless there is a chance you know where she may be?”

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JJ: I let out the breath I was holding when she said she had a question. Her sister…of course, she would want to find her. I couldn’t help but frown, “I’m sorry, I don’t know where she is. Your grandparents pushed for a closed adoption. I wasn’t allowed to know anything. Looking back now, I see it was the wrong thing to do. But…at the time I wasn’t in a place to argue.” I sighed, “And I know, that’s not an excuse. I have no excuses. I could have and should have handled everything so much better. During that time and after.” I took a sip of my drink, trying to gather my thoughts. I set my drink back down, “I would be happy to try and help you find her. If the DNA tests don’t pan out, maybe we could do something else? There have to be other options for finding her, don't you think?” I looked at Darius and Mike.

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Darius: Well, that went better than I expected. “Glad you liked the photos, Mike. They look like they’ve always hung there.” I rubbed Macy’s arm. “I think the tests are a good start at least. Give us something concrete to do, true?” I kissed Macy’s cheek before standing up. “If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I’ll go get them from the car. I’ll be right back.” I decided it was best to just grab the tests instead of worrying about leaving Macy’s side. It wasn’t like last time. So far.

——————-

Mike: Listening to the conversation I felt a little lost and confused. DNA tests? And JJ agreed without blinking an eye? JJ had another child. A child with another man. I never really thought about how it might affect me. I didn’t mean to sound selfish. But these tests. The search. It was something they were doing. Something separate from us. It was… confusing. I would support them of course. But what if it pulled us apart? Shaking my head, I reached for my soda and took a long drink before Darius returned. Wait. Why did he have three boxes?

——————-

Macy: I watched Darius go and sighed. A part of me wanted to follow him, but another part wanted to stay. Things were going…okay for the most part. But I knew one slight tilt and it would all come crumbling down. Luckily he wasn’t gone long and was quickly back at my side. I smiled and looked over at JJ and my dad. “We stopped and got the tests on the way here, hoping it would be okay.” I was pretty sure I had already said that…but wanted to fill the silence with something.

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JJ: I had a million thoughts going through my head right now. Mainly, what if we did this and it didn’t turn out like Macy hoped? I wasn’t going to back out, but a part of me…a big part…worried that my other daughter might not want anything to do with us, if she even knew she was adopted. It was a very real chance she didn’t. There was also a very real chance that she hated me for different reasons than Macy and wouldn’t want anything to do with us. I bit my lip, was this really a good idea?

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Darius: I could tell by the looks on Mike and Macy’s mom’s faces that they were confused about the third test. I reached for Macy’s hand. “So…um…when Mace and I talked about this, I promised I would take one too. My parents weren’t really related to me. Long story. I was always curious to know if I had any siblings that were looking for me. We um…if there are matches to any of us, then someone is already looking, true? It’s not like we’re blindsiding them”

———————

Mike: I was surprised by Darius’ confession of sorts. “I had no idea you were searching for anyone, Darius. We could have been helping you.” He shrugged with a slight smile. “Not really a priority, Mike, but thank you. I don’t really expect to find anyone.” I nodded and looked at JJ then Macy. “So, how do you take these tests?”

——————-

Macy: I laughed a little as I reached for one of the boxes and flipped it over. I read the directions and looked around the room, “Um, sounds pretty easy, right?” I tried to laugh a little but for some reason I was suddenly very nervous. This could all go totally wrong at any given point. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.

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JJ: I tried to smile at Macy and be encouraging. While Darius did have a point that if we did get a match it meant someone was looking for us first…I was scared what it would mean if we didn’t get a match. I didn’t want to let Macy down…again. I had done that enough already. “Well, I guess there is only one way to find out, right?”

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Darius: Mike seemed a little left out when the three of us were looking at the tests. “Hey, Mike. Maybe you could help Jasmine with the swabs and I’ll help Macy.” Macy squeezed my hand. I knew she was grateful that I was trying to include her dad in the process. I turned to face Macy. “We can do this, right?” I offered her one of the swabs and opened wide.

———————

Mike: That Darius was definitely a keeper. It was kind of him to involve me in the testing. I moved closer to JJ. “This should be easy enough, right?” I smiled and gently took the test from her hands to look over the directions before getting the swabs out. “Open wide.” Moments later we had all the samples sealed and the packages labeled.

——————-

Macy: Once we were all sitting back down, I let out the breath I was holding. “I think now we send them off, right? Or did I read that wrong?” Honestly, I couldn’t remember what I read. I just knew that the tests were done and we were, hopefully, one step closer to finding my sister. I wonder what she looked like.

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JJ: I wasn’t sure I could have made it through any of this without Mike’s help. Even when he wasn’t right beside me or squeezing my hand, it was nice to know he was still there. I wasn’t sure what I did to deserve him being so kind, but I was extremely thankful. I just wished I could put it in words how much it all meant to me. I looked over at him and smiled.

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Darius: “We can drop them off at the post office on the way home.” I honestly didn’t expect things to go as smoothly as they did. It was a relief that Macy’s mother was cooperating with us. I didn’t have any inkling that she wouldn’t, just Macy's fear. “I’m not sure how long it will take for results. I think it said 2-4 weeks.” I looked over at Jasmine, “If we hear before you do, we’ll let you know. Right, Macy?”

——————-

Mike: This visit has gone so much better than the previous one. I didn’t know what to expect with the DNA tests, but they were ready to send off now. “Would you like to stay for dinner? We could order out and eat here. Or we can go out if you prefer.” I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to Macy. But if Macy needed to go, I wouldn’t stop here. There would hopefully be a next time.

———————

Macy: I hesitated a little at my dad’s question. I didn’t want to leave yet because I had missed him and things were calm right now. But on the other hand, I was worried that one wrong word and everything would tumble around us. I sighed as I glanced over at Darius and smiled, “I’m okay with ordering out, if you are?” I wasn’t sure if he wanted to stay or not, but I wanted him to know I was open to it. At least for now.

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JJ: I smiled at Darius and nodded, “And I’ll do the same for you both.” I held my breath at Mike’s question. I wanted Macy and Darius to stay longer. Things were going well. And though I could tell Macy and I were both still nervous and guarding what we said, we were both at a…truce I guess it could be called. I knew it wouldn’t always last, there were a lot of things we still had to discuss. I owed her that much, but for now? I didn’t want to ruin this time. I wanted to get to know my daughter.

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Darius: Her hesitation and that sigh. Macy was ready to leave. “Can we take a raincheck? I have a big project with Lisi due tomorrow and I should really review the changes.” I thought it might be for the best that we ended the visit on a positive note with everyone getting along. When she squeezed my hand, I could tell she was relieved not to be the one to say no.

——————

Mike: I was disappointed, but not entirely surprised that the kids decided not to stay. We had a good visit and no one raised their voice. Progress. “Of course, Darius. Deadlines are deadlines. Let’s plan on having dinner out in a few days.” A public place might be a good neutral ground at least. I got up to give Macy and Darius hugs and walk them to the door. “So glad you could stop by. Thank you again for the wonderful photos.”

——————-

Macy: I returned my dad’s hug tightly and kissed his cheek, “You’re welcome, I’m glad you love them. Happy Birthday again! Dinner sounds nice. We’ll talk about it later in the week.” As we reached the door, I turned and looked at Jj standing by her chair and offered her a small smile. “Thank you for agreeing to the tests, I really appreciate it.” I gave her a wave and headed out to the car with Darius. Relaxing for the first time since we got here.

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JJ: I returned Macy’s smile and wave. It wasn’t much, but it was progress. Once they reached their car, I moved beside Mike and let out a breath. “Well, that went much better than expected, right?” We watched in silence as they drove off, and I couldn’t help but feel a little more hopeful about Macy and me.

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#rp

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