Adopted by Heathers: The Sequel

Will It Ever Be Okay?

It's been a few weeks since Red was laid off, and our family was managing pretty well for the most part. Red's been home a lot more often to take care of Eleanor, and she's pretty much given up on finding another job for now. To keep our family afloat, I've taken on a second job. 

On weeknights, I was a dance instructor at the studio I spent so much of my time at when I was a teenager. It was a lot of fun, and it helped me connect to my ballet roots. Also, I got to spend more time with adorable small children.

I sighed and fixed my hair in the mirror on a Saturday morning, my day off. I smiled and looked out of the bathroom window, looking at the sun and the trees and all nature had to offer me.

My daydreams were broken with the sound of a baby crying. I sighed and said, "Red! Can you get Eleanor for me, please?"

I heard my wife get up from off of the couch and go to the nursery, and I followed behind her. I loved my daughter more and more every day, and Elle told me this is the same feeling she had when she first adopted me. Except obviously, I was twelve and not a newborn when it happened.

I picked Eleanor up and she grabbed onto my hair. I cringed and then giggled and said, "Good morning, cutie."

Eleanor made a cooing noise and I sat down on the couch with her in my lap. "Your first birthday is coming up, huh?" I said. I turned to Red and said, "And so is our first anniversary."

"We got married on April 4th, Cat. We have 3 things to celebrate. Your ten years with Elle, Eleanor's first birthday, and our wedding anniversary."

Ten years. I've been adopted for ten years. It feels like I've been adopted since the day I was born. I smiled and hugged Red tightly, not wanting to let go. 

There's been so many times in my life that I've wondered, "Is it going to be okay? Am I going to be okay?" And those questions have started since I was three years old. And they didn't stop when I got adopted. The crash. All the hospital trips. 

But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that with everything bad going on in my life, there's always some good to cancel it out. My friends. My family. Eleanor and Acadia. Red. My job. 

And so here I am, sitting in my house with my wife beside me and our eight-month-old daughter giggling in her lap. And despite the baby toys strewn everywhere, the mess in the kitchen, and our house not even close to being fully unpacked and decorated, I was home.

Funny to think that just four years ago, I was scared to even go to college and leave my childhood bedroom. 

But right here, sitting on this couch with my wife and daughter, was where I wanted to be. For the rest of my life, forever and ever.

I was finally home.

AN: This is the second to last real chapter of Adopted by Heathers. For good. There will be no threequel, even though I think you all want me to write it. Hope you enjoyed and catch ya later! Love you all!