Stephanie's Choice

What About Us?

A week after initially meeting Stephanie, Mia and Tristan reunited to finalize the entire adoption with paper work. Both parties' adoption lawyers were present to ensure that everyone understood the terms of agreement. It just so happened that Tristan's brother in law was a lawyer and Matt knew a guy from high school that he recommended to Stephanie.

"This is a closed adoption; which means that once the baby is handed over to Stephanie, Mia and Tristan relinquish their parental rights. Understood?" asked Caleb Fischer; Stephanie's lawyer who was Matt's best friend in high school.

Mia and Tristan glanced at each other briefly and both raised an eyebrow; a telepathic way of communicating whether or not a closed adoption was still a good idea. After getting to know Stephanie, Tristan felt that there was no way he could ever think to not be involved in his child's life. But Mia had other concerns.

"Do you two need a minute?" Caleb asked as he took note of the young couple's hesitation to answer the previous question.

"Umm.. Yes. Please excuse us" Tristan said as he took Mia by the hand and led her into the hallway.

For approximately 10 minutes, the high school sweethearts argued back and forth about the terms of adoption. Tristan continued to insist that they fight for an open adoption.

"Think about it, Mia. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life wonder what our kid is like and if he or she is okay? Are you okay with the fact that you'll be looking for our kid's face in every kid that we see?" Tristan asked with urgent, unblinking eyes.

"But, Tristan this is what's best. Our parents would disown us if we went against their wishes. We can at least take comfort in the fact that the baby will be in good hands" Mia pleaded as her chocolate dipped eyes began to fill with tears.

"Mia..." Tristan began before she cut him off.

"Tristan. Please. This is the way it was meant to be" Mia cut in as she grabbed Tristan by the hand and led him back into the conference room.

~X~

Once Tristan and Mia had returned, Stephanie was quick to take note of Mia's freshly tear-stained face.

"Is she okay?" Stephanie mouthed across the room to Tristan, so as not to disrupt the conversation that the lawyers were having. Tristan just nodded in response.

As soon as the negotiation between the lawyers calmed down somewhat, everyone was ready to sign the paperwork. Mia and Tristan watched in awe as Stephanie's signature danced across the page in blue ink. They felt as if they were watching a celebrity sign an autograph for a loyal fan who had waited in line for god knows how many hours. Stephanie then slid the paperwork back to Mia and Tristan to sign. Even though Tristan desperately wanted to have a relationship with his child, he understood that if it was meant to be, Stephanie would find a way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stephanie returned from the agency with just enough time to pick Max and Jackson up from school. With all the stress surrounding the arrival of her own kid, Stephanie was grateful to have some down time with her beloved nephews.

"Quick, Aunt Steph! We have to go home right away!" Max exclaimed, the urgency evident in his voice.

"Whoa, where's the fire?" Stephanie asked with a chuckle, oblivious to the reference she had made to her late brother in law.

"There's no fire. Mom just said that she needed us home right away" Jackson chimed in matter of factly.

Without any further questions, Stephanie proceeded to drive home where she would make an announcement that would alter the dynamic of life as everyone knew it. Upon entering the house with the boys in tow, the entire family greeted Stephanie with smiles and the signature Tanner family group hug. DJ and Kimmy then presented Stephanie with the most beautiful cake she had ever seen. Vanilla with white buttercream frosting and pink gum paste roses. Written across the square in pink frosting was the message: The Vortex Welcomes You!

Stephanie began to tear up at the message as she knew it had to be DJ's idea. She knew that DJ was supportive of Stephanie's decision but the cake made her realize that DJ was just as excited as she was; yet another sign from the universe that everything would work out in her favour.

"Why is that written on the cake? I don't get it" Max said with a perplexed look on his little face.

"Yeah, mom told me what would be written on the cake but I still don't get why" Jackson added.

"Stephanie, what's going on?" Ramona chimed in with eager brown eyes.

Stephanie folded her hands together, closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she prepared to make the biggest announcement of her life. She knew to expect varying reactions, so she was prepared for anything.

"I guess there's no way to sugarcoat this, so I'm just going to be straight with you all. I'm getting a baby" Stephanie revealed with tears of joy.

As time went on, Stephanie became more comfortable letting the rest of the family in on her infertility. Even though some of them, such as Danny and Becky were devastated for Stephanie, they assured her that if it was meant to happen it would. However, the day they heard about Stephanie's adoption, all jaws dropped down to the floor in awe and excitement.

The entire family engaged in their third group hug within the hour and they spent the rest of the day relishing in the news of a new addition to the family. However, throughout the party Stephanie could not shake the feeling
that all was not as well as it seemed.

~X~

Later on in the night as the kids went off to bed, Stephanie noticed that there was something off about Max.

"Good night, Mighty Max" Stephanie said as she sat on the couch folding the boys' laundry, watching the 8 year old make his way upstairs in the grey and red trimmed Storm Trooper pajamas that she bought him.

But the middle Fuller boy failed to respond; which Stephanie felt was a bit unusual. Typically, their night ritual consisted of Max rushing up to hug Stephanie good night as well as saying it. However, tonight was different and Stephanie wanted to know why. She was determined not to set him free until she found her answer.

"What's wrong, Max?" Stephanie asked as she followed Max into the room he shared with Jackson; who was already fast asleep.

Once again, Max refused to answer. He didn't even do so much as make a sliver of eye contact with Stephanie. So as not to disturb Jackson, Stephanie took Max by the hand and led him into her room next door.

"Maxwell John Fuller, something is seriously bothering you and I've got to know what it is. You can tell me anything, you know that" Stephanie assured him as she gently rubbed his right arm.

Eventually, Max broke his vow of silence and uttered the words he had been holding back since Stephanie made her life altering announcement just hours ago.

"When that baby gets here, you're not going to forget all about me" Max revealed with a disappointed look on his face; on the verge of tears.

"What? Who told you that?" Stephanie asked, her big blue eyes widened in shock at her nephew's revelation.

Max then went on to further explain that all of his friends at school told him that. Losing the bond between nephew and aunt seemed to be a common feeling in the third grade. But Stephanie knew it to be more untrue than anything she had ever been told.

Just as Max began to tear up at the thought of being replaced, Stephanie scooted in closer to Max, wrapped an arm around him and looked at him with comforting and sorrowful eyes.

"Max, listen to me. You're my best pal. My kid isn't going to replace you. I promise" Stephanie whispered into his ear.

"Really?" Max asked tearfully as he looked up at Stephanie with watering brown eyes.

"Really. This is going to be a good thing for all of us. You're going to have a cousin to play with" Stephanie encouraged him. She then went on to saying that it would take some time to get used to, but the least she could ask of him was to try; which he agreed upon as long as nothing major was going to change.

"I promise nothing major will really change" Stephanie said as she and Max engaged in a warm and comforting aunt/nephew hug; which they were both in desperate need of after that discussion. However, as Stephanie would later learn, keeping her promise to Max was much easier than done.