All of the Tears I Shed For You

Chapter 21

"For months it was hard for me and my husband. We wanted to have kids ever since we were married and we were blessed with two miracles: Riley and August. But there was something missing. We wanted another child. We wanted more to our family. We were all feeling distant and there was a missing piece. Corey and I tried a lot of times to get pregnant, but nothing seemed to work and surrogate was expensive. So we thought about adoption. For months we were kept on updates with the nearest adoption facilities and orphanages. We got an email about a family of three young kids. Scott, Cole and Lilly Hunter. We were notified that they were housed in an orphanage, though only their mother was dead, but their father was in prison for abuse and neglect. Kermit Hart. My bestfriends ex husband. I had to do her a solid and save these kids. I bet Katy would be heart broken to hear that her bestfriend in high school killed her self leaving her kids with no care giver. I needed to take charge and fix this for Katy."
~Topanga Matthews

Lilly's pov

Sitting in our room, my brothers and I argued. We argued about which family we wanted to be apart of. "But the Matthews has a kid our age!" Cole said, but I went ahead and protested: "So? Maya is our real sister!" Soon Scotty got annoyed enough that he left us alone to fight while he went to play outside.

"Why can't we just have Mountain Dew choose for us?" Cole asked and I could feel my cheeks burning in rage, but I tried to keep it in. "Because, we need the Hunters!" I yelled and climbed up my bunk bed and wiped a few tears off my cheeks. I could hear Cole whining behind me and he laid on his bottom bunk. "Why don't you like the Matthews, Lilly?" He asked with a quiver in his voice.
I thought of a respond and quickly stated: "They're not family."

Riley's pov

"Farkle, I don't know what to do! My family has wanted to adopt for a while but I never told anyone! Now Maya's mad because my parents want to adopt the Hart kids but her parents met them and have the adoption papers already! When my parents went to meet them they said someone else wanted them and my mom freaked out! I couldn't tell her that it was Katy though because she thinks she's doing Katy a favor!" I vented into the phone. The only response I was left with was a quiet sigh. "Riley.." He trailed off. "What?" I asked impatiently.
Then he started again: "Riley the kids are related to Maya. They share blood. They know her and trust her plus her parents. The Hunters only have one child and she's already had her childhood. I think the Hunters deserve to give parentless children their own childhood."

I tapped the phone to my ear a few times while sitting in my bay window. I breathed heavily then asked, "What are you saying, Farkle?" After a few seconds he replied in confidence, "Maya needs her siblings. Being an only child is hard and I should know that. No one deserves to be alone night or when your parents are gone and you have no one to talk to. Being alone is hard and when you're alone all the time you become someone else-"

Then he repeated, "Maya needs her siblings." I sat in silence for a few seconds. I couldn't figure out what to say until I said something I'd regret, "Do you ever think about what I need, Farkle?" No answer, just hard breathing. "Yes, Riley and what you need is to help your best friend." With that he hung up leaving me speechless, alone in my room.

My bunny lamp burnt out so it was dark except the scattered light from the street lights outside my window. I felt a tear run down my cheek and drip onto my skirt. I know I should help Maya, but I don't know how.
I got up from my window seat and laid down on my bed, staring at the old pictures of us. A little blonde and a little brunette. We were always like sisters. Sisters..
Maya didn't need the Hart kids... she already has me! I'm her sister! Then it hit me.

If Maya remembered how close we were growing up and how much of sisters we are, she won't need the kids and she will be okay with us adopting them! This might take time but I'd do anything for my best friend. Farkle was right! What I need is to help my best friend and what my best friend needs is me: her sister.

-

  I stood at the wooden door and hesitated before I knocked. i gripped the strap of the bag over my shoulder. I took a breath and knocked and patiently waited. Soon, a very stressed looking Katy Hunter opened the door and waved me in as she held her phone to her ear with her shoulder, a steaming pan in one hand, and a padded glove in the other. I walked in and closed the door behind me.
  "Yes, Yes. I have everything ready and i even prepared r-" Katy paused, then whispered to me "Maya's upstairs.. Sorry yes so prepared rooms." I nodded and climbed the stairs. The last time I left this house, Maya was upset. I couldn't re-enter with news to make her even more upset! I took another breath and knocked on Maya's bedroom door.
  "Come in," she said in a groggy and irritated tone. I creaked open the door and said, "Before you freak out, I'm here to apologize and show you some things."
   She looked up with her icy blue eyes ready to kill. I approached her bed and sat next to her, zipping my bag open. She sits up from her pillow and watches me quietly. I take out one of our old pictures and placed it into her hands.