My Path To Serenity

Chapter ten

                    Thanksgiving Day 4:56 pm

"Are they making sweet potato casserole this year?" Jasper asked, pulling in the drive way of my mom and Dad's place. I zipped up my jacket before grabbing the tray of home made pumpkin pie from the back seat. "It wouldn't be thanksgiving without it." I adjusted the fuzzy white hat on my head and leaned back in my seat as I took in a deep breath. "So, I told Charlotte back in Vegas I'd sit down and talk with her tonight about her pregnancy. I'm gonna have to sit her down and tell her we can't adopt her baby, and I'm not ready. I don't know how she's going to handle this." Jasper put his hand on my shoulder and looked at me, "Look, I know you want to help her, and so do I, really, but we're just simply not in the position to do so." looked down and scoffed, "Well, I was ready." "Yeah, but we're a team." He reminded. I looked away as he caressed my cheek and leaned in closer to give me a hug. He grabbed my freezing cold hands and warmed them up with his, but that honestly didn't make me feel any better.

When we stepped inside the house I was instantly taken in by the aroma of pumpkin candles and fresh cooked dinner. Mom greeted us with a warm hug, which felt good due to the bitter cold weather. "Come on in, get your selves situated. You can hang your coats on the hooks to your right." "Where's Dad?" I asked, hanging up my coat. "He's grabbing more beer from the convenience store up the street. You know how he is.." her tone changed, and the vibe did too. I set the pumpkin pie on the counter next to all the other entree's. "And Charlotte?" "Giving Oliver a bath," she answered as she took the turkey out the oven. "Isn't it a little late for that?" I asked as I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "Behind schedule," she confessed as she rinsed her hands in the sink. Jasper plopped down on the couch and started to converse with Uncle Brian over the football game. I knocked on the bathroom door, eager to talk to Charlotte. "I'm in here." She spoke from the other side of the door. "It's me, Allison." She opened it instantly and gave me the biggest hug. Her curly brunette hair has grown at least four inches. Her nails are longer. She even grew half an inch. She's grown up so much since the last time I've seen her. "Allison, I've missed you!" she wailed. "How are you feeling?" I asked concerned, sitting on the step stool while she bathed Ollie. "Feeling pregnant. Still in shock I have another baby in my stomach." It was too early to tell, so I'm assuming it's still a secret. "Yeah, hows that going? Mom and Dad know?" She shook her head as she lathered his hair with shampoo. "Hi Ollie," I smiled and waved. He giggled, "Hi, aunt Alli!" Hearing his voice made my heart melt. "Oh, he's so sweet, Char. You've raised him well." She looked back at me with a grin, which was the first time I've seen her smile in a while. "Yeah, that's the rewarding part of being a mama. Raising good people." I chuckled, "you're doing the best you can, Charlotte. Really." She wrapped him up in a towel and combed his hair back, "I'm a little late on bath time, and I'm still in my pajamas, but yeah I guess you could say I'm doing alright." "Yeah, I know, but you're still trying." I encouraged. Silence filled the room for a brief moment. I knew what she was thinking. She put him in a red plaid shirt and dark jeans before telling him, "Go help Grandma and Grandpa with dinner, okay Ollie?" His eyes sparkled as he smiled, "Okay mommy," he walked into the kitchen and Charlotte shut the door behind him. "So, how've you really been?" I asked now that he wasn't in the room. "Been alright," she admitted. "Have you guys decided on what you want to do as far as adoption?" I was a little shocked at how fast she laid that on me. She really doesn't beat around the bush. I didn't rehearse how I was going to break it to her, but gosh I wish I would have. Before I could say anything, a tear fell down her face. "I know it's a lot to ask of you and Jasper." I through my arms around her and gave her a hug in hopes of comforting her. I mustered up all the courage I could get to speak, even though this is a conversation I never imagined having. "Listen," I began. "I discussed it with Jasper over and over, and as bad as I- as bad as we want to, we can't adopt your baby. We just- we just can't." "I totally understand," she lied as her face turned white as a ghost, and her body stood still. I took in a deep breath and looked at her, "but just because we can't, doesn't mean nobody else will. You know that?" My seventeen year old sister is in pain, and as much as I want to help, Jasper doesn't want to help with me. I understand where he is coming from, I do. I just wish I could change his mind. "Allison, I cannot do this." She went on, sobbing. I handed her a tissue and whispered, "You and Tristian can do anything you put your mind to." I gave her the same advice Angie gave me, because I knew those were powerful words that could change anyone's life. "Not really," she sat down on the bathroom floor and sighed. Well, maybe they aren't so powerful if you don't actually believe it. "Tristian's on house arrest, so he can't leave his house, and I'm a total wreck." House arrest? "House arrest?" My stomach sank. "What the hell for?" "He got caught drinking with his stupid friend, Jack, so he was put on probation. Now he continuously fails drug test after drug test." She shook her head and buried her head in her hands. "And Mom and Dad don't even know. They think he just stops coming around because he's busy with his job and school, but in reality he's on a really dark path Allison. He was excited at first to have another child, well, he seemed excited, but between constantly drinking and wearing a monitor around his ankle, he's proving me otherwise." I was at a total loss for words. I didn't know it was this bad. "I didn't know this. I thought Tristian's a straight A student." "Was." Charlotte corrected. "He's been smoking and drinking since I got pregnant with Oliver. He always managed to keep his grades up, but now he's flunking and I don't know what's gotten into him. This whole house arrest thing is driving both him and I nuts. It'll all get expunged when he turns 18, but for heaven sakes, he has to get it together before it gets worse." There was a bang on the bathroom door. "Yo, hurry up in there." Our cousin Steven demanded. "Use the upstairs bathroom! Girl stuff." Charlotte yelled back. She turned towards me and shrugged, "I could always get an abortion, I'm not against that, but Tristian would be devastated. Hell, I'd be devastated. That's not what I want to do. I just want this baby to have a good life. Is that too much to ask?" I shook my head apologetically. "No," I said soft. "It's not." She didn't say a word, so it was time for me to step up and take over this conversation. "If you want my advice, you should really tell Mom and Dad about your pregnancy. They may not even be as mad as you think." "Do you know Mom and Dad?" She argued. "Come on," I said soft. "It can be a good thing, you just need to get this off your chest." She nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Keeping it inside has been killing me. It's been hard to sleep or even eat for that matter. I think I'm gonna tell everybody tonight during dinner." My eyes widened, "are you sure telling the whole family during Thanks giving dinner is a good idea?" She nodded. "Yeah, I do."