~~ Abigail's POV ~~
Today was the day where we got the DNA tests and we wait dreadfully for the results. Usually, they take days but since this case has been long overdue, we have requested to know today.
I felt bad, for not telling Austin that Shayley is my biological father. On one hand, I didn't know how to tell him, he's in such a fragile state that I am afraid of how he will take the news. And on the other hand, I felt like it didn't need to come from me. It needed to come from Shayley himself.
We sat opposite sides of each other at the hospital. Alan and Aaron took a day to look around, it was mostly Jake's idea because he knew they, mostly Alan, were gonna be extremely bored waiting around. Which is true. Thankfully, I had brought a book with to read. But I keep thinking to myself that it'd be rude for me to read when Shayley is right in front of me.
Soon a nurse came in and began drawing blood from my arm, I cringed as soon as the needle went in.
After my blood was drawn and they took Shayley's as well, we sat. We sat and waited.
"How long is this going to take?" I asked Jake who was sitting next to me reading a magazine.
"I don't know, honestly."
"Can't they call you when it's ready?"
Jake sighed, "I guess you're right." He looked over to Shayley, "I'll call you once we get the results, no reason to wait for so long when we could be doing other stuff."
Shayley nods, "Alright, well, you have my number..." he looked over to me, "I'll see you soon then." He then walked out of the room.
"I'll go inform a nurse," Jake said leaving a different way that Shayley did.
Without thinking, I got up from my seat and ran out the door, "wait," I said catching Shayley's attention. He had just walked outside.
He stopped walking and turned around, "Everything okay?"
"Why haven't you said her name?" He looked at me confused, "You always mention her as 'my mother' but never do you say her name." He took in a deep breath as he runs his fingers through his hair. "I asked you at the restaurant but you never answered. I thought maybe you didn't hear me."
"I heard you," he silently said as he began to kick the ground slightly with his feet. Something a little kid does when they're in trouble and they don't want to look their parents in the eyes. I used to do it all the time.
"Then why didn't you answer me?"
"Because it's hard," he choked out. "Saying 'your mother' is like thinking of her as a different person because I didn't get to know her much as your mother. I knew her as..." he let out a shaky breath as he cringed at the words that were about to come out of his mouth, "I knew her as Maria. Maria Rodriguez." His voice shook when he said her name. "That's why."
"Do you miss her?" I think I've asked this before but I needed to hear it again.
"Everyday since I left and everyday I regret not going back to her and begging her to give us a chance." Tears surfaced. I hit that point of no return.
"I wish I got to know her more," I said, "I want to know my mom more and I feel like you can give that to me."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Tell me more about my mother. I don't want to just know her favorite ice cream flavor or that she spoke Spanish fluently. I want to know her."
"Alright, what do you want to know."
I shook my head, "Not here."
He understood, "I'll talk to Jake," he then went back inside to talk to Jake. I don't know what I was doing or why I was doing this but I needed to. I want to know what my mother was really like because I can only hold these memories for so long. Memories that are already fading.
A few minutes went by and I spotted Shayley walking towards me, "Come on," he said as he walked up to me, "Jake will call me when he needs you."
I followed Shayley outside to his car. I got into the passenger seat and buckled my seatbelt, "Where are we going?"
"If I'm going to tell you about your mother then I need to show you something."
I just stayed quiet as he drove us to wherever he had planned. From a distance, I could see the statue of liberty. It was gorgeous.
He parked in a parking lot, "Come on."
There was a line to get onto a ferry, "Are we getting on a ferry?" I asked as I got off the car. He grabbed something from the trunk and walked up to me. He was holding two big sweaters.
"It's cold this time of ear, especially when you are on that ferry to get to the statue."
"We're going to go to the Statue of Liberty?"
He nods and we began walking towards the line, "Since you want to know about your mother, I feel it is necessary to tell you about her at the place she has had many memories at."
"She's been to the statue of liberty?"
"Remember how I said she stayed with her grandmother?" I nod, "Well, once a year, they took a trip to New York and her grandmother always took her to the Statue of Liberty. She told me that they would just look at New York and think about everything." He smiled, "she never defined everything but she didn't have to, ya know?"
I did know. Shayley bought the tickets for the ferry and to get into the statue of liberty, I wasn't really paying attention because I kept looking at the views around me.
We rode the ferry to the statue of liberty. Once we were inside and at the crown area, I stopped and looked, "No wonder she loved it here," I said as I awed at the sight of New York.
"I was in my English class when she walked in," he said quietly, "I thought she was some new student because she looked so young, but when she started speaking I knew she wasn't. It broke my heart a little because I knew I had no chance with her." He chuckled, "She actually scolded me for not listening, asked me to stay after class and I told her that it was hard to listen since she is so beautiful. I made her blush but she tried so hard to stay mad."
"Who asked who out?"
"Well, I was at a Diner and she so happened to be there so we sat at the same booth and we talked. We talked about life and we had so much in common and it kind of just went from there." He smiled as he spoke about her. He told me about everything, the way she spoke, the way she laughed. How she had insecurities and anxiety.
"She used to tell me, 'if I ever have a daughter I'll tell her every day that she is beautiful. Even when she doesn't want to hear it, I'll tell her that she is beautiful. Gorgeous even.' She hated her insecurities so much." He looked at me, "So, remember that you are beautiful," He smiled, "even if you don't want to hear it."
I smiled and he continued to explain to me things about my mother. Even some of her pet peeves, which included hearing people chew. I told Shayley that I too had that pet peeve. "A mini version of your mother," he said.
He continued speaking about her, every detail was so important to me. I felt as if I knew my mother more now, I felt like I could hold on to the memories even longer now that I knew so much. Those photos of her that I have now have even more meaning.
"Thank you," I said to Shayley, "Thank you for telling me about her."
"It's the least I could do," He said as we got off the ferry. "Now every time you come to New York, you go to the Statue of Liberty and it'll be like being with your mother."
I nod, "It will."
Shayley's phone started ringing, he quickly answered it, "Alright, we'll be right down." He hung up the phone, "The results are back."
I nod and got into the car.
He drove us back to the hospital, Alan was waiting outside, "there you are!" Alan said walking up to me.
"I'll see you guys inside then," Shayley said as he walked into the hospital.
"Everything okay?" The way Alan walked up to me all frantic had me a bit worried. I instantly thought something was wrong with Austin.
"Yeah! I was just worried about you," He said as we walked into the hospital.
"I'm fine, though."
"Where did you guys go?"
I was about to answer when Jake interrupted, "Abigail, we need you in here."
I nod and looked at Alan, "I'll tell you later." I walked into a conference type of room and sat down in a chair next to Jake.
"Alright, the results are here," Jake says holding an envelope, "Anything you guys want to say before I look at the results?" Shayley looked at me and shook his head.
I shook my head as well, "I just want the suspense to be over with." But we all knew what the results were, we all knew what is inside that envelope.
Jake opened the envelope and sighed, "It's a match."
Shayley just nods, it was quite in the room for a little bit, "So, where do I sign?"
Jake took out some papers from his briefcase, "Once you sign these papers you no longer have no legal rights over, Abigail. Giving all rights to Mr. Carlile."
Shayley nods, "I know."
"This means that you can't turn back and say nevermind," Jake added.
Shayley sighs and looks up towards me, "I know," he grabs the pen and begins signing. I listened to the pen scratch the surface of the paper. It's finally happening. "There," Shayley said as he put the pen down. "Do you guys need me for anything else?"
Jake shook his head, "I'll leave you two alone for a moment." Shayley then shook Jake's hand, "It was nice meeting you," Jake said as he left the room.
I took in a deep breath, "So, that's it," Shayley said.
"I don't really know what to say anymore."
"Tell me one thing." I looked up at him, "How did he treat you?"
He didn't need to say anything else, I knew which he, he was talking about. I cringed at the memories, "Your reaction says it all," He sighed.
"But all that matters is that I'm okay now."
"Did he beat you?" I didn't say anything, "Rape you?"
"He was my worst nightmares and now he's behind bars. He's in a place where he belongs. He beat me, he did some perverted things to me, he was an alcoholic and a drug addict. Most of all, I thought he was my father and I am so glad that I am not related in any way towards that man."
"Alright," Shayley says, "Does Austin know?"
I nod, "Austin knows."
Shayley nods and gets up, "I should really go-"
"I don't know how to tell Austin about you."
"You haven't told him?" I shook my head, "You be honest. That's how. Austin is understanding. I signed the papers so you guys shouldn't be worried about anything." He smiles, "But I should really go."
I nod and walked over to him. He engulfs me into a hug, "You take care, okay?" He voice was shaky.
"I will," I said, "You take care too."
He nods and wipes his eyes as he lets go of the hug, "I hope to see you again but for now this is goodbye." With that, he left the room.
~~ Shayley's POV ~~
"You take care, okay?" I tried my hardest to hold in the tears, it's too late to say nevermind now. But all I wanted was to be the father I never got to be. I wanted to tell her I'm sorry over and over. I wanted to beat that bastard up for touching my daughter but it's too late.
Sometimes when you love someone you have to let them go. You have to do the hardest things ever. And I know I'm not fit to be a parent.
"I will," She said, "You take care too."
I nod as I wipe away the tears in my eyes as I let go of the hug, "I hope to see you again but for now this is goodbye," I then left the room because any longer in there I know I wouldn't be able to keep it all in. I know Austin will be the best father to her but it still hurts. It hurts to see my child being raised by another person. But it's all for the best. This has just been so hard. I need a vacation.