Adopted

Chapter 84

The rest of the school year passed with no more excitement.  I was sick a couple of times, but just stayed home. I didn't need the hospital, but Mom and Dad had to keep an eye on me, make sure that if I had a fever, it didn't go over 103, because that could mean something more serious, and if I was having trouble keeping food down, that I didn't look like I was getting dehydrated. I did spend one weekend in the hospital on an IV because I'd been throwing up all week and not able to keep much down, but it wasn't critical.

The closer to the end of the school year, the better I felt. 

Mom and Dad came to my last baseball game of the year. We managed to win our district championship, but we lost in the county play-offs. But that was okay. It was a great season. 

Before I knew it, it was summer break. 

"Hey, Jess?" Dad said one morning just after school ended, and I'd rolled out of bed and made my way downstairs. 

"Yeah?" I said, pouring myself a bowl of cereal. 

"We have a problem," he said, looking at Mom. 

"What?" I worried. I tried running through the last few days to see if I'd done something, broken a rule? 

"Well, your birthday is coming up,"

I sighed. 

"And?"

"And Mom and I can't figure out how to top last year."

"What was last year? We went out for dinner. That was fine," I said. 

"Yeah, but we got you a whole new family for your birthday," Dad's eyes were glinting. 

"No you didn't. Because you didn't know it was my birthday until after you adopted me."

"Still, we adopted you on your 13th birthday. So we got you a whole new family. So what do we do for your 14th birthday?"

"Get me a sibling?" I laughed. I knew Mom and Dad wanted an only child, and I was okay with that. I'm enough work sometimes. 

"A thought, but, no." Mom smiled. 

"And we took you to Europe for Christmas," Dad said, thoughtfully. "And Disneyland just because, and then again at Spring Break."

"And while we're not touring this summer, we are heading out to a few festivals, that you'll come to, obviously," he continued. 

"Honestly? I don't really care. After last year, there's nothing I need or want. You got me the best gift last year, and I don't need anything else," I smiled, giving them a hug. 

"A party. We'll have a party. We'll invite your school friends, your baseball team, the guys, no alcohol, though. They'll have to manage. How does that sound? Your birthday's on a Sunday, and we have a festival on that Tuesday, so how about a party, here, on the Saturday? The 26th?"

"Uh, that's next week," I said. 

"Then start making some phone calls, kiddo. We'll call it for seven. Get pizza and stuff. Lots of junk food because you're all 14 year old hormonal teenagers." 

"Can I invite Darren and John and Adam?"

"Your bodyguards?" Dad laughed. I smiled. Dad had met them at one of my ball games. I explained why eighth graders were following me around. "Sure."

I started making calls, but everyone I spoke to said they were already busy. Paige was going to Canada to visit her family, Astrid had some family thing, Kevin was going to San Diego to visit his grandparents.