Better Off Alone (Adopted by Brendon and Sarah Urie)

31. Callie

Could it be true? Could Brendon and Sarah - Mom and Dad - really know what happened, and they still want to keep me?

Mom said they knew. She told me that Mrs. Cunningham's mother had had me sent away for my protection. Because Aaron did some of the things my dad used to do.  But was that true?  I guess it could be. Mrs. Cunningham didn't seem mad when she said goodbye when Sheri came to get me. She seemed sad. And apologetic, I guess. 

After I ate the sandwich Mom brought to me, we went downstairs and started making dinner together. We were having hamburgers on the barbecue, but Mom was making the burgers from scratch instead of using packaged. She told me what to put into the meat and let me squoosh it all together. The raw meat and eggs and herbs and everything felt so weird, but kind of nice. Once it was all squooshed, we made patties.

We washed our hands and then started cutting vegetables to put on the burgers and Mom started boiling potatoes to make potato salad with.  She was also making a green salad, so she had me clean the lettuce and rip it up. 

She told me Dad was out in his studio and Penny Lane was out there with him. Was he avoiding me?

I was distracted thinking maybe Dad was avoiding me, when I felt a pain in my finger. I looked and realized I'd cut myself with the knife I was using to cut tomatoes for the salad. Mom noticed, too, grabbed a towel and grabbed my hand.

"You okay?" She asked, as she let cold water flow over my bleeding finger. I nodded.

"You need to be careful, sweetie," Mom said, wrapping the towel around my finger and putting pressure on the cut.

Just then, Dad came in. He looked at Mom and me and Mom said something to him. I couldn't read her lips.

Dad ran out of the room and came back with a first aid kit. He came over and looked me in the eyes.

"Are you ok?" He signed. I nodded.

He opened the kit and then very gently took my hand and unwrapped the towel. He pretended to faint from the blood, which had mostly stopped.

"It looks okay. I don't think you need stitches," Dad said. And spelled. I shrugged.

He wrapped a bandage around my finger, and put tape on to apply pressure. My finger was throbbing a bit, but it was otherwise okay.

Dad kissed my finger.

"All better?" 

I smiled. My mom used to do that when I was little and fell and scraped a knee or something. I smiled and nodded, even though tears started falling from my eyes.

"What's wrong?" Dad said. 

"My mom used to kiss my booboos," I said. "No one's done that since she died."

Dad wrapped me in a hug.

"It's okay, Callie. Any time you want to talk about your mom, it's okay, okay?"

I nodded and wiped my nose.

Dad led me to the couch and sat me down.

"I need to help Mom," I said.

"She'll be okay," Dad said, sitting beside me. "I want to talk to you."

Uh-oh, I thought. Here's where I find out that they're just too far in over their heads and I have to go. I looked away. I didn't want Dad - Brendon - to see me cry.

He picked up my chin and made me look at him.

"I've been doing some research and I made a few calls."

"When is Sheri coming?" I asked.

'Callie, stop. We are not getting rid of you. I've been researching therapists who might be able to help you learn to cope with the things that have happened in your past.'

He was texting.

'I'm sorry to use text,' he said. 'But I don't know the signs for this and I want to make sure I get the words right.  Anyway, I found a couple of therapists who know sign language and a couple that work with interpreters. Which would you prefer? Because Mom and I want to help you, but we aren't qualified to give you all the help you need. And we want to make sure you have the best opportunity to heal.'

I nodded. Maybe they were okay. Maybe they really do care and maybe I really am home.