Better Off Alone (Adopted by Brendon and Sarah Urie)

62. Callie

I love my room! Anna did an amazing job. I walked around looking at the waves and the swirls. I read the lyrics. Dad had discussed the songs he'd like that he thought I'd like having.

I found House of Memories, LA Devotee, I Write Sins, Not Tragedies, Nicotine, and Time to Dance.

Dad said there were 12 songs and I'd have to find them all.

"Why 12?" I asked.

"Because you're 12," Dad said.

I rolled my eyes.

"So?" Anna asked me after getting my attention.

"I love it, I said, hugging her.

"I have something for you," Anna said, and from behind my door, she pulled out a canvas and uncovered it.

It was a painting of a girl in a blue ballerina costume, looking up at music notes on a light blue background. The girl didn't have a face, but it wasn't creepy. It was, like, you knew it was a girl because she had long blonde hair in pig tails and in a dress, and she was raising her arms towards the music. It was beautiful. I told Anna so.

"When I saw you, I was inspired to paint this. I don't know if you even like ballet, but I just had to paint this," Anna said.

I looked at her in awe. I looked up at Mom and Dad. Mom was crying. Dad was kinda teary eyed.

"It's beautiful," Mom signed.

Dad nodded.

"Well, here you are," Anna said, handing it to me. "Welcome home."

I hugged her again.

"Thank you. I love my room and I love this painting. Dad, can we hang it over my bed?" I asked.

Dad nodded.

"Of course we can," he said. "We'll do it this afternoon. I have to get my tools out of the garage."

Mom and Dad invited Anna to stay for lunch and Mom made sandwiches and salads and I helped her bring everything out to beside the pool. The adults had wine. I had a pop. And then water. Because Mom said one pop a day is enough. And I had a lot of junk food in New York.

Mom isn't a vegetarian but she likes organic food and 'clean eating', whatever that means. Isn't all food clean? I mean sure, potatoes and carrots are grown in dirt and you have to clean those but I never thought food was dirty. Mom says that's not what it means but she was too busy laughing when I told her what I thought it meant to explain it to me.

"Callie," Dad asked, after getting my attention. "Want to go swimming later?"

I shrugged. I wasn't sure. I kind of wanted to go hang out in my room and just look at my walls.

After lunch, Anna said she had to go to the gallery, so Mom walked her out while Dad and I cleared the table and put the dishes and food away.

"Come here," Dad signed at me when we were done. I went and stood in front of him, worried he was upset about something. Had I been rude to Anna without realizing it?

Then he smiled at me, wrapped me in a tight hug and kissed my head, then held me at arm's length with a smile on his face. I must have looked shocked or confused.

"What's the matter?" He asked, frowning.

"I thought you were mad at me. Maybe I was rude to Anna?"

"Oh! No! Not at all. I just wanted to hug you and tell you how much I love you and how much I hope you love your room."

I smiled widely.

"I love my room!" I emphasized. "Thank you for getting Anna and having her paint it!"

"Anything for you, my sweet, sweet girl," Dad smiled down at me.

Mom came back into the kitchen.

"You two cleaned everything up? There's nothing for me to do?"

"Nope," I signed. "We cleaned the dishes and put the food away."

"Our daughter is very helpful," Dad smiled at Mom.

"Great! Then I can take Callie shopping for clothes for school," Mom said.

"But you bought me clothes already," I said.

"And you grew another two inches, at least over the summer," Mom smiled. "And your sneakers are falling apart. And I can tell they don't fit you because I see you when you put them on."

"Can I come?" Dad asked.

"If you want to," Mom said. "What do you think, Callie?"

"If you want to," I said.

"Wow. I feel so loved and wanted," Dad said, pretending to be sad.

I went over and hugged him.

"You can come," I said to him.

"Well, thank you," he smiled and hugged me back.

They got whatever it was that they needed - Mom needed her handbag, Dad needed sunglasses, a baseball cap and his wallet. I'm 12. I didn't need anything. Well except my parents, their car and I guess their money? But I don't like people spending a lot on me. Lots of my foster families and the Children's Home always complained about how much kids cost.

Dad let the dogs out quickly before we left, and he called Zack to tell him we were going to the mall. Zack was going to come with us and meet us in the parking lot.

We drove to the mall and met Zack and Kala.

"How's the room?" Kala asked me.

"It's so beautiful!" I said and started describing it. Kala was laughing and then grabbed my hands and smiling said:

"You're too fast for me! I'm still learning!"

I smiled sheepishly and slowed down while I described my room.

"Dad says there are 12 songs in the waves. But so far I think I only found five."

"I can't wait to see it," Kala said. I grinned.

We went into the mall and Mom and Dad took the lead and we went to The Gap, and Old Navy and some other stores.

We were coming out of Hot Topic when Dad and Zack were recognized.