Are We Out Of The Woods Yet?(A Taylor Swift Adoption Story)

Tied together with a smile

Amara's POV:
Taylor's mad. And disappointed. And I know this is definitely going to come up sometime tonight. As we both make our way into the apartment it hits me that her parents are still there.

Oh no...Ohhhh No.

Sure enough two people are sitting on the bars stools in the kitchen, and they scurry to hug us as we walk in.

No no no no no.

It took all of my willpower to not freak out when they hugged me at the restaurant, and that was before the whole Syria thing came up.They move to hug Taylor first,  and depositing my shoes in the closet, I make my way upstairs in record time before dropping to the floor of the guest bedroom.

Did they notice? Did I run up too suspiciously? I press my ear to the door and hear everyone laughing downstairs.

Thank goodness.

I let out an involuntary sob and tears trickle down my cheeks. Just the thought of Syria makes this happen. My best memories were there.. And my worst. Everything is coming back. I close my eyes and let the sobs and thoughts take over my body.

There was a playground in Syria around my aunts apartment complex.

I used to play with Safa who was my age, and Akhmed who was two years older than us, but still let us play with him. More sobs escape as I recount the memories, and I involuntary curl up as tight as I can.

The park was the most amazing park ever imaginable, and although the playground was amusing, Safa, Akhmed and I found the woods around the playground the most intriguing.

Countless hours were spent looking for treasure, splashing in the river, and trying to catch fish along the stream. I wonder how they are now.. I miss them so much. They lived next to us, and my aunt would always look after me Saturdays when dad had to work late. She made the best food imaginable and was basically my second mom. She was the one who taught me how to write and read, both in Arabic and English.

My biological family didn't exactly have it very easy.. My mom and dad would work late hours just to keep the tiny apartment we owned, but it didn't matter because we always made time for one another. I wonder if they will let me visit when we go.. I want to see them.. I want to tell my aunt how much I love her.. We left so soon that I never got the chance to say goodbye.

At this point tears are cascading down my face at a more rapid pace than before. I curl up tighter into a ball trying to make the sobs subside, but as the memories keep coming, so does the uncontrollable sobbing. I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts that I don't hear the frantic footsteps coming up the stairs, and the door opening.

"Oh sweetheart.."

A pair of very familiar long arms wrap themselves around my small frame and gently hold me, rocking me back and forth. I can't believe I forgot to lock the door. I must look like a mess. Looking up, teary green eyes meet glassy blue and we both hold each other's gazes. I start to pull away but the arms just hold me tighter, and Taylor shifts so that my head is resting on her chest.

"Taylor I-"

She shushes me gently and brings her head down so that her nose is pressed against my cheek.

"Hey... I love you so much. No matter what happened in the past or where you came from, that won't ever change. I need you to understand that I am forever here for you. You don't have to act perfect around me. I already know you're not perfect. You don't have to act so strong and brave around me. I love you Amara. You aren't weak because you're crying, you're strong.."

I don't say anything and the tears keep flowing.Taylor suddenly lifts her head up, still keeping her arms wrapped around me.

"The floor isn't very comfortable is it?"