The Academy In My Head

Unadoptable

"I don't understand." Kota pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I can't make sure that my mom and sister are covered with an Academy adoption?" He tilted his head and kept his gaze squarely on Mr. Blackbourne. Mentally, he was already counting to quell the panic from rising.

"That's what the paperwork says." Owen nodded slightly.

"But why?"

"Ah, well, you see, Kota..." Sean shrugged. "They're already adopted and you were released from the prior adoption so that you could join on your own."

Kota frowned.

"I know, you don't understand." Sean said. "But it applies to all of you, actually. You were all covered already and if we tell you, you can't tell them." He said.

"Right." Owen nodded again. "You've just won the approval of being 3rd in line with the potential to become the family lead if Sean needs to step out of that position to complete his studies." He said to the 12 year old. "This is one of those privileged secrets that stays among the three of us, Dr. Roberts and the original adopting party."

"So if you want to know." Sean continued as if Owen hadn't spoken. "You'll need to learn the secret handshake and bring me an apple pie."

"SEAN!"

"Fine, handshake, apple pie and a peach pie for O-man."

"SEAN GREEN!!"

Kota looked between them confused for a moment.

Sean huffed a sigh. "Fine." He grumbled, glaring at Owen in the exact same glare that Owen was giving him. "No handshakes, no pies. Satisfied, Owen?"

"Better." Owen grumbled. "Just agree to keep the secret." He said to Kota.

"I can keep the secret, Mr. Blackbourne." Kota nodded.

"Good." Owen said with a brief nod. "Lucian and North's Uncle is an Academy member. He is part of the group that brought me into the Academy." He said. "He's had your family as well as Mr. Coleman and Mr. Griffin under adoption since you boys were about 6."

"Interesting." Kota murmured, his mind racing. "Why not Victor?" He asked after going through the names of who was covered.

"Pardon?"

"Victor. Why wasn't he covered with Uncle's adoption?"

Sean glanced over the paper in front of them. "Oh, because his nanny from the ages of 6 to 10 was also Academy. She had him under adoption." He said. "You were all released from the adoptions at 10 because that is when we found you and bought you in as Academy direct adoptions as part of our family."

"Oh, interesting. Fiona was always really nice to all of us and my mom still misses her." Kota pushed his glasses up slightly. "So, Uncle still has my mom and Jessica covered?"

"Correct, Mr. Lee." Owen said.

"And at this time, it would be unwise to remove them from that protection..." Kota studied them as they both nodded. "Because they are better covered by him?"

"Yes." Owen said. "He's more established and while we'll add them to our list of people to look out for, he's still going to make sure any financial situations are covered. At least for a few years until we are settled more and have some steady income coming in to support our family and adopted family."

"Okay." Kota said with a slight shrug.

"You don't actually seem that surprised by this." Sean commented.

"Well, If I think about it..." Kota said. "He was always bringing groceries to our house or giving my mom money for events. He shrugged it off by saying she was doing him a bigger favor of looking after Luke so it was all he could do to provide food since she was feeding Luke most of the time with us. She wouldn't have taken it if she thought it was a handout so I know he just always brought over way more food. It was usually enough for at least lunches and snacks during the week which was when Luke was over. I think he knew that she would only use it for meals Luke was there for." He said.

"That was a fairly sneaky but resourceful way to cover his tracks." Sean said.

"Very smart." Owen agreed. "Okay so, yes we'll leave them where they are but maybe discuss in 5 years or so. That puts you at 17 and maybe we'll be earning enough from jobs to justify bringing them over to our family protection."

"All right. That sounds like a good idea." Kota said.

Owen's lips quirked up in a slight smile as he looked over the next part of the list that he and Sean had worked out for topics to discuss with Kota. "Next topic, your sister." He said, eyeing Kota. "She's okay at the school she's at for the next 5 months right? We can get her in to a private school next year. She'll be almost 9 at that point, correct?"

"Yes, and she's okay at school. She's actually about to be able to test to skip a couple grades so maybe we can use that as some sort of entrance test to this private school and she can be advanced a few grades there?" Kota asked.

"Sure." Sean nodded and made a note on his list. "She might be able to skip the elementary levels and go in at the middle school level."

"She reads at middle school level." Owen nodded.

Kota smirked. "Yes, mom was so glad that you gave her the Hunger Games trilogy." He teased.

"She likes to read. I see no reason to not cultivate that love of books." Owen said.

Kota laughed softly as they moved on to the next topic.

(fade...)