Southside Boy

Phone Calls

"We can still get out of this if you're not ready. I'll turn around this truck right now, just say the word." FP says as we sit in front of Pop's diner. We had got in contact with the adoption agency a little over a week ago and asked for any information about our son. So now we're here meeting with an adoption agent to talk about him and I couldn't be more nervous and I can tell FP is too.

"No, I want to do this." I tell him, reaching over for his hand. "I need to do this."

He squeezes my hand gently and smiles. "Well then let's go."

We get out of the truck and take a deep breath before walking into the diner. We instantly see a woman sitting in a booth with a folder in front so we guess that's her. "Excuse me, are you Brooke Colton?" I asks as we approach the booth.

"I am. I assume you are Alice and FP?" She asks and both FP and I nod. She smiles and gestures to the other side of the booth. "Take a seat."

"So you know about our son? Charles Smith?"

"I do. What do you want to know exactly?"

"Everything." I answers. "Is he okay? Did he grow up alright? We're his adoptive parents good people?"

"Well that's where it's a little hard." She starts.

"What do you mean "a little hard"? Is he alright?" FP asks, a little panicked.

"Yes, he's fine. Perfectly healthy. However, he never did get adopted. Spent all of his life at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy." My hand comes over my mouth and I can feel my hands shaking.

"He never got adopted?" I question, my voice shaky. She shakes her head no. "Oh my God."

FP reaches for my hand and gives it a squeeze. "Alice, honey, are you alright?" He asks me. I turn to him and shake my head.

"I need to take a breather," I say. "will you excuse me?"

"Of course. Take your time." Brooke replies with a sympathetic smile.

I slide out of the booth and walk outside, I quickly turn around the corner and lean against the side of the building as all of my tears fall at once.

A minute or so later I hear footsteps. "Alice?" FP's voice calls out. He rounds the corner and sees me. "Oh... oh, baby. Come here." He opens his arms for me and I collapse into them. "What's going on, baby?" He asks as his fingers stroke my hair, comforting me in the way only he can.

"I just... I didn't even want to give him up for adoption and then I find out he never did get adopted. That's a hard thing to take in."

"I know. It was hard for me to hear too."

"I'm glad he's okay but he must hate me." I say, looking up at him.

"Why would he hate you?" He asks as he wipes my tears.

"Because I gave him up and he had to live his life in that hell hole all because I chose the wrong guy." I let out. "If I had of just told you we could've made it work. We may not have been able to give him everything but we could've given him a hell of a lot better of a life then he got there at the Sisters."

"You didn't have a choice, Al."

"I know but I just don't want him to hate me if we meet him."

"I know, I don't want him to either. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now we should go back in there and learn more about his life."

"You're right." I say, wiping away the tears left on my cheeks. "I love you." I whisper.

He smiles as he leans down to kiss me. "I love you too."

When we make it back inside Brooke tells us she has some news for us. "I got ahold of Charles a few days ago when I got your phone call asking about him."

"You did?" I question.

"Mhm. I asked him if he would be interested in meeting you two, he told me he'd think about it and he called me while you were outside."

"Well what did he say?" I ask even though I'm pretty sure I know what he said since she's smiling.

"He wants to meet you."

"He does?" I question, just to be absolutely sure. She nods.

"I'll give you his phone number so you can contact him and work out a time and place  yourself."

She gives us his number and answers any other questions we may have and then we're on our way.

Later that night FP lays in my bed as I put on my pyjamas. "Should we call him? Is it too late?" I ask.

His eyes drift over to the clock on the nightstand. "It's nine o'clock Al, I don't think it's too late."

"Jeez is it really that early? We must be getting old." I comment, laughing a little.

"Well we didn't exactly get much sleep last night." He says, winking at me. I blush and come over to the bed, holding the slip of paper with his number on it and my cell phone. I crawl over to him and kiss him softly. "And that's your fault, your so sexy I can't keep my hands off of you."

"Feelings mutual." He kisses me again and then I curl up next to him, snuggling into his side.

I dial the number and take a deep breath as I put it on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Charles Smith?"

"Yeah, that's me. Who is this?"

"I... um... hi, my name is Alice Smith."

It's silent on the other end of the line for a few seconds and I briefly think he's hung up until he speak again.

"I know who you are."

"Brooke Colton gave me your phone number, she said you were willing to meet us."

"By "us" I assume you mean FP?"

"Yes, he's here too."

"That would be me." FP chimes in and I smile.

"Well hi to both of you."

"We wanted to know when you're available to meet us? We'll work around your schedule."

"Uh, does Saturday work? I'm off this weekend so I'm free Sunday too if that would be better?"

"Saturday is perfect."

"Should I come over there?"

I freeze for a moment, what if he gets mad when he sees all of the family pictures? "If that's what you want, if you're comfortable with that."

"I think that would probably be the best place to do this."

"Great, so we'll see you here on Saturday, does two o'clock work for you?"

"Yeah, I'll be there. What's the address, I'll write it down."

"111 Elm street."

"You guys live on Elm street? That's spooky." He jokes.

"You don't even know the half of it."

"Well, I'll see you two on Saturday then."

"Looking forward to it."

We say our goodbyes and then I hang up and look at FP who's matching the beaming smile I have on my face. "We just talked to our son!" I exclaim.

"That was our boy on the phone!" FP is just as excited as I am and it makes me even happier to know he's there with me through this.