Studio 3 [H.S]

A Current Adoption

'learning is experience. everything else is just information'

*****

It was a quiet but long trip back to the hotel. It was mostly filled with awkward small talk between Evan and I but I could tell Harry was drowning himself in his own thoughts, being quiet the whole time.

Scanning the room card, Evan followed Harry behind me into the hotel room but the panic set in fast as I realised there wasn't a spare room. I guess I didn't really plan for my mother to be dependent on drugs and for me to adopt my brother temporarily. 

 'Sorry Evan, I guess you'll be taking the couch but um, we can upgrade our room tomorrow morning' I mumble as he nods and puts his overnight bag next to the couch.

'Yeah, no that's fine. You guys aren't one of those couples that fuck every night, right?'

Harry chokes on his water next to me as those words come out of Evan's mouth but I just clear my throat in awkwardness. 'Uh, no we're not' I mumble as Harry and I exchange looks.

In all honestly, we weren't a highly sexually couple but Evan didn't need or probably want to hear anything about our sex lives. Harry claps his hands together before walking towards to the TV remote which had been thrown onto the lounge. 'Alright, who's down to watch a movie?'

I nod and look who Evan who just shrugged, both moving into the living area of the hotel as Harry flicks on the television. It took at least 10 minutes to find a movie that Harry was satisfied with himself, clearly not caring that Evan might want to have an opinion on this matter since I always just let Harry pick on our movie nights. 'Just choose one Jesus....' I mumble and Evan chuckles quietly next to me. Harry presses the remote one more time before putting the remote on the table and then throwing his hands up in defence. 

We ended up dropping Evan off at school the next morning before having to go to the local city hall to hopefully find out more about my adoption. Once Harry pulled into the drop off zone, I rolled down my window to call out to Evan who had already slammed his door shut. He turned around at my response as I waved a $10 bill at him, 'What's this for?' he asks as he approaches. 

'Uh, lunch. You don't have any food so-' our conversation was cut short by a couple of girls squealing 2 meters behind Evan. 

I turn to Harry before he sighs and I wave goodbye to Evan. Harry quickly pulls away and out of the school zone right before the girls could snap a photo of him and I pulled up directions on my phone to the city hall. 'Turn right' I directed Harry before he put on the windscreen wipers instead of the indicators. 

'Fuck' he quickly switches to the right setting before turning the corner, 'I hate Australian cars' he mumbles and I shake my head with a grin on my face. 

'I told you I should've driven' I sigh and he stays silent with his eyes on the road as we see a tall building approaching us on the right. 'Alright, chuck a uie here' 

'Chuck a what now?' he says, chuckling as my inner Australian comes back out in my homeland. 

'Oh, sorry. "Please do a U-turn when you can"' I mock his English accent as he indicates the right way and we find a spot in the parking lot of the city hall. 

'You got everything?' he asks as I fumble with all my papers. 

'Uh, yeah...Passport, so-called birth certificate and my Australian driver's licence. Good to go' we share a smile before getting out of the car and joining the queue of people lining up for an available person to serve them. 

They were getting through the line quickly. Harry must have noticed me rehearsing what I was going to say as he started to rub circles on my back. It's not exactly the most normal thing to have to explain to someone my sudden family situation that had dawned upon us both. 'Next!'

Harry and I both approach a woman at counter 9, 'Hi, how may I help you?' she asked and I instantly felt not judged but yet, I still hadn't said anything.

'Hi, my name is Ciara Bird. I have recently moved to America but am still an Australian citizen. I've just been informed around a week ago that there was some paperwork that needed to fill out regarding my adoption' I spit out my words that I had been rehearsed as she types my name into her computer. 

'Ah, yes, Miss Bird' she retries some empty sleeves of paper from her drawer and exchanges them to me with her passport. 'Now we did receive an email from Mr Harry Styles that you weren't aware of this adoption, is this correct?' I look up to Harry who had a guilty look on his face, knowing that I told him not to email or get involved. I just needed his emotional support here but he did not need to get into legal problems because of me.

'Um, yeah, that's correct. I know that um, it might not be possible but is there any trace of my birth mother? I was just curious and I understand if you're not able to give out that information but-'

'Miss Bird, um, unfortunately, your mother...has passed. I'm so sorry'

I didn't know what I was expecting when coming into the hall today but I was definitely not expecting that. 

Both of my parents.
Dead.
All I had left was Harry and Savannah, the closest people had to a family apart from Evan. 

'Is there anything else? A grandparent maybe?' Harry speaks for the first time.

'I'm sorry sir, you are?' the receptionist asks and he pulls out his wallet to show ID.

'Um, Harry Styles. I sent the email. I'm Ciara's partner,' he explains as he hands over his drivers license and I nod to confirm that what he was saying was true. 

'There is a phone number attached to a woman called Julia Bird, that would be your mother's mother. Would you like to contact her?' I nod immediately as Harry intertwines our fingers together and the woman writes down the number and hands back all my forms of ID. 'Is there anything else you guys needed today?' 

We both shake our heads and thank her before exiting and driving back to pick up Evan from school early. Pulling into the car park that we were previously in, I stared at the phone number. 'Hey, how about you call her, I'll go in and get Evan. Sound good?' Harry suggest and I nod before he pecks my cheek with a kiss and unbuckled his seatbelt. 'I'll be back soon.'

My hands shake as I dial the number. What if she doesn't know that she has a granddaughter? Does she know that I'm adopted? The thoughts spun around my head as the phone line buzzed until I heard the sound of someone accepting the phone call, 'Julia speaking'

'Um...Hi' is all I could get out.

'Hello, who is this?'

'Um, my name is Ciara Bird, I'm your-'

'Granddaughter. I guess you've found out about your birthmother Ciara?' she said and a wave of relief washes over me, I found her. 

'Um, yeah. I just went to the city hall and they gave me your number. I just wanted some closure I guess that's all...'

I hear her sigh from the other end and I knew bad news was coming next, 'Ciara, I legally cannot meet with you as the adoption papers state god knows what about some sort of distancing thing but I am happy to keep in contact over the phone whenever you are ready to know more. I know you want to know right now but you need to take a couple of days, process things and I'll be waiting but the phone when you do want to call, ok?'

'OK' I mumble, 'Thanks for answering'

'Thanks for calling. I'll be waiting for another soon. Bye bye'

'Bye' 

I didn't have time to process what had happened, which seemed to happen a lot recently but there was a sudden tap on my window. I jumped to see Harry leaning against the car but I rolled it down. He looked concerned, which made me worried. 'Are you sure we were supposed to pick him up now?'

'Uh, yeah. We spoke before bed last night and he said he finishes with frees today so we were going to pick him up at 2. It's 2:10' 

Harry shakes his head and runs his hand through his locks, 'He hadn't been at any of his lessons all day.'