Page 38 of Already Home

Beth touched her cheek. “Calm down. You’re making too much ofthis.”

“Because it’s a big deal. Why aren’t you upset? Why aren’t youthreatened? Tell me I can’t ever see them again, please.”

Her mother smiled at her. “They gave me the greatest gift of mylife. I am grateful every day for you, Jenna.”

Oh, sure. Rational thought. Like that was going to help.

“I think it’s nice that they’re here,” Beth told her. “They cananswer questions I never could. About where you come from and your DNA.”

“I don’t care about my DNA,” Jenna muttered, annoyed that Bethwasn’t shrieking and insisting she keep her distance from the Johnsons.

“You will when you have children of your own.”

“Like that’s ever going to happen.”

Her mother kissed her cheek. “I know this must be a shock. Howdid you leave things with them?”

“I told them I had an appointment and I ran.”

Beth raised her eyebrows.

Jenna stood. “Don’t you dare get on me, Mom. This was horrible.I had to get out of there. I’ll be polite later.”

Nothing made sense. Not the unexpected arrival of herbiological parents or her mother’s calm acceptance. She knew for sure her motherhad watched soap operas in the past. Beth understood how these things weresupposed to go. Where was the insecurity, the melodrama, the terror of losingher only child?

“You’re too calm,” she told her mother. “It’s not natural.”

“I’m curious about these people. I want to meet themagain.”

“You didn’t think to warn me what they were like?”

“Back then they were teenagers, Jenna. We were delighted to begiven a chance at adopting. They weren’t very different from any other youngcouple. You need to talk to them.” Beth stood. “Give me a few minutes to getchanged, then we’ll go see them.”

Jenna tucked her hands behind her back. “No. I don’t want to.”She didn’t need another set of parents. The ones she had were perfectly fine.“Besides, I have a risotto class in fifteen minutes.”

“Then I’ll pick you up after that.”

“That doesn’t work for me.”

“Jenna, they’ve come a long way to see you.”

“They could have called first, or sent a letter. You don’t justdrop in on a kid you gave up at birth.”

“Maybe not, but this is the situation we have. It will be fine.You’ll see.”

“And if it isn’t?”

“Then you can say you told me so.”

“I’m not sure that’s enough of a reward.”

* * *

Beth drove her Mercedes through the midday traffic.Jenna sat next to her, arms crossed, her expression stubborn.

She had to admit, she was surprised by her daughter’s reaction.For herself, she was very curious about seeing Jenna’s birth parents after allthis time.

Just over thirty-two years ago, she and Marshall had gone toSan Francisco to meet with the pregnant teenager who had picked them to adopther baby. Serenity had been young and scared and very pregnant. Her parentshadn’t been with her—instead a young man had been at her side. Tom, Bethremembered. Funny how they’d stayed together all these years.

---