Page 70 of Return to McCall

Sara whipped around to see platers of mini pulled pork sliders, newspaper-wrapped portions of savory garlic fries, and piles of fresh tamales pass them on the way to the main table, followed by homemade chicken empanadas and stuffed poblano peppers on a stick.

“Oh God, the menu is so random. Do you think everyone will find something they like? I just did a mix of all of Moxie’s favorite foods and tried not to get fancy with it.” Sara’s voice trailed off, and she bit her lip. “But not fancy is not my forte.”

“Baby, it’s amazing.” Sam leaned in and kissed her. “And I texted Moxie to meet us here at five for dinner, so everything is right on schedule.”

Sam led her into the main dining area. Mason jars full of sparkling firefly lights glowed in the center of every table, the bunting was bright and colorful, and Jennifer was just finishing placing tall glass jars of daisies and sunflowers around the room. The community table in the center of the room was piled high with food and slushes in ice buckets, complete with a make-your-own ice cream cookie sandwich station at the very end, with toppings to roll them in and a big stack of napkins.

Sara leaned into Sam’s shoulder and looked up at her. “You know what those mason jars remind me of?”

Sam smiled, tipping her face up to kiss her. “The jars full of flowers that Mary lent you for that pancake breakfast in the park the summer we met?”

“How did you know?”

Sam looked over to Mary, who was fussing with one of the same jars. “Because I asked Mary weeks ago if she still had them. It just felt right to use them today too.”

“You’re the most romantic butch I’ve ever met.” Sara stood on her tiptoes and whispered in her ear. “But don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Of course you won’t.” Sam laughed, holding Sara tighter. “Because you’ve told everyone already.”

Mara turned on the background music, and Sara took a deep breath, relaxing just a bit into the tangible hum of joy in the air. Sam checked her watch and quickly signaled the people milling around on the patio into the main dining room, and as the patio door closed behind them, the chatter slowed to a hushed buzz as they watched Moxie walk past the plate glass windows and slowly push the front door open. She hesitated when she saw the Closed sign on the door, then stepped in.

Everyone shouted “Surprise” at the same time, and Moxie’s face unfolded into a wary smile until she spotted Sam and Sara in the crowd. “But it’s not my birthday.”

A tall man with a white mustache emerged from the back of the crowd carrying a leather briefcase, which he plunked down on the only empty table in the front of the diner. Moxie recognized him and smiled, her eyes darting between him and Sam and Sara, who were making their way to the front, holding hands.

Moxie pulled the sleeves of her hoodie down over her hands for the first time in months and smiled. “Hi, Judge Hanson.”

“Well, hello there, Miss Moxie.” He squeezed her shoulder with genuine affection and motioned her, Sam, and Sara over to the table. Everyone moved closer, jockeying for the be

st view. “And you’re wrong. It actually is your birthday in a roundabout way.”

He unclasped his suitcase and pulled out a handful of papers.

“First of all, let’s get this out of the way.” He handed Moxie one of the pens and a sheet of paper. “When you sign at the bottom of this page, your name change from Maria to Moxie becomes permanent.”

“I didn’t think you’d remember.” Moxie looked at him in shock, the pen still in the air. “You actually did that for me?”

“Moxie, when we ironed out the details a few weeks ago, you told me how much it meant to you to change it. Yours is a special circumstance, so I had to make a few calls to get it done, but of course I remembered.” He smiled as she signed the paper and handed it back to him. “I’ll give this to the clerk to file, and it’ll be official.”

Applause rippled around the room, and Moxie took the copy he handed back to her. She studied it carefully, then looked over at Sam and Sara. The judge smiled, and the crowd hushed and jostled in the background.

Moxie showed him the paper. “This says Moxie Draper.”

“Because that’s your name.” He reached into the briefcase and brought out a manila folder. “Your adoption is final today too.”

He turned toward the crowd as Sam and Sara went to stand with Moxie. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to Moxie Draper.” He glanced over at Moxie, who reached for Sara’s hand, then Sam’s. “From this day forward, the daughter of Sam and Sara Draper.”

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Sam and Sara enveloped their daughter in a hug, whispering in her ear before they all turned back around.

“Now.” The judge turned back to the room, filled with the tangible warmth of love, friends, and family. “And all of you made it clear that you want Moxie to know that she didn’t just gain parents today. So I’ll let you take it from here.”

Sam and Sara watched with Moxie as Jennifer and Murphy peeled off their hoodies to reveal T-shirts beneath that said Moxie’s Aunt and Moxie’s Uncle. Even baby Mary Elizabeth had a onesie with Moxie’s Cousin lettered across the front. Mary went next, but put her own stamp on it when she handed Moxie a T-shirt with Mary’s Granddaughter written across it, pulling her in for a long, sweet hug before she let her go.

Sam then pointed across the room to Moxie’s friends lined up in the back, who all opened their jackets at the same time to reveal shirts emblazoned with Moxie’s Posse on them. Moxie laughed, then ran to hug them as Sara rang a bell and officially welcomed everyone to the party.

As everyone started for the food, laughing and taking pictures, Sam and Sara met an emotional Moxie in the center of the crowd.

Tears she didn’t even try to hide dampened her flushed cheeks as she smiled at her parents. “So this is real? I’m adopted?”

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