Page 96 of Switched At Birth

“So, we’re no closer to knowing when we can actually adopt them.” He doesn’t ask a question. It’s merely the truth, and it hurts us both.

“I know, baby, but all we can do is love them through the uncertainty. If we’re scared, you can imagine they’re terrified.”

“Dads?” Lainey calls from the back door.

“Did she just call us…” He doesn’t finish.

I pull at Noah’s hand, holding it over my heart. “Yeah, she just did. Come on, Dad, let’s go roast s’mores with our kids.” And this may be my favorite day, along with every other day I can spend with my husband.

36

Noah

“With the authorityof the state of Washington, I legalize the adoption of Elaina Lyn, Collin Michael and Devin Alexander James.”

The kids wanted to take a part of our names, on top of our last name. Lainey wanted Lyn using it from both Caitlyn and Evelyn. Collin asked if he could use Ash’s middle name, and Devin wanted mine. We were all moved by their decisions.

We’ve been their foster parents for a year, but today we move from foster parents to their actual parents.

The crowd behind us erupts, and Ashton and I have our instant family in our arms. It’s been a long road, one forged in fights, battles of the will, and grief, but also joy, hope, and purpose.

Mrs. Roeger had been spot on when she told us that we’d see a different side of the kids once they were placed in our care. They had to understand that in all the fits, tantrums and battles, that we’d love them through it. We aren’t perfect, and in those opportunities, it had given us a chance to show them that everyone makes mistakes. Do I yell? Does Noah yell? Fuck yes. It’s easy to say you won’t make the same mistakes as your parents when you don’t have kids. But in all of that, we’ve grown as a family.

Devin never thought he’d have a legal family, considering his age. He may only be ten years younger than us, but it doesn’t matter. He may think of Ash and me as older brothers, but the family unit we provide for him gives him the confidence to live his life on his terms.

Devin leaves in a couple months for San Diego. My parents are paying his tuition. He’s had a hard time accepting our help but he deserves so much more than he’s gotten in the past. And it’s what grandparents do for their grandsons.

My mother has taken on the role of Grandma in her perfect Evelyn James kind of way. The kids are already spoiled, and with Lainey being the first girl in our family, she loves being a girl grandma. But Collin and she have bonded over baking. She connects very well with Devin. My mom has always been involved in my art. She took classes on art history, learning about the different types, to styles to mediums. Mom may not have been an artist herself, but her interest in the subject is something she and I always shared, and now it’s been passed down to Devin.

Both mom and Caitlyn pass through the half door separating the courtroom. Mom has her arms around the boys, and Caitlyn has picked up Lainey, who is still so small for a now almost nine-year-old.

“This calls for a celebration,” Mom decrees. It’s as if we hadn’t already known about the festivities she’s planned. “Let’s get back to the house and celebrate.”

It’s mom’s thing to throw parties, after all.

* * *

“Fuck,this weather is almost too hot,” my brother laments, sitting down next to us in the backyard, under a large tree. “Where are my munchkins?” He’s staring at us as if we should know. I guess we should. We’re legal parents now.

“Caitlyn has them,” I answer. “Or at least the two youngest. Devin is spending the weekend with his girlfriend.”

“The weekend with the girlfriend. Does Mom know?”

Our mother wouldn’t approve, but Devin has been taking care of himself well before we came along.

“I told him to be sure to wrap it, and that pretty much concluded our conversation of the birds and bees,” I answer.

Ashton hasn’t said a word, and I move my attention to him. He’s watching his mother intently, with Lainey and Collin. They’re in deep conversation about something, and Lainey is animated in her features. My mom joins them, beginning to laugh, tugging Collin in for a hug.

“What you looking at, baby?” My eyes are on our family.

“Our moms with our kids.Ourkids.”

“Oh, fuck, I’m leaving if you two are going to get sappy,” Liam complains.

“Fuck off,” I tease, flipping him off at the same time. I wrap my arms around Ash’s body. “You can be as sappy as you want, honey, don’t listen to my brother.”

“I never do anyway,” he quips. “But seriously, how did we get so lucky? They’re amazing, resilient, and ours. They’re ours.”

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