by M. H. Soars
“Yes, I definitely need to meet the competition.”
Twenty-Six
SEBASTIAN
Liv keeps bouncing on the balls of her feet, anxiously looking at the crowd, searching for something. She hasn’t listened to a word I said in the last minute.
I touch her arm, bringing her attention to me. “Hey, relax. It’s early still.”
“He should be here by now. I checked the schedule. The center’s van was supposed to pick up his group an hour ago.”
“He’ll be here.”
“What if something happened to the van? What if there was an accident?”
Grabbing both her forearms, I turn her to me. “Stop with the negative thoughts, my love. There’s probably traffic.”
No sooner do I say those words than we hear out in the distance the sound of excited kids bursting through the carnival fair. The property where the center is located has a large outside area where rides and a petting zoo were set up without issue. There’s also a stage where Rebel and Riot will perform later. They volunteered.
Liv stretches her neck until the smile that blossoms on her face tells me she found who she was looking for. “He’s here.”
Lacing her hand with mine, she drags me toward the cluster of kids who have all lined up to go on a pony ride. A boy with spiked blond hair catches my attention right away. He’s shorter than his companions, but he seems to be one of the most excited kids in the bunch.
Liv stops next to him, then crouches until she’s at the same eye level as the boy. “Hi, Sebastian. Do you remember me?”
The kid rewards Liv with a bright smile before launching himself at her for a hug. “You’re the pretty lady from the other day. Miss Goldberg told me you would be here.”
Laughing, Liv disengages from the child and turns to me. “I’d like to introduce you to my husband, the other Sebastian.”
I wave, unsure of what to do. “Hello there.”
The kid frowns, but then a couple of seconds later sticks his hand out for a handshake. I’m surprised but recover fast, shaking his little hand.
“Nice to meet you, other Sebastian. Miss Goldberg told me you used to be in a band. Do you play any instruments?”
“Yes, I play the guitar.”
“I’m learning to play the drums, but I can only do so at the center. There are no instruments where I live. I also have to share a room with five other boys, and they aren’t very nice to me.”
He says it matter-of-factly, as if not being treated nicely is a normal thing.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I like coming here. A lot,” he says.
A young woman with wild curly hair approaches us, smiling from ear to ear. “So, I see you’ve found each other. Sebastian wouldn’t stop talking about the pretty lady who gave him his ball back.”
“Is that so?” Liv stands up and smiles at the kid.
Sebastian pulls at the woman’s skirt. “Miss Goldberg, ask him.”
The woman’s face turns bright red and she can’t hold my stare.
“Uh, do you have a question for Sebastian?” Liv asks.
“No, no.” She shakes her head.
“Yes, you do. Miss Goldberg wants your autograph.”
“Oh my gosh. This is so embarrassing.” The woman covers her face for a second.
“That’s fine. Do you have pen and paper?” I ask.
“Really? I didn’t want to impose. I don’t have it with me, but I’ll look for it.”
“How about a selfie?” Liv suggests, and I swear the volunteer looks on the verge of fainting.
Liv takes several pictures of us before returning Miss Goldberg’s phone to her.
“All right, Sebastian. Let’s join the rest of the group.” She tries to take the kid away, but he plants both feet on the ground.
“No, I’d like to stay with the pretty lady and her husband.”
Miss Goldberg glances at us, clearly torn.
“We would love to spend the day with Sebastian, if that’s okay with you?” Liv replies.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, absolutely,” I say.
She turns to the boy, squinting briefly. “Do you promise to behave, Sebastian?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh, all right then.” She turns to Liv and hands her a business card. “Call me if you need me to get him.”
She leaves without a second glance, and I wonder if she would have agreed as easily if I wasn’t a celebrity. The thought makes me angry, and I must have shown that on my face.
“What’s the matter, Bas?”
“She didn’t put up much of a fight, did she?”
“Did you want her to?”
“I’d expect her to. What if we’re deranged people?”
Liv takes a deep breath. “She’s only a volunteer, and I guess she’s a little starstruck at the moment. Don’t judge her for it. You’re irresistible, after all.”
I feel a tug on my hand. “Can I go ride the pony? I couldn’t last year because I wasn’t big enough.”
“Sure, buddy. How old are you, anyway? Four?”
“Oh no, I’m six.” He stuffs his chest proudly. “People think I’m a baby still because I’m little and I talk funny.”
“You don’t sound funny to me,” I say.
“There’s a nice lady here that’s teaching me how to speak better.”
“Do you like coming here?” Liv asks.
The kid nods. “Yes, very much. But I get sad when I have to go back to the place I live. I don’t like it very much.”
Liv and I trade glances. The look in her eyes reveals her chest must be as heavy as mine. I turn to little Sebastian again. “Let’s not think about things that make us sad. Deal?”
“Yes, deal.”
We spend the entire day with little Sebastian, making sure he has as much fun as possible. When the time comes for the fireworks, the kid is left mesmerized. In consequence, the day goes by too fast, and I’m sad when I have to say goodbye to him.
Liv and I are quiet on the way back home, and I wonder if she’s thinking the same thing as I am. On the halfway mark, I can’t keep silent any longer and blurt out, “I want him. I want to bring Sebastian home with us.”
“You do? Oh, Bas, me too.”
I hold the steering wheel tighter, glancing quickly at her. “Are we crazy for wanting to do this?”
“Maybe, but doesn’t it feel right?”
“Yes, yes it does.”
Liv covers her mouth with her hand, emotion shining in her bright eyes. “Oh my God. We’re really doing this. What if the agency says we’re too young or not good enough to be foster parents?”
“Then we’ll prove to them otherwise. We’re giving little Sebastian a real home. It’s in the cards. He’s already named after me.” I wink at her.
“We can’t stay in that one-bedroom apartment.”
“Nope. I realized that the moment you started talking about fostering. I contacted Oliver’s real estate agent. We have viewings booked for tomorrow.”
“And you didn’t tell me anything?”
“I wanted to surprise you. You’re not mad, are you?”
“No, of course not. I’m excited and nervous.”
“Me too, Liv. But it’s going to be great.”
Twenty-Seven
LIV
Once Sebastian and I make the decision to sign up to be foster parents, it seems everything conspires in our favor. We find the perfect house within days and are set to move by the end of the month. Instead of selling his apartment, Sebastian rents it out to Shane.
We told our family and friends of our plans, and everyone is one hundred percent on board with the idea. We have all of our bases covered for the meeting with the social worker who is handling our application today. Sebastian was candid on his form, talking about his issues with recreational drugs in the past. Trying to hide that would only hurt our chances. But during the meeting, we receive a blow we weren’t expecting.
&
nbsp; “What do you mean we can’t choose to foster a specific child?” Sebastian asks the social worker.
“Like I said, that’s not how the system works. This office does its best to match a foster child with a foster family who can best meet the child's needs, but unfortunately, you can’t choose a specific child. You’ll be able to specify the age and gender of the child you prefer, though.”
I lock gazes with Sebastian, feeling defeated. I understand what she’s saying, but we want little Bas.
“May I ask why you would like to choose the child?”
“We met a little boy at the Clarissa Reinhardt Center who stole our hearts. He’s in the system, but he’s not placed with any foster family at the moment,” I reply.
“Ah, I see. Well, in that case, what you need to be looking at is adoption procedures, no foster care.”
“Isn’t that process a lot harder and longer?” Sebastian asks.
“Yes. For a healthy child it can take from two to seven years.”
“Seven years? That’s ridiculous.” Sebastian throws his hands up.
The social worker shakes her head. “I agree the process is too painstakingly slow, but there’s good news. With a completed home study in hand, the process to adopt a child with special needs can often proceed quickly and be completed within a few months. I can recommend a few adoption agencies. They’ll help you navigate the entire process smoothly.”
Sebastian carries the rest of the conversation. I just sit in my chair, a little numb and frustrated. I’ve heard stories of adoption procedures that took several years. What’s going to happen to little Sebastian in the meantime?
As soon as we leave the social worker’s office, Sebastian asks what’s on my mind. After I share the worry in my heart, he confesses he’s feeling the same way.
“We can’t give up now. So what if it’s going to be a little more complicated to get Sebastian? The goal is more than worth it.”
“I know it is. I’m just afraid we won’t succeed.”
Sebastian holds me by the shoulders and stares into my eyes. “Hey, we will succeed.”
I nod, trying my best to let his confidence rub off on me. He drops me at the office on the way back, and when I ask what his plans are for the rest of the day, he smiles at me with a glint of mischief in his eyes.
“I’m headed to the center. I’ve volunteered to teach the kids to play the guitar.”
“Is little Bas going to be there?”
“Yup.” His smile becomes brighter.
I swat his arm. “Not fair. You get to spend way more time with him than me. Pretty soon you’ll be his favorite.”
“What do you mean pretty soon? I’m already his favorite.”
“Ugh! You’re impossible. I see that hanging out with both Best boys is giving you an overinflated ego.”
Sebastian leans over to my side of the car and places a deliciously sweet kiss on my lips, melting the turmoil in my heart.
“I’ll show you how overinflated my ego is later tonight,” he whispers against my mouth.
In retribution, I bite his lower lip, pulling on it slightly before letting go. My little act of revenge works—Sebastian’s gaze turns as hot as lava, and my guess is he’s sporting a raging boner already. I’m out of the car before he can reach over and make me very late for work.
Twenty-Eight
LIV
THREE MONTHS LATER
Even knowing that the process to adopt little Bas is much shorter than if he weren’t a special needs child, after three months of waiting, my anxiety levels are going through the roof. He’s been placed in a foster care home, but mercifully he still comes to the center for after-school activities and we get to see him. He refuses to talk about what it’s like at his new home, and I fear that his new foster parents aren’t treating him right.
The bell rings and I run to open the door for Saylor. With five weeks left to go on her pregnancy, she looks ready to pop. Still, she’s radiant, more beautiful than ever. She could be the poster child for pregnancy glow. She’s still maintaining the chin-length messy bob hairstyle, but the shaved side has grown and evened out with the rest of her hair.
She pushes me to the side and darts inside the house.
“What’s wrong?” I call after her.
“I have to pee!”
With a chuckle, I head back to the kitchen to finish preparing the snacks for our road trip. Saylor wants to visit a pumpkin patch farm two hours away from here. When she joins me, I ask, “How are you going to survive a two-hour trip? I’m not sure there are that many rest stops on the way.”
“Ugh, I know. I’m prepared to pee on the side of the road if necessary.”
“Why do you want to get pumpkins so far away? You can find them nearby, you know.”
“I want to spend quality time with my bestie.” She throws her arm over my shoulder. “What’s wrong with that?”
“We could have gone to a spa.” I watch her face closely. “You’re up to something.”
Saylor tries to suppress a grin but fails miserably at it. “Fine! Oliver said I looked like a pumpkin, so I’m planning a little payback.”
“I’m sure he didn’t mean it in a bad way.”
She steps to the side, waving a hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter.”
“So what are you planning, exactly?”
Her grin breaks into a sly smile. “I’m going to turn Renegades HQ into a pumpkin patch. When the three stooges return from their New York trip, they’ll have a mega surprise.”
The three stooges meaning Sebastian, Oliver, and Allan. They’re spending the weekend in the Big Apple, scooping out new talent for Renegades.
“You’re terrible.”
“Let’s go before I have to pee again.”
Once outside, I don’t see Saylor’s SUV but a huge truck instead. “How many pumpkins are you planning to buy, Saylor?”
“As many as will fit in the bed of the truck.”
I cross my arms in front of my chest and glare at her. “And who is going to load the truck with all those pumpkins?”
“Well, I’ll help of course. Come on, Liv. It will be great upper-body exercise.” She taps my arm before walking around me to take the passenger seat.
I throw my arms up in the air in resignation before getting into the truck. Saylor pairs her phone with the car’s sound system and Spice Girls blares through the speakers.
“Do you remember this, Liv?”
“How could I forget?”
We performed “Wannabe” in one of the craziest karaoke bars in London. That was the evening Saylor and Oliver met.
We sing from the top of our lungs as we drive, everything from Spice Girls to P!nk. We’re more or less an hour and a half into our trip when Saylor stops singing abruptly to make a distressed sound. I peel my gaze from the road to look at her.
“Everything all right there?”
“Yes, just a little cramp.”
“You’re not going into labor on me, are you?”
“I don’t think so.”
The truck sputters then, the engine making an awful sound. A bunch of lights turn on along the dashboard, and I begin to lose speed.
“What was that?” Saylor asks.
“I don’t know. Where did you get this truck?”
“I rented it.”
The car makes another weird sound, and I decide to switch to the slowest lane. Something is definitely wrong with it.
“Is that smoke?” Saylor points at the hood.
“Ah, fuck. Yes, it is.”
I veer toward the side of the road, bringing the truck to a complete stop. The engine dies on us in the next second.
“Shit, I think the truck is toast.”
Saylor looks out the window. “Son of a bitch. We’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“Let’s call roadside assistance.”
“Okay, you do that while I go pee.”
As usual, I don’t get a person right away, and when I do, I’m told it w
ill take an hour for help to arrive. Freaking fantastic. Good thing I brought snacks. I get out of the car to check on Saylor, finding her on her knees holding her belly with a grimace on her face.
“Saylor! What’s the matter?”
“I think my water just broke.”
“What? But you still have five weeks to go.”
“Aargh, I think I’m getting contractions already. Did you talk to roadside assistance?”
“Yes, but they won’t be here for another hour.”
Her eyes are already filled with tears and her face is flushed red. “I don’t think I can wait that long.”
I read panic in her gaze, which is not much different than what I’m feeling right now, but I have to keep it together. It won’t do us any good if I start to panic too.
I look out into the distance, cursing at the complete isolation. There’s nothing for miles. Something shines at the end of the visible road, and as it approaches, I spot the outline of a truck. Without thinking twice, I start waving my hands like a maniac, standing in the middle of the road. The four-wheeler slows down before it parks right behind our broken truck. The driver, a middle-aged man with thinning hair and a deep tan, gets out of the car.
“Car trouble, miss?”
“Yes, but also a woman in labor. We need to get to a hospital ASAP.”
The man looks over my shoulder and spots Saylor on the ground. “Oh my.”
He walks to her and asks if she’s able to get up. She nods, and together we lift her from the dirty asphalt.
“This isn’t even my usual route. How far apart are your contractions?” he asks.
“I don’t know. I was too busy panicking.”
“Fear not. I’ve been through six labors. It’ll be okay. There’s a hospital fifteen minutes from here.”
The godsend driver helps Saylor into his truck. When I slide next to her, she grabs my hand in a vise hold while she tries to keep her whimpers to a minimum.
“How much does it hurt?”
“You don’t want to know,” she grunts.