“So, you're telling me that someone just dropped me off on the back porch and that was it?”
“We put up flyers for a little while, trying to find your mom and dad, but nobody ever came forward. We didn't go to the authorities, though. We were afraid that they would try to take you away. You know that your mom couldn't have children, and she has always said that you were a blessing brought by God.”
Laurel smiled at the way he said it. He was just looking a little wistful, like he had it all playing in his mind. It was a good memory, and it made her feel almost immediately wanted.
“I can't believe that’s what happened.”
“Well, it is. I'm not telling you a lie.”
“No, I don't think that you are, it's just a little hard to believe. It's not every day that you find out you were dropped off on someone's porch.”
“You can't think about it that way.”
“How can I think about it, then?”
“Well, you just have to think about it as whoever your mom was, loved you so much that she gave you up to have a better home. You know, I don't even know if we knew her personally, but I wouldn't doubt it. She could very well have known that we would take good care of you. We have, haven't we?”
Laurel agreed immediately. She had never wanted for anything, and even though she had felt out of place most of her life, it wasn't for their lack of trying. They had always made a good home and a good life for her. That realization took a little bit of the sting out of how she was feeling toward them, but she still felt betrayal. It was hard not to.
“I just don't know what to do with this.”
“Just take your time, and I'm sure it'll come to you.”
“I don't want to be mad at you guys, but I am kind of mad at you right now.”
He grinned sheepishly. “I would imagine that you would have every right to be. It's a lot to take on in one evening. Give it some time and chew on it, and I'm sure it'll be a lot easier to swallow. Just know, that me and your mother love you, whether you came to us in a basket or right out of her stomach. It doesn't change anything.”
They were back at their house and the conversation was over. She wasn't really sure how she felt about it all. They had kept a lot from her, but at the same time, they had given her a good life. She couldn't deny that and never would. They had loved her and tried their best to make her feel at home.
She got out of the car and thanked him for telling her the truth. “I think I'm going to probably go to bed early tonight. You know, got some things to think about. Thank you for telling me, though, I know it was hard for you. For both of you.”
He nodded his head but didn't say any more. Laurel didn’t, either. She went up to her room, and while she had wanted to see her mother to apologize for the way she had behaved, she was nowhere around. It was probably just as well, she thought to herself. Her mom had a tendency to make everything about her and at the moment, Laurel just wanted to focus on herself and her feelings. She wasn't ready to take on anybody else’s.
Naturally, the first person that she wanted to talk to was her friend Mallory. She had been the person Laurel shared everything with for the last few years, and that was hard to just stop abruptly. As soon as she got upstairs to her room, the first thing she did was make a phone call and wait for Mallory to answer. She wasn't even thinking about the time difference or anything like that. All she was worried about was talking to her.
Mallory finally answered after the third ring and Laurel instantly felt better. Just hearing her voice. It was strange how much she missed her old life already. She hadn’t even been back home for very long, and it already felt so strange and foreign to her. The familiar things that had made her feel better before, was just differences that she had to deal with.
“Mallory, thank God!”
“What's up, honey? You sound horrible.”
“I just found out some horrible news, and I wanted to talk to you about it. I miss you, Mallory, and I wish that you were here.”
Mallory could obviously hear the emotions in her voice. Granted, they weren't hard to hear. She tried her best to pull herself together while she was in front of her father, but now, she just couldn't, anymore.
“Mallory I was left on the front doorstep in a basket, and my parents aren't mine.” Her voice broke several times, even though she tried to keep it together. It was almost impossible, but she got through it. She told Mallory everything.
“Okay, Laurel. You have to slow down. So, you're saying that your parents aren't your real parents?”
Laurel agreed. She couldn't even believe it. None of it seemed real. She didn’t want any of it to be real.
“Wow, I mean, wow.”Mallory said and that was exactly how Laurel had felt, and she was glad that someone else was confused by it as well. How was any of it supposed to be explained?
“Do you believe them?”
“Of course, why would they lie? You should have seen the way that mom acted. She was wailing like I don't even know. It was ridiculous, and I had to get away. Ended up getting worked up and taking a walk. Dad came and got me about an hour ago. He told me about the parts mom couldn't jump in. Sometimes she makes everything a little bit more complicated and I guess it helped a little, to hear his explanation.”
Mallory agreed. “I met your mom a couple of times. She seemed a little high strung.”
