“Thank you so much for coming with me. I have no idea why I’m this nervous,” I admit.
I can’t get my leg to stop bouncing as we wait for them to call me in for my interview. Hopefully this will be the first of many. The person I spoke with from the adoption agency explained this would be an initial interview to go over my application and discuss the process, and if everything goes well, I’ll be approved to move forward with the next steps.
It’s one of my rare no-game days in Chicago, and I’m so grateful that Adrian was able to take a few hours off as well to be here for emotional support. He’s always so calm and steady, and it helps me to be that way as well. I know I’d be ten times worse if he wasn’t here.
“No problem, you know I’m happy to help,” he assures me with a smile. “Plus, I think it’s good to be nervous. That just shows how much you care.” I smile back, and I can feel my heart rate approaching a slightly more normal pace with his assurances. “Not that you have anything to worry about. You’re a great applicant on paper and even more so in person. They’ll see how lucky any kid will be to call you dad.”
“How do you always know exactly what to say to make me feel better?”
“It’s a gift,” he preens, making my smile grow even more.
“Mr.Roy? You can come on in,” a woman, who looks about my age, says, motioning for me to follow her into the office we’ve been waiting outside of.
I stand, and when Adrian doesn’t follow, she turns to me. “Would you like your friend to join us?”
I perk up immediately. “Is that allowed?”
“Of course. If you’d like to, that is. But it could help if you have questions later on to have someone with you who might help you to remember everything we talk about.”
I turn back to Adrian. “Would you mind?”
“Not at all.” He hops out of his seat eagerly. “Can I take notes?”
The woman nods. “Yes, if Hudson is okay with it, that would be great. By the way, my name is Holly.”
“It’s great to meet you.” We all exchange introductions and shake hands before Adrian and I settle in on a couch across from the one Holly is seated at. The whole thing feels far more casual than I was expecting. Between that and having Adrian at my side, my nerves finally turn into excitement. I can’t believe this is finally happening. It all feels so real; I’m going tohopefullybe a dad soon!
Holly offers us a warm smile. “Alright, Hudson, for this initial application interview, we’ll discuss the background information you included in your application, adoption expectations, and the details of the different parts of the adoption process.”
“Okay, that sounds great.” Out of the corner of my eye, I can see that Adrian has already begun taking notes on his phone.
“Do you have any initial questions or concerns before we begin?”
I nod, worried about voicing my fears, but Iknow for this process to work, I need to be open and honest about everything. So I take a deep breath and go for it. “Will it be a problem that I’m a single man wanting to adopt? I know legally there’s nothing against it, but in practice, have you seen that be a barrier?”
Holly gives me a reassuring smile as she shakes her head, and the relief I feel is immediate. “There used to be rules and stigma against single parent adoption, and I won’t lie to you, there might be some expecting women who gloss over a profile because of it, but I’ve seen more and more single parents successfully adopt every year. If there’s no concern about emotional readiness and there’s proof of a strong support network, there’s no reason for concern.”
I let out a huge sigh of relief. “That’s great to hear. I’m really excited about the opportunity to become a father, and I definitely think I have the necessary support.” I can’t help but glance at Adrian as I say that, and he meets my gaze with a soft smile.
“I can see that,” Holly agrees. “Okay, let's start by having you tell me a little bit about why you’d like to adopt.”
“Sure.” I tell her all about how amazing my parents are, about how great my childhood was, and how I’ve always dreamed of passing down the love I grew up with to my own children one day. Then I explain how Adrian helped me realize that I didn’t need to wait to go after what will make me happy, and that led me to look into adoption. Holly nods and hums as I talk, all while maintaining her welcoming expression, so I think things are going well.
“Okay, next we’ll go over your application. You’re in your final year as a professional hockey player, is that correct?”
“Yes. I didn’t want to wait until I was retired to start the application process, because I know it can take a long time, but as soon as the season is over, I’m hoping to dedicate my time to my family.”
She nods. “And will that mean you’ll no longer have any income?”
“I’ve saved and invested a significant portion of my income for my entire career, and I’ve had quite a few endorsement deals and opportunities over the years that have provided income beyond my contract with the team. I’ll continue to have income from some of those investments, combined with what I have saved, it should be more than enough for a comfortable life for me and my family.”
“Okay, great. I do see some information about that here in your application, but you’ll need to submit official proof of all that during the home study process if you proceed.”
“Of course. I’ve already spoken with my financial advisor about having that paperwork ready to share when needed.”
“Wow, you’re prepared,” she says, sounding impressed. Adrian was actually the one who suggested I call and request that my advisor start that process. Adrian really thinks of everything.
“Okay, I know you attended an informational session,” Holly continues, looking back down at the stack of papers in her hand. “You’ve indicated that you’re interested in domestic infant adoption, is that still the case?”
