The Best of Fools (Jane Austen Book 2) (3 page)

Oh. My. Delights.

The ice cream melting in my mouth and running down my fingers could not have been more amazing. I mean, imagine the deepest, richest, creamiest chocolate you've ever had in your life, times that by, oh, about seventy million, then top it off with swirls of crispy caramel bits. Heavenly delightful mess.

"I have never in my life seen a girl your age eat ice cream like a two-year-old," Donovan licked the peach ice cream as it dripped down his pretzel cone. "And I mean that as a compliment."

I smiled and licked my fingers. "So. Good. How's yours?"

"I'm guessing not as good as yours." He handed me a napkin. "So, I've been thinking."

"Ladies and gents, he's been thinking!" I held my finger in the air and laughed.

"It's miraculous, I know." He shoved my finger back to the table. "How about we take a road trip this summer? I was thinking, if you're up for it, we could try to meet your, um, your biological mother." He crunched into his cone and watched me for a response, but I didn't give one. "So...?"

"I don't know, Don. Really? Is that a good idea?"

"Why not? You obviously still think about it. I don't know what you're thinking or feeling, but you have to be curious. It couldn't hurt, could it?"

I wiped my face. "That's just the thing ... it could hurt a lot."

"It could." He crunched again. "But it also could hurt to never try."

"Ladies and gents." I held up my finger. "He has a point!"

He laughed. "You and that finger pointing."

I finished the last of my waffle cone and wiped my face. "Did I get it all off?"

He shook his head and dabbed my chin with his napkin. "There."

"How would we find her anyway?"

"Well, you probably need to ask your parents what her name was. From there it should be easy, especially if they know which state she lives in."

"I can't ask my parents. No way."

"How else will you find her name?"

"I won't." I picked apart a sugar packet. "My parents have never talked to me about her. There's no way I'm bringing it up."

"Never?"

"Never."

"How'd you find out?"

"Overheard them talking one night when they thought I was sleeping."

"But the picture...."

"Found it in a box in the basement that was stuffed with baby clothes and toys. I'm not even sure it's her, but I look a lot like her so I just assumed. Kept it tucked away in my room for years after that. At first I hid it under a corner where the carpet came up from the floor a little. When I got older I wanted to stop obsessing over it, so I buried it in that box."

"And then tried to dig up the entire woods in an effort to find it again?"

"Thanks." I laughed. "I guess there's still a part of me that wants to know. It's weird."

"Normal."

"Find a date to prom?"

"I think I'm going to stay home. What's the point?"

"Don't say that around Autumn."

"Yeah, she's freakishly into the whole thing."

"She has more friends than we do. Probably counts for something."

"Hey, speak for yourself. I have plenty of friends."

Donovan offered to come over on Saturday to be there when I asked my parents about ... my parents, but I told him I'd rather be alone. So alone I was, and kinda regretting it, as I approached Mom in the kitchen. She finished drying a dish with a towel, set it in the cabinet, and turned to me. With that look.

"How do you always know when something's wrong?" I tried to smile.

"I wouldn't say that," she said. "Something isn't wrong right now, it's just not right."

"Yes, and it's even weirder that you know that."

"Mother's intuition, I guess." She put her arm around me and led me to the table.

I sat. She sat next to me. And she waited.

Mother's
intuition.

I cleared my throat. "Um...."

"What's bothering you, Jane?"

I slid the picture on to the table because I had no words to give. She touched it with the tip of her fingers, held my knee with her other hand, and looked at me. I stared at the table, but she pulled my chin up and forced me to look at her as her eyes reddened and tears pooled near her lashes. She blinked and one fell.

"I didn't mean to upset you. I found this a long time ago after I heard you and Dad talking about her."

She covered her mouth with her hand and leaned into it.

I squeezed my eyes shut and sighed. "I'm sorry. I should've left it alone."

"No, honey." She took my hand. "You have every right to ask and to know."

"Why didn't you guys tell me before then?"

"It's ... complicated. There's a lot to it and we wanted you to be old enough, but then time slipped through our fingers and I never knew what to say or how to say it."

"So, you're not my mom?"

Her shoulders lurched forward and she let out a soft whimper.

"I mean...." What did I mean?

I put my hand on her shoulder and she covered it with her own. Dad walked in, contorted his eyebrows, then caught the photo on the table. He knelt down between us, one hand on my back, the other on Mom's thigh. Mom stared at him while sucking in her lips. I stared at both of them. Dad nodded his head and stared at the floor.

Can we say awkward?

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean to start something. I just wanted to know the truth about myself."

"The truth is you're our daughter. I've never thought any differently about it."

"But why was I adopted? Who was she?"

Mom squeezed my hand. "Honey, I know it's going to eat away at you until you know the details, but it's complicated. We don't know where she went."

"Why did you adopt me? Is Eddie adopted too? Can you have kids?"

Dad finally stood, then leaned against the kitchen counter. "We adopted you unexpectedly. The opportunity arose and we felt the need to take it, but yes, we can have children and Eddie is our biological child."

"So it's just me then."

"It's not just you," Dad said. "It's all four of us. We're a family, Jane. Whether or not you came out of Mom's womb or another woman's doesn't change the fact that she's your mother and I'm your father. Eddie is your brother. We're a family. There's more to it than blood."

"What's her name?"

Mom handed me the picture. "Her name is Julia. The last we knew she was living in Boston."

"How old is she?"

"Younger than us."

"Who's my da—I mean, who's my biological father?"

"We don't know."

I looked at Dad. He shook his head and shrugged.

"Does Julia even know the father?"

"I believe she does," Mom said, then pulled me into a hug. "I understand your need for answers and I'm here if you need anything."

"Does Eddie know?"

"No. We thought it would be best if you talked to him whenever you found out."

I pulled away from her hug. "You could've told me. Earlier, I mean. You know, save me from the emotional breakdown that happens when you find out you aren't who you think you are."

Dad laughed. "You always have been one to exaggerate. Even when you were a toddler."

"I'm serious. Not about the emotional breakdown, but I don't know who I am anymore."

"This doesn't change who you are, honey," Mom said. "Or who we are."

I knew that, in essence. My mind totally understood what she meant, but still. My heart couldn't come to terms with it. Was I always Jane Austen? Or did my parents change my name? Does my anti-sensationalism thing come from my other mom, since it obviously didn't come from my parents?

I wanted to know.

I excused myself from the table. As I started up the stairs I stopped and heard Mom say, "See."

See what? I wondered.

I sent a quick text to Donovan, asking him if he liked Boston. He shot a response back within seconds,
Boston it is!

I held the railing as I walked down the stairs. One of those typical prom moments, except I was walking down to Autumn who stood by the couch looking amazing. Then he appeared with a smile on his face, wearing a dirty Adidas t-shirt and shorts with holes in them.

I was most definitely not going to blush.

"Look at you," Donovan said. "Blushing and everything."

I touched my face as I stepped off the stairs and he pulled me into a hug. "You look incredible."

"So do you. Even a little sweat to compliment the outfit." I laughed. "And Autumn. Wow!"

She spun in a circle and Eddie's jaw pretty much attached itself to the floor. I walked over and lifted it back to his other lip. "Better watch that thing. Someone might trip."

Mom wrapped her arms around me and sniffed.

"Oh, no, not again," I teased, then turned to hug her. "No crying. It's just a dance."

"Soon you'll be married and have children and I'm just going to miss all of this." She held my shoulders and moved one of my stray hairs back into place. "You look beautiful."

Someone tapped my shoulder. I turned to Dad's glowing face. He pulled me into him and held me there longer than the others, then whispered, "I'm so proud of you. You look so pretty, darling, but what I'm more proud of is the beautiful woman you've become. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter."

"Thanks, Dad."

Mom took a few pictures of Autumn and I together by the fireplace mantle, then outside by the garden.

"Can I jump in?" Donovan asked. "I didn't get dressed up for nothing."

He stood between Autumn and I for a few pictures, then asked for a few with just me.

"Remember homecoming?" he said.

"Yeah. When you talked me into taking pictures with you on my back."

"Wanna try that now?"

"No. You'll break me in half now."

He laughed. "How about you jump on my back?"

"Are you guys done?" Mom said.

"One more, Mrs. Austen." He turned his back to me. "Come on. For the sake of old times and good memories."

"I'm in a dress."

"Oh, come on." He pretended to whine. "It won't hurt anything."

"Fine." I placed my hands on his shoulders and jumped up. He grabbed my legs and .... RIP!

"Donovan!" I yelled and slapped his shoulder. "I told you!"

He lowered me back to the ground.

"Um...." Autumn said. "Your dress is completely exposing your naughties now."

Donovan laughed. "Naughties?"

"Guys!" I snapped. "This isn't funny. I have nothing else to wear and I spent so much time working on this dress."

"Don't you have something somewhere?" Autumn whined. "We need to leave within thirty minutes or we'll be late. Can you fix it real quick on your sewing machine?"

"Seriously, Donovan. I told you!"

He looked at the back of my dress. "It's not that bad."

Mom put her arm around me. "Donovan, it's not gentlemanly to look."

Could this get any worse?
"Okay. I'm going to try to fix this."

"Just put on something casual and I'll go with you like this."

Autumn laughed. "I'd love to see that."

"Then you won't have a date," I said.

"Nope, I'll have two dates."

Mom walked back inside.

"Come on," Donovan said. "We can be the weirdos of senior prom."

"Just what I always wanted, but you don't have a ticket."

"Yeah I do. I can get it before we go. I got two to have an extra if I found a date."

"You couldn't find a date?" Autumn said. "Why not?"

"Guess I forgot about it."

"What would you have me wear?" I said. "If I decide to be weird with you, that is."

"How about I wear the dress and you wear my clothes?"

"No way. Next choice."

"Okay. Let's dress like homeless people."

I laughed.

"Now, get your naughties in there and change before the wind gets frisky on you." He pushed me toward the door. "I'll go get ready too and be back to pick you ladies up within ten minutes."

"Well," Autumn said, "Things are always unusual when you two are involved."

Donovan drove to the beautiful hotel in downtown Philly and pulled up in front near the valet parking sign. Autumn stepped out first and Donovan and I just looked at each other. Smile on his face, nervous twitch on mine. What was I
thinking
? It wasn't too late to turn around and go back home.