Dad
~ ~ ~
Andy became her legal guardian and
Carlee moved in with him full-time, no more one weekend a month, and no more shuffling between everyone else. She knew that if Andy traveled and she didn’t go, she would stay with Kimmy or Nanny and Pops. She already had her own room, but now, she finally felt settled, like she belonged somewhere. Not long after he passed away, the house she had shared with her dad was sold and the money added to her trust fund. She and Andy brought pieces of her life together with his. They brought memories, and the ‘stuff’ that made Carlee happy. Andy put things in storage that he thought she would want later. They made it
their
home, not ‘Papa’s house.’
There was also money from the song royalties
in Beth’s estate put aside for her care and needs. Andy and Kimmy had access to it if it was needed, but Andy took on the responsibility for her care and needs.
The two of them were sharing dinner one evening. He didn’t cook often, but that night he made cheese-burgers on the grill. Carlee loved their time together. She was telling him about school that day. He was quiet, and she noticed that it seemed he was somewhere else in his thoughts. That never happened, he listened, but that evening he didn’t return the conversation like he usually did. Finally, he put his fork down, and pushed his plate aside.
Carlee looked up, curio
usly. “Papa is everything alright?” she asked.
“
Yes.” He was quiet for a moment more. “I need to ask you something really important,” he said to her.
“
What?”
“
It’s OK if you don’t want to, and you don’t have to answer right now; you can think about it, but I’d like you to consider it.”
“
OK…?” she replied cautiously, pushing her own plate aside.
“
I don’t have children of my own,” he said.
“
You have me,” she interrupted him, and smiled.
“
That I do,” he said, smiling at her as he said it. “That’s kind of what I want to ask you. Carlee, you are so precious to me. I don’t ever want to take anything away from your dad or his memory, but I want you to know how much I love you.”
“
I do know,” she said, and felt a lump trying to clog her throat; a lump so big it took her breath away.
“
I’ve already talked to Nanny and Pops,” he paused, “I’d like to adopt you, so we’d be an official family. You wouldn’t have to change your name, but I would like you to be my daughter, legally, that way I’ll never have to worry about your future,” he added, and smiled.
She thought a moment. This was big. She was
suddenly very emotional and didn’t want to start crying because she knew if she did it would be a gusher. She pondered her response carefully. Finally, she asked, “Can we have a cake?”
It seemed to change the seriousness of the situation.
“What?” Andy laughed, loving her approach on life. She was smart, but she was a quirky, funny, free spirit, and he loved it.
“
It will be like a birthday, right? We should have a cake.”
On Monday, December 2, 2013, the day after Carlee’s sixteenth birthday, there was a ceremony at the courthouse. Carlee and Andy planned it together. Gathered in the courtroom were all the people they loved. Kimmy, Lane, Jenna and her boyfriend Maxx, Nanny and Pops and all Beth’s brothers and their families were there. Andy’s good friends Roddy Beamer and his partner Vince, Nathan Perry from Traveler, along with his wife Dina, and Marco were there too, as was Adaleigh, at Carlee’s request. Andy and Carlee stood before the judge, Andy holding her hand tightly in his.
“
Carlee Elizabeth Oliver, this gentleman, Mr. Andrew Stevens, informs this court that he asked to adopt you, and you agreed. Is this your decision?” Judge Henry Rhinehold asked her.
“
Yes sir,” she replied as Andy squeezed her hand and smiled down at her.
“
Before you are three candles, the middle candle holds a flame that represents your birth family; your mama, Beth, and your dad, John. This is a time to honor and remember those you are separated from. This is a time to give thanks for the gift of life that they gave to you. It represents the difficulties you’ve endured without them, the sadness over their loss, as well as the courage you needed to move forward,” the judge said.
“
The second candle represents you, Carlee, the child whose life will be joined with the adoptive parent. When I talked with Andy, he told me how much he loves you. He told me that you ‘have enriched and blessed his life beyond words.’ He informed me that you taught him how to love and what it means, how to share, and how to give. He told me that you showed him how to live a life that revolved around someone else, and their needs.”
Carlee wiped her eyes
with a tissue as tears rolled down her cheeks. Andy squeezed her hand as Judge Rhinehold continued.
“
Will you both now take a match, and from the flame of the first, light the flame on the candle to the left.” They each took one of the long match sticks from the table and lit the candle. As they waited, Andy again took Carlee’s hand in his.
“
The last candle represents the parent adopting the child. Andy, it recognizes your commitment to Carlee and her needs. It represents the life you are willing to give to her as her ‘Papa.’ She tells me that you made a home for her; altered your life for her needs. She told me that you support and encourage during difficult times, as well as love and add joy to the good times. And that she loves you, ‘to the moon and back’,” the judge smiled at Carlee’s words. “Will you again take a match and add flame from the first candle to the third.”
When all three candles were lit the judge spoke to the group gathered in the gallery.
“Family and friends, Carlee and Andy, we honor you now as a family,” he said. “Carlee,” he nodded to her.
“
Yes sir,” she said, and took the tissue she had nervously held in her hand, and dabbed the tears from her eyes. She took Andy’s hand again, and looked up at him. “I decided I would like to change my name to, Carlee Elizabeth Oliver-Stevens.”
He didn
’t know of her decision and he hugged her. A tearful round of applause followed.
Later that evening, everyone joined at Giovanna’s for dinner to celebrate the adoption and Carlee’s birthday. There was much chatter around the big table reserved for the occasion. Carlee excused herself to go to the restroom and a moment later Adaleigh entered, as well. Carlee was washing her hands when Adaleigh came to the sink to do the same.
Carlee turned to
her and said, “Can I ask you something?”
“
Sure, you can ask me anything. I have no secrets!” she laughed.
“
I think you do,” Carlee said and Adaleigh looked at her.
“
What do you mean, sweetheart?” she asked and held her breath.
“
I think you and Papa sleep together.”
“
Wow, I didn’t see that coming,” Adaleigh said and paused before she said anything else, but she could see that Carlee was waiting for some kind of response. She blew out a big breath and lifted herself to the counter to sit. “OK, here’s the thing, I will never lie to you. We do sleep together, sometimes.”
“
For a long time,” Carlee said.
“
Yes, neither of us wants a commitment and this just kind of works. We enjoy each other,” she said choosing her words carefully. “We don’t want to be a couple, our lives are too busy, filled with other things and commitments, so ‘sometimes’ is what works. Do you understand that?”
“
I do. I’m sixteen, I know stuff,” Carlee laughed.
“
Are we good?”
“
Do you mean am I OK with you and Papa having sex?”
Adaleigh grinned at her bluntness.
“Yes, that’s what I mean.”
“
Just don’t hurt him. He waited a long time to share any of his time with a woman.”
Adaleigh smiled and thought about the comments made over the years; Carlee
was
wise beyond her years. “I won’t,” she replied.
When they returned to the table,
they were about to have cake and Andy caught Adaleigh’s eye in question. She winked and mouthed the word, ‘later.’
Driving home at the end of the evening, Carlee turned to Andy said, “I had a talk with Adaleigh.”
“
You did,” he smiled. “About what?”
“
You and her sleeping together,” she replied, and Andy almost choked on his own spit.
“
You what?” he asked.
“
I’m not stupid, Papa. I figured it out a long time ago, so I asked her.”
“
Well, why didn’t you ask me first?” he replied.
“
Because I wanted to hear it from her first,” she turned to get a better look at him. His jaw was set and she saw that he was uncomfortable. “Don’t be all mad and stuff. I was gonna ask you too.”
“
I’m never mad at you, Carlee; this is just a surprise to me.”
“
So, are you sleeping with her?”
“
What did she tell you?” he asked cautiously.
“
Oh, no, we aren’t playing it that way,” she said and Andy laughed.
“
Well,” he stammered, “we have. We don’t get together real often, but we do sometimes.”
“
That’s what Adaleigh told me.”
“
Ya know, in the beginning, she wasn’t someone I really even wanted friendship with, but the more she was around, she mellowed out and she was more pleasant…. Working with her we became friends.”
“
And you were lonely?”
“
Kinda, but not really. Lonely means that you’re alone, and I never feel alone. And sometimes lonely means you’re sad, but I’m not sad anymore. I miss your mama,” he said and looked at her, “but my life is full enough that I’m never lonely.”
“
But you need sex… so you became friends with benefits?”
“
Wow, Carlee, I’m having a hard time with this,” he said, noticeably uncomfortable.
“
Because you think I’m still a little girl,” she laughed. “If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s OK, I get it.”
“
No, I think it’s important for us to talk about, I just thought I’d have more time to prepare,” he laughed nervously. “OK, here goes. I missed sex, and Adaleigh and I enjoy each other with no strings, no commitments, and it works.”
“
OK,” she said.
“
That’s it? Just OK.”
“
Yeah, I just wanted you to be honest with me.”
“
I’m sorry I wasn’t honest about it sooner. I keep forgetting that you are growing up, very perceptive, and very smart. But the biggest thing is that we, Adaleigh and I, don’t want anyone else to know. We just want to be,” he paused and used Carlee’s words, “friends with benefits.”
“
OK,” she said once more and it appeared the conversation was over.
After she’d gone to her room, Andy gave Adaleigh a call. “Wow,” he said when she answered.
“
I reckon,” she laughed.
“
I feel like I just got busted by my mom,” he chuckled.
~ ~ ~
A week later, Roddy called. “Hey, I’ve got something you need to think about. I had a call from Franklin Newman; he wants to talk to you about the book.”
Newman
was a well-known movie director, and Andy worked with him in the past, but now he dreaded where the conversation would go. “What’s up?”
“
He’s talking screenplay, wants to talk to you about a movie.”
“
Stall, Roddy. I gotta bring this up to Carlee, it’s her call,” Andy replied. “I’ll get back to you.”
After he hung up, Andy headed to the kitchen.
He dragged his hand through his hair and puffed out a big breath. She was sitting at the kitchen table doing homework, and he grabbed a soda from the fridge. “Want one?”
“
Sure,” she replied, and he joined her at the table. “What’s up?” she asked, knowing that look on his face.
“
Roddy just called, there’s a movie producer who wants to talk to us about the book.
“
Oh, Papa, really?”
He couldn
’t tell for sure, by her tone, if it was a good response or one of dread. “Mmm hmm, I told Roddy it was your call and I needed to sit down and discuss it with you before I called the guy back.”
“
He wants to do a movie?” she asked.