Chapter 14

                                    

                                          
Throughout the rest of the morning, I can't stop thinking about what Mr. Greene said in response to my answers to his questions. I'm glad they're not going to try and stop me from leaving their home when I turn eighteen, nor stop me from adopting Andrew. I figured there would have been some resistance from them, but I'll take how they're reacting. I'll admit that things are a little awkward between Mrs. Greene and me, but this doesn't surprise me though because I'm leaving their home before graduating from high school, and moving back into my parents home, and adopting a child, and taking on very adult responsibilities before she believes I should.
"You're stupid for moving out and adopting a kid when you turn eighteen," Kerrie states over dinner, and I glare at her across the table. 
The thin hold I've had on my temper with her snaps; "And you need to mind your own fucking business, and not mine. When it's my birthday, I'll be out of your hair, and Andrew and I will have a home to move into, we can continue with school, and I won't have to worry about money for us for a long time. How is this stupid? Please enlighten me?" 
Everyone is silent as they stare wide eyed at me, and Kerrie meekly answers; "No man is gonna want to date you if you have a child already. Have you thought of that, huh?" 
"Why would I want a relationship with a man, or friendships with anyone for that matter, if they cannot accept that I have a child, who lost his parents like I did, and that I love Andrew like he's my son? I wouldn't want anyone like that because if they can't love Andrew like a son or little brother, then I don't want anything to do with them," I grit back, keeping eye contact with her. "You've been here while foster kids have come through, and yet you don't grasp the pain, heartbreak, anger, and sadness that these people have felt. You're blessed to have a loving family that aren't druggies, alcoholics, abusers, murderers, psychopaths or murdered parents, and I'm glad you've never had to experience the loss of your family, and I hope you never have to experience this type of horror. I've witnessed my parents being murdered in front of me, and I almost met that same fate the day they died." 
Standing from the chair, I pull my t-shirt off my body, and show her my full scar because I know they've seen parts of it, wanted to ask about it, but never did. 
"This is a physical reminder that I wear and see every day of what I've lost, and can never get back, and it doesn't even begin to match the mental or emotional trauma that I deal with daily, and I want to give Andrew that was taken from both of us well before we had the proper time and love from our parents," I murmur, pulling my shirt back on, and sitting back down at the chair. "I love Andrew like he's my own little brother, and I can't imagine not adopting him, and being there for however long he'll let me. If this makes me stupid, then I'm stupid, and I'll be stupid until the day I die." 
Deciding that I'm no longer hungry, I excuse myself from the table, and head outside. Deciding to stay on their property, I plop myself down on the steps that lead to the front door, and lean forward on my arms that are resting on my thighs. I'm left alone for about fifteen minutes before the door behind me is opened, someone stepping onto the step behind me, and shutting the door. 
Before I can turn around to face whoever has joined me, they sit on the step behind me, their legs on either side of me, and their chest pressing into my back. Logan wraps his arms tightly around my chest, caging me with his body. We sit in silence for several minutes, and I'm finally relaxing against him, his body emitting warmth, and much to my shock, safety. 
Laying my head back against his chest with a soft sigh, mumbling; "I guess I need to apologize to them after apologizing to you for my outburst." 
Logan softly tightens his hold on me, his mouth next to my right ear, murmuring; "I don't need an apology from you. I don't feel that you have anything to apologize for because everything you said is true, and Kerrie was insensitive to your wants, your desires, your course in life. She was wrong for calling you stupid because you're far from stupid, Liam. You want to make sure that Andrew is adopted by someone who loves and cares for him as much as you. I can assure you that you don't need to apologize to any of them inside the house either."
"I appreciate you saying all that, but I should apologize for my outburst, even if they don't believe it's needed," I sigh, trying to stand up, but Logan doesn't permit this. 
"Just relax for a few more minutes, then you can go do this," he mumbles, his mouth near my ear again, and this time I shiver from his warm breath causing goosebumps over my skin. 
Relaxing back into his body, Logan keeps me wrapped up within his body, and we just silently watch the traffic drive by on the road in front of us. We stay like this for a while before we reluctantly decide to head inside the house, and they're still in the kitchen which is cleaned of any evidence of dinner. Kerrie is leaning back against the corner of the counter by the coffee maker with her arms crossed over her stomach, and she looks like she's been crying. Mr. and Mrs. Greene are leaning on the opposite counter from her, and Kyler is sitting on the counter near his sister. 
"I'm sorry for losing my temper, and I should have just kept my mouth shut instead of reacting," I say with more confidence than I'm feeling despite Logan's close proximity, and feeling safe with him near me. "I'll do better at keeping my temper in check."