Chapter 4 #2
Jessica interrupted. “Let me, Todd.” She took Ashley’s hand. “I tried for five years.” She paused. Ashley knew what was coming next but didn’t flinch. She had to hear it from her mother.
“After several miscarriages the doctors told me that another one could cost me my life.”
Ashley gasped and squeezed her mother’s fingers. “That’s when you decided to adopt,” she said, matter-of-factly.
Jessica and Todd both froze.
“It’s okay. I kind of knew.”
“But how?” Jessica was stunned.
“Back at Swarthmore a few of my friends and I decided to do a DNA search. We wanted to be sure we weren’t dating a relative.
” Ashley chuckled but grew serious when she saw how shaken her mother was.
“I thought it was a mistake.” Ashley paused.
“Then I ordered another test but I never read the results. It didn’t matter. You are my parents.”
Jessica burst into tears. Ashley got out of her seat and held her mother. Her father was silent but got up to put his hand on Ashley’s shoulder.
Jessica finally pulled herself together and stroked Ashley’s face. “You have always been my daughter, and always will be.”
Todd decided it was time to add to the conversation. “You have always been my daughter too, regardless of where you came from.” He glanced over at Jessica, who nodded for him to continue. “It so happens you came from England.”
Ashley laughed out loud. “Well, the DNA results said my geographical lineage was connected to Britain and the northern coasts of Europe.”
“This is quite remarkable.” Jessica finally regained her composure.
“It really is,” Ashley agreed. “Well, I guess we got that out of the way.” She giggled. “Can we discuss my future now that we have unearthed the past? And please promise, no more secrets?”
“Absolutely! Tell us more!” Todd urged.
Ashley gave them as much information as she could. “I have to fly over in early September for an orientation, and to find a flat.”
“Listen to you calling it a ‘flat,’” Todd teased.
“They said to plan on spending four days there, and then I report to work the first week of January.”
“Honey, this is exciting. We shall have an internationally acclaimed professor in the family.”
“Let’s not rush things,” Ashley said. “And I think I do want to know more about my adoption … if that’s okay with you.”
Jessica took Ashley’s hand again. “Darling, I cannot tell you how many times we wanted to let you know, but we didn’t want you to ever feel that you were unwanted.”
“I never felt that way,” Ashley protested.
“No, I mean from your birth mother and father.”
“Do you know who they are?” Ashley asked.
“We have some information from the adoption papers, but we never communicated with them after you were brought over here.”
Ashley looked pensive. The wheels in her head were turning. Maybe she should try to find her birth mother when she was in England.
“You want to find her, don’t you?” It was as if Jessica was reading her mind.
Ashley grimaced. “Yes, and no. Let me think about it. There’s a lot to sort out now.”
Jessica had a few simple words of comfort. “Ashley, it’s about the family you make. I hope we’ve made a good one.”
Ashley’s eyes watered up again. “I couldn’t have asked for a better one.”
The tension in the room faded with Jessica’s words of wisdom.
Everyone helped clear the table and finish the dishes.
Todd excused himself for a moment, then returned with a key lime pie.
“I couldn’t resist. A woman in Myrtle Beach is known for making these.
She has her son drive up from Florida twice a month with authentic key limes. ”
“Looks yummy!” Ashley said.
During dessert, Jessica made a surprising suggestion: “Let’s take the journey to England together and spend part of the holidays in London.
We can browse the dozens of Christmas markets, the ice-skating rinks, see the festive decorations and the iconic, captivating Christmas lights along Oxford Street. ”
Ashley’s face lit up. “You’d do that?”
“Of course. I would like to find the woman and thank her for bringing you into the world and into our lives.” Jessica didn’t say so, but she also wanted to be there for Ashley to support her whether the meeting went well or badly … or didn’t happen at all.
“Then it’s settled. We shall spend Christmas across the pond.” Ashley looked at her father. “You’ll come too, right?”
“I’d hate to miss the holidays with you, but I think this is a journey only a mother and daughter should share. You can fill me in on the details.”
“So, what will you do for the holidays?” Jessica asked.
Todd’s face turned red. He cleared his throat. “I’ve been keeping this under my hat. I wasn’t sure where it was going.”
“What? Going where?” Ashley pressed.
“I’ve been seeing someone. From time to time.”
“Who?” Ashley asked with wide eyes.
“I’m a bit embarrassed to say.”
“Oh, don’t you dare!” Ashley protested.
“After we dropped you off at Dartmouth”—he hesitated—“Mrs. Kim and I kept in touch.”
“Wait! What? This has been going on for four years?” Ashley was baffled.
“No, not four years. Remember when we came up after you got your master’s? Well, Ari and I started chatting and she gave me her contact information, to reach out if I was ever planning on going to Upstate New York.”
“And?” Ashley and Jessica got uncomfortably close to his face.
“It was almost a year later, and I was driving to the Finger Lakes. Her card was in the glove box, so I called her.”
“And?” Ashley and Jessica were not going to let him off the hook.
“And we visited a couple of wineries.”
“And?”
“And nothing. We’ve met up a few times. Nothing serious, but we like each other. And she happens to like camping.”
“Wow. Two shockers in, what, two hours? Please tell me there is nothing else that needs to be revealed.” Ashley placed her hands in prayer position. “Does Mi Cha know?”
“That I’m not sure of.”
Jessica was smiling ear to ear. “Todd Chapman, you scallywag.”
“Excuse me, but it’s been on the up-and-up. Platonic. Someone to see the sights with. That’s why it’s lasted this long.” He chuckled. “We don’t see each other very often. She’s a friend.”
“So then why haven’t you mentioned it?” Jessica asked slyly.
“Because I never knew if I was going to see her again. I’d send a text when I was within a hundred miles and ask if she wanted to see the foliage. Go to a vineyard. That sort of thing.”
“So, it’s not a ‘relationship’?” Ashley used air quotes.
“It’s a friendship.”
“I can’t wait to tell Mi Cha!” Ashley yipped.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Todd said. “I don’t know how Ari feels about it.”
“You haven’t discussed it?”
“No. Seriously. We talk about our kids, but we don’t drill down to ‘have you said anything?’ There’s been no reason to.”
“Yes, but if it isn’t a big deal, then why haven’t you mentioned it?”
“Because I didn’t want to be drilled like I am now. Okay?” Todd was beginning to sound defensive.
Ashley put her arm around his shoulder. “I’m just teasing you, Pop. Whatever makes you happy.” She turned to her mother. “You too.” She paused, then said, “Is there anything that you’ve been keeping on the down-low?”
Jessica threw up her hands. “Absolutely not. But I am taking salsa lessons!” She wrapped one arm around her waist and lifted the other in the air and showed them a few steps.
“Incredible!” Ashley exclaimed. “When did you start?”
“A few months ago. I thought it would help blow off some steam.” She rolled her eyes. “Politics in education. It’s much worse at my level. Not only do I have teachers on my back, but the students, and don’t get me started with parents. I swear most of the mothers are ‘Karens.’” She laughed.
Ashley looked at her mother and then back at her father. “Anything else you two hooligans want to share?”
Todd shrugged. “Nope. That’s it for me.”
“Me too,” Jessica added.
“Alright then. Time to make some plans.”
During the next few weeks Jessica went through all of her legal documents and found the adoption papers. There were two names on the forms: Henry Evans and Kathleen Evans. Last known address was in Manchester, England. It was a start.