Live For the Sake Of Living

"So how'd it go between you and your mom... I mean, Meredith?" Rhiannon asked, correcting herself before I did it for her.

"Well, not as well as I'd hoped," I mumbled, picking at my lunch I'd finally been able to start going back to school; it had been two weeks since the incident with my mother. I still had the cast on my leg, so I still needed to use crutches, but thankfully Rhiannon was able to carry my things to class for me.

"Did she not sign the papers?"

"No, she did. She didn't want to at first and refused, but changed her mind when she realized that no matter how much she said she needed me, I wasn't going to stay with her. She really opened up my eyes though," I said, and took a bite of my roast beef sandwich.

"How?" Rhiannon asked.

"Well, for one, I found out that she's actually a druggie, and has been since high school. Let me tell you, she did a good job hiding it all from me. And then she told me she's known ever since she was pregnant with me that Brian wasn't my father."

"Who is it then? Does she know?"

"Yeah. She won't tell us though. And she got HIV before she'd even started dating Dad. He was so pissed off because she never told him and they fooled around a lot, so he could have it. Michelle and Jack, too. So we're waiting on the results to come in because they all got tested a couple days ago after we found out."

Rhiannon looked shocked, her mouth hanging open. "How could she do that? She should have told Brian she was a nasty disease-infested whore before he fucked her. She deserves to rot in Hell."

Br> Rhiannon smiled. "I can tell... Ever since you got clean and got closer to Brian you've been all smiley and stuff. I'm happy for you."

I was beaming. I was happy with Brian, Michelle, and little Jackie. I was upset I hadn't found them sooner, because I'd have never gotten to the low point in my life if I'd moved in with them a year or so before I did. But, then again, I might not be as strong of a person if none of that had ever happened to me.

I waited outside the school in the chilly California winter air, wearing only a hoodie as I waited for either Dad or Michelle to come get me. Considering the fact that my car had been totaled and completely destroyed, I didn't have one to drive places and had to get driven places. And, after I got my cast off, would have to walk places. But considering what had happened, I didn't think I'd be getting behind the wheel of another car for awhile. Traumatic experiences will do that to you. Sure, eventually I might get over it and drive again, but I'd leave the driving to everyone else for now.

I saw a familiar black car pull up to the front of the school where I was waiting. It was Michelle, and I opened the back door on my side to throw my crutches in, and then got in the passenger seat.

"How was your day?" Michelle asked as she drove out of the parking lot.

"It was good. To tell the truth... I actually kinda missed school."

Michelle glanced at me for a moment before turning her eyes back to the road. "Odd teenagers," she mumbled, which prompted a smile to my face and she laughed. "I'm glad you're getting things back in order. No one bugging you?"

"Nope. Everyone ignores me which is better than the rumors, so I'm okay with that," I said, shrugging as I gazed at the road before us.

"So... The adoption papers went through. We got a letter in the mail from the office we went through the process with. You're officially ours now," Michelle smiled. A grin swept across my lips, and after that there was silence.

This was my family. Just thinking about it made my smile grow until my cheeks started to hurt.

"Michelle?" I asked after the bout of silence had carried on for a couple minutes.

"Hmm?"

"Well, I dunno if this will make you uncomfortable or anything... But I was wondering," I said, pausing as I messed with the seatbelt in my hands, "if it would be okay to call you Mom."

Michelle looked taken aback for a moment, shock written on her face. "Well... That won't make you feel awkward, will it? I mean... you certainly don't have to call me Mom...," she said, stuttering a little here and there.

"I don't think it'd be weird. Meredith is dead to me..." I mumbled. I took a fleeting glance over at Michelle next to me. A smile slowly grew to her lips.

"Yeah you can call me Mom," she said, seeming almost bashful but smiling nonetheless.

I smiled to myself, settling back into my seat the rest of the way home.

Dad. Mom. Brother.

Family.

When we got home, Brian was sitting at the table with the mail out in front of him. He looked over to us as we walked in with a little smile on his face.

"And what are you so smiley about?" Michelle asked as she walked over to him. He slipped his arm around her waist and looked up at her and then over to me.

"Just... Cuz of the adoption papers is all," Brian said, and he looked very happy. I smiled and came over to the table, sitting across from my dad. I glanced over at Michelle when I saw her reach out to the table.

"...This is from the hospital..." She said and it seemed as though her high spirits had fallen. "...You didn't open it?"

"No, I was waiting for you guys to get home. I'm kinda scared to," Brian sighed, and I could see that his hand was shaking.

"Well, I'll open it then," Michelle offered. He nodded and handed the envelope to her. She took a seat in his lap, and Brian securely placed his arms around her. He took a deep breath as she started to tear open the paper envelope. When she had the results from the hospital in her hand, I watched as Brian read over her shoulder. It was a very important day; today they would be finding out if Brian, Michelle, or Jack had been infected with HIV. This was huge.

I watched the looks on both their faces as their eyes scanned the document. A smile broke out on Michelle's face and she wrapped her arms around Brian's neck, the letter still clutched in her hand.

"I take it that's good..." I said, smiling as well.

"Yes. We're all clean. All three of us," my dad said, the smile back on his face.

"That's great your guys," I said. "So, I gotta go up and do homework now, I'll catch you guys later." With that, I headed toward the stairs on my crutches but then stopped and turned back to them. "Mom, what's for dinner tonight?" I asked.

Brian looked confused for a moment, Michelle just smiled. "I'm gonna get Chinese takeout later. What do you want?"

"Sesame chicken, pork fried rice, and an egg roll."

"Okay," she replied, and then I turned to the stairs again. As I made my way slowly up them, I heard Brian's voice.

"....Did she just call you Mom?"

Michelle chuckled. "Yes, she did. She asked today if she could. I thought it was pretty cool."

"Well, good. We're one step closer to being a complete family. Now all we've gotta do is get married."

I smiled at that, and continued up the rest of the stairs to my room.