I'm the Last One That You'll Ever Remember
Chapter 48: Adopt
The big family talk began the moment the Iero came home from the hospital, and not even within two seconds into the conversation, Uncle Peter and Aunt Edith barged through the front door with the spare key Margo had given them that morning in search of their pregnant nephew. “Frankie! Frankie dear, where are you?”
The trio were startled at first when they heard someone calling Frankie’s name from the front door, but then they all recalled the shrill voice as belonging to Aunt Edith. Frank Sr. and his son shared an eye roll and a chuckle at their ridiculously nosy relatives. Margo blushed in embarrassment before excusing herself, and hurrying out of the room. “Edith, is that you? What are you doing here!? Did you seriously just let yourself into my house without notifying me first! What on earth is wrong with you?”
“Never mind that, Margo! Was that voicemail you left me true? Did Frankie really back out of the abortion before it was too late?” Edith demanded to know with a sparkle of hope in her eyes.
Margo let out a sigh, and glared at her sister in disapproval over her breaking and entering into her home. “Yes, he didn’t go through with the abortion. The twins are still there.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Edith let out a giggle of joy as she clasped onto her husband’s hand and beamed up at him.
“I suppose. Well since you’re already here, would you two like to join us? We’re having a discussion in the living room about Frankie’s plans now that he refuses to go through with the abortion operation.”
“We’d love to, thank you Margo.” Peter thanked her graciously as she led them into the living room to join the others. Frank and his father stood up and greeted the couple before they all sat down around the coffee table.
“Oh Frankie, we’re so glad you didn’t go through with your decision.” Edith said proudly. “We know you didn’t want these children before your operation, but we’re glad that you decided keep them in the end.”
“We truly are.” Peter seconded with a jolly smile on his face.
Frank frowned in confusion at the both of them. “Wait, what? I never said that I wanted to keep these kids. You two must have misunderstood the situation, because I don’t intend to keep them.”
Edith and Peter were both taken aback for a moment as their eyes trailed over to Margo and Frank Sr. questionably, but the couple were both watching the scene unfold from the loveseat they shared together. Peter looked back at Frank, perplexed as to why he refused getting an abortion at the last minute if his reason wasn’t to keep the twins. “You don’t intend to keep the twins? Then why didn’t you go through with the abortion? Why didn’t you do it, Frankie-boy?”
Frank sighed and ran an anxious hand through his hair. “I-I wanted to go through with it, Uncle Peter. I just…I’d been having doubts, and I guess those doubts manifested themselves into a panic attack or something. The next thing I knew I was freaking out on the table, and when dad finally got me calmed down enough, I realized that I couldn’t go through with it a second time. I can’t do it. I can’t kill them, but that doesn’t mean I want to keep them either!”
“You didn’t want to kill them, but you also don’t want to keep them?” Edith repeated to herself before looking at her sister. “Then that means only one thing, doesn’t it?”
Margo sent her a nod before glancing at her pale and slightly frazzled son. “Pumpkin, the only options for you right now is to carry these children full term until it’s time to deliver.”
“Deliver!? How the hell am I gonna deliver two kids into this world without a vagina!?” Frank cried out in panic. Without a female genitalia, where else would the fetuses come out of, his pee hole? The thought had Frank’s stomach churning once again. He placed his hand over his small bump and began to gently rub it to help calm his uneasy stomach.
Frank Sr. chuckled, and shook his head. “You won’t need a vagina, son, just another C-section.”
Frank let out a sigh of relief before his Uncle Peter spoke up. “Wait, no one has mentioned what would happen to these babies after the delivery. I mean, are you thinking of throwing them into foster care?”
“Oh, those places are horrible for children.” Edith scoffed disapprovingly. “Frankie honey, please don’t tell me you’re seriously considering it!”
“We’ve actually hadn’t had a chance to discuss that part yet.” Margo assured her sister before glancing at her son. “Frankie, did you have a plan for the babies after they’re born?”
Frank opened his mouth before closing it in thought. He hadn’t given that idea much thought since he had a panic attack in the hospital. All he cared about at that time was returning to the safety of his home with his parents, and now that that nightmare was finally over, he didn’t know what other option to choose from other than adoption. “I guess adoption is my only option at this point, right?”
His father nodded. “If you don’t plan on keeping them then yes, adoption is your only option. Do you plan on having any form of involvement or contact with them once they have a new family?”
Frank sneered in distaste. “No, of course not! I don’t want anything to do with them. They go their way, I go mine, and our paths will never ever meet again.”
Edith didn’t like his response, and scowled at him for it. “Frankie, this isn’t right! Can’t you see that?”
“But I don’t want to keep them!” Frank reiterated. “I mean, they deserve parents that care enough to raise them for the next 18 years and that’s just not me.”
“They don’t need any other parent, but you! You’re their mother!” Peter disagreed, siding with his wife.
“I’m their NOTHING! I’m their stupid carrier that’ll protect them for the next 8-9 months, but that’s it!” Frank snapped, his cheeks becoming rosy from his rising emotions.
“Alright, everyone calm down! We’re not gonna sit here and fight about this. If Frankie doesn’t wish to keep them, then we need to respect that.” Margo asserted with her hands raised.
Edith shook her head as she mentally decided to trust her instincts instead of letting the conversation to go on any longer. “No, I have one better for you.” She nodded her head to Peter and flashed him a smile before returning her eyes to her nephew. “We’ll adopt them.”
Everyone’s eyes widened on the couple like they just sprouted wings from their ears. They couldn’t believe it. Had Uncle Peter and Aunt Edith agreed to adopting their grandnephews or nieces? Frank was too speechless to say anything too, so his father spoke up for him. “Are you serious about this, Edith? Do you really want to adopt these babies, knowing the evil of where they came from?”
Edith was starting to feel doubtful underneath everyone’s stare that was until her husband took her hand in support and gave them their answer for her. “Yes, we’ll adopt the twins and raise them as if they were our very own.”
“I can’t believe this.” Margo mumbled beneath her breathe as she walked over to the decanter and poured herself a drink. This entire discussion over her future grandchildren/soon-to-be nieces and nephews was giving her a headache.
Frank hadn’t said a word yet, in fact, when they announced their offer to adopt his unwanted children, his hands came up to possessively hold his slight bump to himself at the same time his heart dropped in his chest. He was confused as to why his body was reacting this way when out of a group of strangers, his Uncle Peter and Aunt Edith would be the best bet to raise his unwanted children. Yet and still, that didn’t make him feel any better. “Y-You want them?”
They simultaneously nodded together, their eyes shining with confidence and hope. “Yes, we do. If it’s alright with you, of course!”
Biting his lip nervously, Frank urged himself to not think it over and quickly accept the deal before they changed their minds. “Y-Yeah sure, of course I wouldn’t mind.”
The couple let out a laugh of victory before they turned to each other and enveloped themselves into a joyous hug that only irritated Frank. “But I don’t want them to know about me, in terms of me being their surrogate! I’m fine with being introduced as their Uncle, better that than their former parent.”
The couple looked to Frank to give him a nod of confirmation. “We understand.”
Frank watched them get up to gather his parents into a hug and receive congratulations on becoming parents once again. He didn’t know why, but watching their happy display only made him feel like they were trying to rub it in that they were going to be the parents of his children and not him. It got to him, as much as he didn’t want it to. Tears were pooling into his eyes at the same time his fingers started to curl into tight jealous fists. Biting back his desire to cause an emotional scene, Frank slipped out of the living room to run up into his room and shut himself and his babies away from the outside world.
The trio were startled at first when they heard someone calling Frankie’s name from the front door, but then they all recalled the shrill voice as belonging to Aunt Edith. Frank Sr. and his son shared an eye roll and a chuckle at their ridiculously nosy relatives. Margo blushed in embarrassment before excusing herself, and hurrying out of the room. “Edith, is that you? What are you doing here!? Did you seriously just let yourself into my house without notifying me first! What on earth is wrong with you?”
“Never mind that, Margo! Was that voicemail you left me true? Did Frankie really back out of the abortion before it was too late?” Edith demanded to know with a sparkle of hope in her eyes.
Margo let out a sigh, and glared at her sister in disapproval over her breaking and entering into her home. “Yes, he didn’t go through with the abortion. The twins are still there.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Edith let out a giggle of joy as she clasped onto her husband’s hand and beamed up at him.
“I suppose. Well since you’re already here, would you two like to join us? We’re having a discussion in the living room about Frankie’s plans now that he refuses to go through with the abortion operation.”
“We’d love to, thank you Margo.” Peter thanked her graciously as she led them into the living room to join the others. Frank and his father stood up and greeted the couple before they all sat down around the coffee table.
“Oh Frankie, we’re so glad you didn’t go through with your decision.” Edith said proudly. “We know you didn’t want these children before your operation, but we’re glad that you decided keep them in the end.”
“We truly are.” Peter seconded with a jolly smile on his face.
Frank frowned in confusion at the both of them. “Wait, what? I never said that I wanted to keep these kids. You two must have misunderstood the situation, because I don’t intend to keep them.”
Edith and Peter were both taken aback for a moment as their eyes trailed over to Margo and Frank Sr. questionably, but the couple were both watching the scene unfold from the loveseat they shared together. Peter looked back at Frank, perplexed as to why he refused getting an abortion at the last minute if his reason wasn’t to keep the twins. “You don’t intend to keep the twins? Then why didn’t you go through with the abortion? Why didn’t you do it, Frankie-boy?”
Frank sighed and ran an anxious hand through his hair. “I-I wanted to go through with it, Uncle Peter. I just…I’d been having doubts, and I guess those doubts manifested themselves into a panic attack or something. The next thing I knew I was freaking out on the table, and when dad finally got me calmed down enough, I realized that I couldn’t go through with it a second time. I can’t do it. I can’t kill them, but that doesn’t mean I want to keep them either!”
“You didn’t want to kill them, but you also don’t want to keep them?” Edith repeated to herself before looking at her sister. “Then that means only one thing, doesn’t it?”
Margo sent her a nod before glancing at her pale and slightly frazzled son. “Pumpkin, the only options for you right now is to carry these children full term until it’s time to deliver.”
“Deliver!? How the hell am I gonna deliver two kids into this world without a vagina!?” Frank cried out in panic. Without a female genitalia, where else would the fetuses come out of, his pee hole? The thought had Frank’s stomach churning once again. He placed his hand over his small bump and began to gently rub it to help calm his uneasy stomach.
Frank Sr. chuckled, and shook his head. “You won’t need a vagina, son, just another C-section.”
Frank let out a sigh of relief before his Uncle Peter spoke up. “Wait, no one has mentioned what would happen to these babies after the delivery. I mean, are you thinking of throwing them into foster care?”
“Oh, those places are horrible for children.” Edith scoffed disapprovingly. “Frankie honey, please don’t tell me you’re seriously considering it!”
“We’ve actually hadn’t had a chance to discuss that part yet.” Margo assured her sister before glancing at her son. “Frankie, did you have a plan for the babies after they’re born?”
Frank opened his mouth before closing it in thought. He hadn’t given that idea much thought since he had a panic attack in the hospital. All he cared about at that time was returning to the safety of his home with his parents, and now that that nightmare was finally over, he didn’t know what other option to choose from other than adoption. “I guess adoption is my only option at this point, right?”
His father nodded. “If you don’t plan on keeping them then yes, adoption is your only option. Do you plan on having any form of involvement or contact with them once they have a new family?”
Frank sneered in distaste. “No, of course not! I don’t want anything to do with them. They go their way, I go mine, and our paths will never ever meet again.”
Edith didn’t like his response, and scowled at him for it. “Frankie, this isn’t right! Can’t you see that?”
“But I don’t want to keep them!” Frank reiterated. “I mean, they deserve parents that care enough to raise them for the next 18 years and that’s just not me.”
“They don’t need any other parent, but you! You’re their mother!” Peter disagreed, siding with his wife.
“I’m their NOTHING! I’m their stupid carrier that’ll protect them for the next 8-9 months, but that’s it!” Frank snapped, his cheeks becoming rosy from his rising emotions.
“Alright, everyone calm down! We’re not gonna sit here and fight about this. If Frankie doesn’t wish to keep them, then we need to respect that.” Margo asserted with her hands raised.
Edith shook her head as she mentally decided to trust her instincts instead of letting the conversation to go on any longer. “No, I have one better for you.” She nodded her head to Peter and flashed him a smile before returning her eyes to her nephew. “We’ll adopt them.”
Everyone’s eyes widened on the couple like they just sprouted wings from their ears. They couldn’t believe it. Had Uncle Peter and Aunt Edith agreed to adopting their grandnephews or nieces? Frank was too speechless to say anything too, so his father spoke up for him. “Are you serious about this, Edith? Do you really want to adopt these babies, knowing the evil of where they came from?”
Edith was starting to feel doubtful underneath everyone’s stare that was until her husband took her hand in support and gave them their answer for her. “Yes, we’ll adopt the twins and raise them as if they were our very own.”
“I can’t believe this.” Margo mumbled beneath her breathe as she walked over to the decanter and poured herself a drink. This entire discussion over her future grandchildren/soon-to-be nieces and nephews was giving her a headache.
Frank hadn’t said a word yet, in fact, when they announced their offer to adopt his unwanted children, his hands came up to possessively hold his slight bump to himself at the same time his heart dropped in his chest. He was confused as to why his body was reacting this way when out of a group of strangers, his Uncle Peter and Aunt Edith would be the best bet to raise his unwanted children. Yet and still, that didn’t make him feel any better. “Y-You want them?”
They simultaneously nodded together, their eyes shining with confidence and hope. “Yes, we do. If it’s alright with you, of course!”
Biting his lip nervously, Frank urged himself to not think it over and quickly accept the deal before they changed their minds. “Y-Yeah sure, of course I wouldn’t mind.”
The couple let out a laugh of victory before they turned to each other and enveloped themselves into a joyous hug that only irritated Frank. “But I don’t want them to know about me, in terms of me being their surrogate! I’m fine with being introduced as their Uncle, better that than their former parent.”
The couple looked to Frank to give him a nod of confirmation. “We understand.”
Frank watched them get up to gather his parents into a hug and receive congratulations on becoming parents once again. He didn’t know why, but watching their happy display only made him feel like they were trying to rub it in that they were going to be the parents of his children and not him. It got to him, as much as he didn’t want it to. Tears were pooling into his eyes at the same time his fingers started to curl into tight jealous fists. Biting back his desire to cause an emotional scene, Frank slipped out of the living room to run up into his room and shut himself and his babies away from the outside world.