Page 35 of Someone Like You
“Me, either.” Maddie still couldn’t believe it. “That’s when he told me the whole report thing was a lie … and that he had come here from Portland to find me.” She started to shiver. “He knew your names … and Hayley’s.”
“We need to call the police.” Her mother reached for her cell phone. “I want to make a report before—”
“Hold on.” Maddie wanted to finish. Her parents might be less worried once they heard the rest. Because maybe the guy had simply confused her with someone else. “He said he came here to give me information. About my biological family.” She looked from her dad to her mom and a single laugh came from her. “See what I mean? The guy might just be confused, but it scared me.”
Suddenly, at the same time, her parents sat back in their seats. Their anger and concern disappeared. Her mother spoke first. “Did … did he explain himself?”
“Mom.” Maddie blinked. “He didn’t have to explain himself. I told him he had the wrong person. Clearly.” She uttered another solitary laugh, but there was nothing funny about the change in her parents. “I told him … I’m not adopted.”
Then her father did something Maddie could never have expected. Never imagined. Something that tilted her entire world off its axis. Her dad didn’t chuckle or shrug off the situation or agree that the guy probably had her mixed up with another Indiana girl. Instead he stared at his hands and sighed.
The heaviest, longest, gravest sigh Maddie had ever heard.
BROOKE WANTED TOfreeze time, send Maddie back out to the car so that when she came inside from the zoo today the telling of this terrible story would be her’s and Peter’s idea. Not something they were forced into.
But here they were. And without warning or planning or praying about the situation an hour before the discussion, they had no choice but to tell Maddie the truth.
“Honey.” Brooke looked long at Maddie and then at Peter. “Your father and I … we need to talk to you.”
“What?” Maddie pushed back from the table. She shook her head. “Why are you acting like this? Did you hear me?” Her voice was louder than before. “The guy thought I was adopted. But I’m not adopted.” Panic filled her tone. “I have pictures … pictures of you in the hospital, Mom. Holding me in your arms. Minutes after I was born.”
Peter took over. “Sit down, honey.” His voice was broken. “Please.”
Something in his tone seemed to make Maddie obey. Slowly, as if she were in a trance, she sat back down and stared at them. “Are you saying the guy was telling the truth?” This time she didn’t laugh. “That’s impossible. What’s wrong with everyone?”
“The truth … is something we’ve wanted to tell you for a long time, Maddie.”
Their daughter blinked. “Tell me?” Her words were barely a whisper. “Tell me what?”
“The man was right.” Peter leaned closer. “Your mother and I … we tried for a few years after we married. But we couldn’t have a baby.”
Brooke covered her face with her hands for a long moment. Was she trapped in a nightmare? This wasn’t howshe wanted to tell Maddie. Again she found her daughter’s eyes. “Someone reached out to us about three frozen embryos.”
Maddie shook her head. “Three …? I don’t believe this.” She sounded more shocked than angry. “Tell me you’re making it up.”
Brooke didn’t say anything. Peter, either. Finally Brooke pressed on. “We’re not making it up, sweetheart. We’ve always looked for the chance to tell you.”
“When a couple uses in vitro fertilization,” Peter began, “sometimes they have extra embryos. Tiny, tiny babies that can remain viable on ice for years.”
“I was a … a frozen embryo?” Maddie’s voice was loud again. “Are you kidding me?”
Help me, God … I’m the worst mother. Please help me.Brooke took a deep breath. “I agreed to have the three frozen embryos implanted in me. Your dad and I believed those little babies deserved a chance at life.”
“Only one of the embryos survived the process.” Peter stood and walked around the table to Maddie. He sat beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. “Maddie, you’ve been our child from the day we found out your mother was pregnant.”
Maddie moved Peter’s hand and pushed her chair further back. “Wait, you’re serious?” She stared at Peter and then at Brooke. “You’re saying I really am adopted?”
Brooke reached for her, but Maddie jerked away. “Don’t touch me.” She spat the words. “You lied. About … about my whole life!”
And in that moment, Brooke knew she was right before. Maddie wasn’t going to be okay. They had done a terrible thing by not telling her and now they would all pay for it.Help us, God. This is all our fault.Brooke’s silent cries echoed through her heart and soul.Let this pass, Father. Please. Help her understand.Maddie’s reaction was more upsetting than anything Brooke had imagined. Their daughter was reeling, her whole world falling apart before their eyes.
Peter tried first. “You have to understand, embryo adoption is different, Maddie. You are our daughter. No question about that. You were formed in your mom’s uterus.”
“But my … biological family”—bitterness made every word sound heavy, like poison to Maddie’s tongue—“is in Portland, Oregon?”
What could Brooke say? “We … we always wanted to be that family, Maddie. We’ve been that family.”
“No.” Maddie stood again, eyes blazing. “If I came from a … a frozen embryo … then you’re not my biological family.” She was breathing harder. “It’s science, Mother. The sperm and egg came from two other people. You should know that.”
