Roswell Fanatics

Chapter 39

Kailyn sat quietly playing under the table with Holden. Liz sat at the table flipping through forms of a case she was working on. She only had two cases that she was responsible for at the moment. She had to pay visits to them on Thursday. Hannah was busy at junior high, and Caleb was asleep in his swing.

The doorbell rang and Liz went to answer it. Kailyn watched nervously from the kitchen.

“Kailyn, come here.” It was her therapist. It was a surprise visit and Kailyn wasn’t prepared for it.

Kailyn went to Liz and stared up at the other woman.

“This is Mrs. Jenkins, what she’s going to do is test you to see what grade you’ll be in for school.” Liz said quietly to Kailyn.

Kailyn nodded as she studied the woman.

“Come in, Mrs. Jenkins.” Liz stood out of the doorway. “Let me move these things out of your way and you can use the kitchen table.”

“Actually the living room would be better, Kailyn would probably be more comfortable there and I wouldn’t want to move your little ones.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll be alright, Kailyn, I’ll be right in the kitchen.” She told her.

Kailyn nodded and went to the living room.

****

“Can you spell your name?” Mrs. Perkins asked softly.

Kailyn nodded and wrote her name on a piece of paper. It was messy and crooked but it was her name.

“Can you read this word?” She asked.

Kailyn squinted at the word, and brought it closer. She couldn’t pick out any of the letters. She had never gone to school before and Camilla had only taken the time to teach her to spell her name. They had never stayed in a place long enough for Kailyn to go to a proper school.

“Do you need glasses, sweetheart?” Mrs. Perkins asked.

Kailyn shrugged.

“Have you ever had your eyes checked?”

Kailyn shrugged again and looked towards the kitchen. Liz was nursing Caleb while helping Holden color something in. She wanted to go be with them. This woman knew too much. If she didn’t leave soon everyone would know that she couldn’t read and then Max and Liz would make her go away.

“Alright, sweetheart. How about this one?”

Kailyn looked at the word again. She couldn’t pick out any of the letters. She squinted, pulled the card closer then shook her head.

“I’m going to go talk with Mrs. Evans for a moment, alright.”

Kailyn looked at the woman through wary eyes then nodded.

“Mrs. Evans, can I speak with you for a second?” She asked.

“Yes, of course, let me just finish up here and lay him down.” Liz said and went to lay Caleb down in the playpen. He let out a grunt of disapproval but got over it soon enough.

“Do you know if Kailyn’s eyes have ever been tested?”

“No, I don’t.” Liz shook her head. “I highly doubt it.”

“Ok. Let me show you something, come here, Kailyn.” She said. “Read this word, please.”

Kailyn was ready to cry. She couldn’t pick out any of the letters except for the ‘A’. So she squinted and shook her head.

“We’ll have them checked.” She realized Kailyn was getting ready to cry. “Don’t cry, sweetheart, it’s not your fault, we’ll fix it.”

“That would be best, and then we can test her and not have her anymore behind in school than she already is.”

****

Liz had dropped Hannah, Holden and Caleb off at Amy’s so she could take Kailyn to the doctor without interference from her sons.

“Evans?” The assistant called and Liz took her back.

“Alright, Miss Hamilton, it looks like you’re here to get your eyes checked, correct?” The doctor asked kindly a few minutes later

Kailyn nodded hesitantly, her hand searching for Liz’s.

“I’m going to need you to sit right here, if you will?” He pointed to a chair in front of a funny looking machine. “Now put your eyes here, and tell me if you can see that. Tell me what letter it is.”

“A.” She knew that one. This wasn’t so bad.

“Was that blurry?”

She shook her head.

“Ok, here’s this one.” He showed her a smaller letter.

She couldn’t name it. She shook her head.

“Let’s try this one.” It was bigger than the ‘A’ but she couldn’t name it. She didn’t know what it was called. She shook her head.

This went on.

Liz’s eyebrows creased none of this was making sense. “Doctor could I speak to you for a second?” She asked.

“Yes.” The doctor was just as flustered, he had switched the numbers multiple times but she wasn’t consistent.

They stepped outside leaving Kailyn in the room.

“What’s going on?” Liz asked.

“I don’t know. She seems to know only a few letters. I don’t really think she’s having problems at all.” The doctor says. “Why does she say some and not others?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” Liz said puzzled. What was wrong with Kailyn? “What letters does she say?”

“She said, ‘A’ at any size, ‘N’ at any size, and the ‘K’. Anything else she just shrugs.” He says. I’ve never seen this happen before. I think maybe we can refer her to my partner after he’s done with this patient.”

Liz thought for a second. “Let me speak with her for a second.”

Liz went back into the room and pulled out a piece of paper. “Kailyn write your name.”

She did so. “What’s wrong?” They would know now and then they’d find out she’s stupid.

“What’s your last name, Kailyn?”

“Hamilton.” She said.

“Can you write it?”

Kailyn’s heart hammered. She couldn’t. She didn’t know the letters. “I don’t know how.”

“Here, sweetheart, what’s this letter?”

“K”.

“And this one.”

“A.” Kailyn answered. Liz asked her all the letters of her name.

“Are those the only letters you know?”

“Yeah.” She said truthfully and she started to cry.

“Don’t cry, Kailyn.” Liz comforted. “It’s alright, it’s not your fault.” She took her into her arms. “Can you see the letters OK? You just can’t read them, yes?”

“Yeah.” She nodded.

“Ok, I’m gonna go get the doctor, and he’ll make sure that’s correct.”

“Ok.” She nodded and wiped her eyes.

“We’ll use pictures.” The doctor said when he came back into the room, relieved.

Kailyn tested perfectly after that.

****

Liz lay under the tree, Caleb asleep cradled in her arms. He had fallen asleep quietly and without protest. Holden, Hannah, and Kailyn, were playing in the yard and Liz was considering sleeping herself.

Checking once more on the kids, making sure Hannah was with them, she let her eyes drift shut.

Liz jerked awake in what seemed to be only a few minutes later. Someone was trying to tug Caleb from her. Her arms tightened and she opened her eyes.

“Max, don’t do that!” She said. “I wake up and someone’s trying to take my baby.”

“Sorry.” He smiled, a wide grin. “Didn’t want you to burn.”

“What are you smiling about?” She said, “And where are the kids?”

“Hannah took them inside and made them lunch.” Max explained.

“What are you smiling about?” She asked as she sat up.

“They’re going to hand over custody to us.” He said smiling. “The trial isn’t anywhere near finished, but the judge has ruled him unfit for parenting after her trial. Now it’s just a matter of time before the adoption goes through.”

****

“Natalie, where did you say it was?” Hannah shouted from the front room. She was at Natalie’s house and Natalie had sent her downstairs to get something from her backpack.

“In the kitchen.” She shouted back.

“Hi, Conner.” Hannah greeted the fifth grader as he entered through the back door. He gagged at her and turned back to his friend. The two families regarded each other closely since Natalie and Hannah were such close friends. Hannah was just as comfortable in Natalie’s house as she was at home, the same with Natalie.

Francesca was in the kitchen as well she was trying to reach something. “Can you help me please?”

“I can’t be of much help, Frannie, I’m not much taller.” Hannah said apologetically. She had hit a growth spurt at eleven and grew to be five feet. At twelve the doctor said this was probably her limit, she had the genes to be short, since her mother stood at five two and because of her heart she didn’t have enough oxygen to support limbs that were too long.

Just then, Natalie’s older brother, Ben, walked in. “Ben, can you help?” Francesca appealed to him.

Ben grinned down at his little sister with affection and lifted her up so she could reach it herself. “Thank you.” She said and scampered off.

Hannah remembered a time when she was half in love with Ethan, the oldest of the Barclay clan. She had followed him around with stars in her eyes for months, now, though, she liked Ben. She hadn’t even told Natalie about this one. It was something more private that she wanted to keep to herself.

“Did you need something, Hannah?” He asked.

She flushed pink and shook her head. At thirteen and a freshman in high school he seemed larger than life.

She really was a pretty girl, he thought to himself. Her hair was down today and he couldn’t see her little ears poking out. “Are you sure?”

She nodded.

“Hannah.”

She looked up at him. “What?” She said, trying to not let her voice squeak.

“You’re really pretty, you know that?” He asked, shocking himself.

Her eyes widened and her cheeks burned so bad she thought she was going to blow up. “T-thank you.” She stuttered.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

She eyes widened. “I’m only eleven.” She said then added quickly, “I’ll be twelve next month.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“No, Daddy wouldn’t allow that.” She said.

“Good.” He smirked at her.

She just stared up at him; he was currently at five eight and was still actively growing.

“I-I have to give this to Natalie, then I have to go home.” She turned on her heel.

“You walking?” He called.

“Yeah.” She nodded.

“You still live in the same place?” He asked.

“Yeah.” She said.

“I’ll walk you.” She turns back around and stares at him.

“I’ll be fine, it’s just around the corner, and it’s broad daylight.”

“I’ll walk you, go give that to Nat and then I’ll walk you.”

She nodded and ran upstairs to deliver the bag. Natalie raised an eyebrow at her flushed face. “You breathing alright?” Ever since she had learned of Hannah’s heart she had always been protective of her best friend.

“Perfectly.” She picked up her own backpack and headed out the door.

“Hey, Hannah banana, what’s the rush?” Natalie studied her best friend.

“My mom wanted me home early and I forgot.” Hannah said in a rush.

Hannah never forgot anything her parents told her, but Natalie let it slide. “You’d tell me if something was wrong, right, Hannah?” She asked.

“Yes, Nat, you’re my very best friend.” She said honestly. She wasn’t lying per say, because nothing was wrong at the moment, everything was great.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Natalie hugged her.

“Do you like Junior High?” He asked as he walked her home. He swung her backpack over his shoulder.

“Yes.” She said. She liked having the different teachers, and she had access to a real science lab. “The drama class is really cool.”

“Is Mrs. Smyth still teaching that?” He asked.

”Yes.”

“Dude, that woman’s like a hundred years old.”

“I know.” Hannah laughed. “But she’s really into it.”

“You want to be an actress right?”

“Yeah, I’m going to win an Oscar some day.” She said with meaning. She really meant to do it.

“Sounds good, I get a guest ticket right?” He asked. “I want to meet Julia Roberts.”

“Maybe.” She smiled at him. “I have to think about it.”

“Here you are.” He walked her to the door.

“Merci.” She said quietly.

“Your welcome. How do you say goodbye?”

“Au Revoir” She told him.

“Au Revoir” He repeated. “Be safe. Go for that Oscar.”

****

Hannah hurried into the house and shut the door. She leaned against it with a smile on her face.

“What was that about?” Liz asked, her arms folded.

“ Rien.” Nothing. She smiled and walked upstairs to her bedroom and shut the door firmly behind her.

Chapter 41

Kailyn had been officially adopted a year later on her birthday. The girl was situated and happy.

They had enrolled her in school and with extra tutoring and help from Liz she had caught up considerably fast. She was only one grade level behind but they were confident she’d get caught up before too long.

“Caleb, come on.” She tried to cheer him on and get him to walk to her across the room.

She was a happy third grader at the same elementary school Hannah had attended. She had friends and was a completely normal little girl.

“Hannah, phone!” Liz called after the she had picked up the phone.

“Do you know who it is?” She asked. She came down the stairs, looking every bit the teenager she now was.

“Natalie.” She handed her daughter the cordless phone.

“Hey, what’s up?” She said into the phone.

Holden ran into the kitchen with muddy shoes and hands. “Look, Mama.” He held his hands up for her to see.

“Beautiful.” Liz said and led him back outside. “Kailyn, can you keep an eye on Caleb for just a second?”

“Yeah. Come on, baby.” Kailyn tried to let go of his hands. When she did he flopped down onto a diaper padded bottom and giggled.

“No, you’re supposed to stand up.” Kailyn laughed with him.

“Mom, can I go to Natalie’s house?” Hannah asked.

“For what, dinner’s almost ready?” She asked taking the hose from Holden so she wouldn’t get wet. “Hold still and let Mama wash you.”

He squirmed and Liz got splattered with water.

“Ben needs help with his French paper.”

“I didn’t know Ben took French.” Liz eyed her daughter.

“Neither did I.” Hannah said. Her mom had to understand. She needed to go. She remembered that day one year, two months, and three days ago.

Liz sighed when she recognized the look. “Fine, do not walk home, it’ll be late when you leave, either Daddy or I will pick you up, understand?”

“Yeah.” She spoke into the phone quickly and was out the door.

****

“Hey, Ben, so where’s that paper?” Hannah said walking into the house.

“Here.” He said. “I don’t understand anything, how do you speak it so well?”

“I don’t speak it as well as I used to. My mom and I don’t speak it at home very often because my brothers and sister don’t understand, and it would be rude. I only speak it with my grandparents and Uncle Kyle.” She rambled, she was nervous. “And Aunt Maria. Sometimes.”

He smiled. “It’s alright, it’s only French I it’ll be enough.” He hid a smile.

“Oh, yeah, let me see.”

He handed it to her shyly.

“It’s almost perfect, but, um did you purposely use the formal form of address?” She asked after a minute.

“Yeah, it’s a letter to the teacher.” He explained. “We’re not allowed to address her informally.”

“Oh, ok. Well, look here…” She spent the next half hour explaining the paper to him. By the time she was done her shoes were off and her legs were curled under her.

“Do you think you get it?”

“I think so.” He nodded. “I have to go retype it.”

“Ok.” She packed up her stuff. “Call anytime.” She said. “If you need help or anything.”

“Hannah, can I talk to you for a minute.” Natalie said from the doorway watching them.

“Sure.”

“Let’s go up to my room.” She glared at her brother to hide the hurt and followed Hannah up the stairs.

“You like Benedict.” Natalie accused with tears in her eyes.

“Nat, no, I…” Hannah tried.

“Don’t lie, Hannah.” She said hurt. “You said you’d tell me, why didn’t you tell me?”

Hannah sighed.

“Because I wasn’t too sure about it myself.”

“You could have talked it over with me, I’d have listened.”

“I know that, Nat. I didn’t want it to be awkward.” She explained.

“Awkward, Hannah when has anything ever been awkward between us?” Natalie demanded. “We were best friends on the first day of kindergarten. If that doesn’t cause awkwardness I don’t know what does.”

“We were four.”

“What are you saying, Hannah?” Natalie was really hurt, Hannah saw now. She stood and wrapped her arms around her best friend.

“Yes, I do like Ben, no I won’t do anything about it if you don’t want me to.” Hannah said praying Natalie wouldn’t say anything against it. “I don’t think he’s interested in me anyway. I’m just his kid sister’s best friend.”

“No, I think you do.” Natalie shook her head. “But it’s ok, I was just hurt you didn’t tell me.”

“I’m sorry.” Hannah apologized. “I have to go, my dad’s here.”

“Ok, I’ll see you tomorrow. Love you, Hannah.”

“I love you too, Nat.” Hannah smiled and went downstairs.

Ben was at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her. “j'ai envie d'aller faire une promenade.”

Hannah smiled. “Desolè. I already called my Dad. I’m not allowed to walk when it’s dark.”

“Oh.” He really looked disappointed.

“I’ll see you around, Ben.”

“Au Revoir, Hannah.” He called back.

****
Four Years later

Liz gathered the last of the balloon fragments together and dumped them in the trash. It was Hannah’s sixteenth birthday and they had celebrated with a large gathering of family and friends. The boys had done their share by popping all the balloons setting Caleb into a fit of giggles. Liz had picked most of the stuff up. There were just a few more tables and chairs that Max would take into the house the next morning. Liz looked up at the house and could hear giggles from her children in the house and smiled.

“Hey.” She turned and found her husband smiling at her.

“Hi.” She answered. She looked up into his eyes, so warm and trusting and then felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her to him. He pressed a kiss to her head.

“Remember, Liz, when you got cake in my face this afternoon?” He asked as he swayed her to a tune only heard in his head.

“Mmm.” She answered and let him rock her.

“Remember, Liz, I told you I’d get you back?” He asked. Scooting her closer to the edge of a pool he paused a moment to gage the temperature and decided it was warm enough.

“You never did.” She smiled. He would never do anything back to her.

“I know.” She was at the edge of the pool now and she didn’t realize it.

“Even if you tried; you couldn’t get away with it.” She smirked at him.

“Sure I could.” He gave her his own sly look.

“No.” She shook her head vigorously as he backed her closer, closer…her arms wrapped tightly around him just as her feet went off the edge, causing him to lose his footing and fall into the pool with her.

He came up sputtering and she swam to the edge smiling. “You need to be more subtle, Honey.”

“I’ll work on it.” He promised as he swam towards her.

She turned and fled as she was taken underwater. “Better?”

“If it will make you feel manly, yes.” She said.

“Thank you.” He backed her against the side of the pool and all signs of joking ended. “Am I manly now?”

“Yeah.” She said her breath coming fast. And he bent her head to kiss her.

“Eww, he’s gonna kiss her.” Holden gagged.

“Alright, guys, bedtime.” Hannah took her brothers and Kailyn from the window.

“No, Sissy.” Caleb fought. Mommy and mommy alone would put Caleb James Evans to bed.

“Yes.” Hannah picked him up and he laid his head down on her shoulder and rubbed his eyes.

She looked out the living room window and quickly shuffled the kids upstairs. She went back to the kitchen a few minutes later when her parents walked in the door, soaking wet.

“Maybe next time you guys can wait till the babies are in bed?” Hannah smirked at her parents.

Her mother’s mouth fell open and Max had to suppress a grin. “Sorry, Princess, can’t always do that.”

Hannah made a face.

Liz let out a shiver and Max shooed her upstairs. “Wait here a moment, Princess, your mother and I have another present for you.”

“Another one.” She rather thought the car had been enough.

Max smiled and followed his wife.

Hannah mopped where her parents had been standing as she waited for them to change and God only knew what else.

Liz came down fifteen minutes later in sweats and one of Max’s shirts. Her hair was wrapped in a messy bun so it wouldn’t drip down her back. Hannah looked at her mother who, at thirty four, looked like a teenager herself. Besides a few wrinkles beside her eyes and the almost invisible stretch marks on her lower abdomen, they could pass as twins.

Liz sat in the chair and smiled at her sixteen year old. “Did you have fun today, Hannah bean?” Liz asked reverting to her childhood nickname.

“Yes, Mama, thank you so much, it was wonderful.” Hannah answered honestly.

“I’m glad.” Max came and picked his wife up and plopped her back into his lap. “We have something to discuss.”

Hannah’s eyes drew together with worry. She didn’t like that tone of voice.

“Remember a few weeks ago, at the mall, when we were shopping for you homecoming dress?

“Yeah.” She hated when her father started out like that, couldn’t he just ever get to the point?

****

It had been a freak thing when Liz and Hannah were shopping for her homecoming dress. She was going to go with Ben.

Hannah had gotten into a heated argument with Liz with over the neckline of a dress. Not wanted to be overheard, Liz had reprimanded her daughter in French. Their voices, though kept low and controlled, carried throughout the store. When Hannah had gone to her father for help and pleaded with him in perfect English it had caught even more attention. A woman had come up to them and in perfect French asked if she was interested in acting.

Liz quickly translated for Max and he raised a protective eyebrow.

“Oui.” Hannah had answered quickly.

“Good, I’d like to see you sometime, you might be what we’re looking for. You have the body of a dancer, do you dance?”

“Yes.” Hannah switched to English because she had, it didn’t even dawn on her she had switched language.

“Will you come by my office tomorrow?”

“Daddy?” She asked and turned to him.

“We’ll see.” He said and crossed his arms.

“I hope you consider, Mr…”

“Evans.” He said in a not to kind voice.


“Please, if you’re daughter wanted to act, give her this chance, if she’s any good then we have a part just for her.”

****


“We’ve decided we’re going to let you go for the part. It’ll be demanding, and we’re going to have to fly to Paris this coming summer, but I didn’t think you would object to that.”

“Are you serious?” Hannah asked. This was her dream. She had almost forgotten about it, sure her father wouldn’t let her do it.

“Yes, we want you to have this chance.” Liz was happy at her daughter’s apparent joy. “Because you’re a minor either Daddy or I will be on set with you at all times, but we already have everything arranged.”

“That’s fine, oh, you guys this is wonderful.” She was glowing. “This could be my big break. Oh, Mommy, thank you!” She said.

“And Daddy too.”

“Thank you, Daddy. I have to go call Benedict.” She jumped from the chair and went to her room.

“Think we made her happy?”

“Yeah.” Max smiled. “You ready to have your daughter be a TV star?”

“No, she’s still my baby.” Liz said remembering the days when she was a baby. “Our real baby’s getting older.” Liz looked at the picture of Caleb. It was a close-up of his chubby baby face with his one and only tooth showing and it was quite disturbing really, but Liz had seen it after Alex had taken it and had to keep it.

“Yeah.” Max said and felt his wife’s reluctance to let them grow up. “He’s only five.”

“I know, but he’s already in Kindergarten.” She curled in his embrace. “He’ll want to join cub scouts soon. You should see his face when you go off with Holden. He has such longing in his eyes, it just about breaks my heart. And his sisters ignore him, Kailyn with her studies, and Hannah with Benedict. And when Holden is home they spend their time beating each other up, I worry about him.”

“You’d think he was a neglected child.” Max laughed. “I think he’s spoiled rotten by his sisters, when they’re not busy and Holden just dishes out what’s necessary. His mother adores him and his father takes him to the office every other day—or so it seems. We’re not neglecting him.”

Liz laughed when Max put it that way. “He is spoiled rotten isn’t he?”

“Just a little, Liz.” Max said. “But it’s ok, he’s my son, he’s allowed to be.”

“I thought you’d see it that way.” Liz stood. “Let’s go to bed.” She yawned.

“To sleep?” He looked questioningly at her.

She gave him a sly smile, shrugged her shoulders and went upstairs.

Yep, you guessed it guys, there’s only the epilogue left. Don’t be sad though, it’s been an amazing ride, and I’m so happy you all enjoyed it.

Alright Everyone, I worked so hard on this part. I’ve had it done forever but I just tweaked I and moved it and then added a few more sections. I would like to thank you all for sticking with this, it was really long. A lot longer than I thought it was going to be. I really am sad to be done with this story it kind of held a special place in my heart. Again, this was another eighteen month long fic. It’s time to come to a close, and there will not be a sequel. I had so much fun writing this fic, I hope you had half as much fun as I did, then we both had a great time. Thank you so much for taking time to read this and leave feedback, it’s been a great ride!

Epilogue-Many years later

“And here we have Hannah Bella-Marie Evans who is nominated for Best Actress…” The announcer pounced on them as they walked down the red carpet.

“Good Evening, Miss Evans, how does it feel to be nominated again?” She asked.

Hannah held tight to Ben’s hand as they were questioned. She knew her parents were watching the show right now. Along with her little brothers.

“It feels wonderful.” She had been nominated two times previously. She had won one for the first film she had done when she had been just sixteen. Then when she was a little older. Now her third film nomination she had portrayed Emma Bovary, in Madame Bovary, critics say she for sure had the Oscar for that one.

“There are rumors that if you do win this Oscar you’ll marry Mr. Barclay here.”

They both blushed heavily.

“Well?”

“We would prefer not to answer that one.” Hannah spoke truthfully.

“How long have you two been together?”

”Since I was a freshman in high school.” Hannah answered.

“And you’re not married?”

Hannah shook her head.

“Well, how did it feel to play someone such as Madame Bovary?”

“Wicked.” Hannah answered with a giggle. “It was a lot of fun. The costumes were phenomenal and I just really enjoyed working in France again.”

“I’m glad.” The announcer said. “And I wish you the best of luck.”

“Thank you.” They turned to enter the auditorium.

****

“And the winner for Best Actress…” Julia Roberts announced.

“Hannah Bella-Marie Evans, in Madame Bovary.” The crowd sent up a cheer and the music started. Hannah was shocked.
Hannah made her way onstage after kissing Ben and smiled at the audience.

She looked radiant, Max thought as he and his family watched his firstborn on the television.

She accepted the trophy which was heavier than she anticipated. The dress she wore was gorgeous and had been made just for her. If you looked really closely you could see the tiny scar on her chest from her many open heart surgeries.

“Wow,” she said into the microphone. “This is really an honor. I’ve wanted this since I was five years old playing a Christmas elf in a play put on by the sixth grade class.” The crowd chuckled. “I have a few people I’d like to thank.” She said.

“I’d like to thank the directors and especially Anita Davis for overhearing an argument with my mother in a shopping mall. If it wasn’t for you none of this would be happening.” She looked directly at her parents now. “Finally, I’d like to thank Mom and Daddy.” She said with meaning. “Without them, it truly wouldn’t be happening, from Mom saying yes to be that Christmas elf because I was technically too young to play her. Also to my parents for giving me the chance and relocating the family to Paris for the summer of my first film. Holden, Caleb, Kailyn, you mean everything to me. Thank you so much. Everyone.” With a wink at her family through the screen and a kiss blown to Ben she exited the stage.

****

Max watched his baby girl and wife set the final veil on her head. “You look beautiful, my darling.” Liz told her quietly.

“Thanks, Mama.” Hannah hugged her mother and tried not to cry again.

“You ready, sweetheart?” Max asked from the doorway and had to choke back tears.

“Hi, Daddy, so what do you think?” Hannah turned for him to study the dress.

“It’s gorgeous.” Max told her. And she was. She was the spitting image of her mother at twenty eight. “But not nearly as gorgeous as the girl wearing it.”

“I’m hardly a little girl anymore, I’m getting married now, and I think I’m more of a woman now.” Hannah laughed so she wouldn’t cry. She was a famous movie star, men wanted to date her, women wanted to be her.

“You’re my little girl.” Max hugged her. “You’ll always be my little girl. You are so beautiful. Ben better treat you right if he knows what’s good for him.” Max told her.

“He will, Daddy, he waited for me.” Hannah assured him. He had wanted to marry her earlier but she had wanted to establish her career before settling down. He had endured countless movie premieres, parties, and months of her absence while she did just that.

“I know.” He told her. Surprisingly they had been able to pull off this wedding without too much press. They had allowed one official photographer and that was it. “Let’s go, princess.”

“Thank you, Daddy, for everything.” Hannah said once more before joining her life with another man.

****

Kailyn watched her sister dancing happily with her new husband. At twenty four she had a Ph.D, and a second major. Because she couldn’t read, write, and generally learn for so long she had put her all into it after Liz had taught her the essentials of reading. She hadn’t had much of a social life because of it and had decided now was the time to start. She had caught the bouquet and took that as a sign.

She was pretty enough, she knew, she wasn’t stunning like her sister or mother, but she had a quiet beauty. She stood and let the soft material of her bride’s maid dress swish against her legs.

“I thought all the Evans women were small.” Someone said from behind her.

She whirled around not hearing anybody join her outside.

“I’m the exception.” She said, and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear.

He was tall and was leaning against the doorframe. His fair hair fell into his eyes and Kailyn had the urge to brush it aside.

“You’d be Dr. Kailyn Evans then?” He asked.

She nodded. “You would be Mr…” She crossed her arms over her chest. After sixteen years of living with the Evans, she still had a natural fear of men. It wasn’t as bad as it had been when she was eight, but she was still nervous around them. She glanced around to see if anyone was out there.

“That’d be Dr. Ethan McGowan.” He smiled at her.

“Oh, pardon me.” She said. “I didn’t know.”

“Not very people do.” He stood and walked towards her. Slowly, he thought to himself, she frightened easily.

“What are you a Doctor of?” She asked curiously.

“Psychology.” He answered. “And history and sociology.” He didn’t mention the other majors he had. “All before I turned twenty six.” He smiled.

That caught her attention. He was so handsome surely he had better things to do sit in a dorm room and study.

“Actually, I enjoyed being shut up in my dorm room. It was my favorite Saturday night activity.”

“How’d you…” She asked amazed.

“Psychology.” He said. “How about you?”

“Microbiology, hardly anywhere as interesting. But I have a major in history.” She admitted.

“Quite interesting, actually.” And she was so pretty, and tall, he needed a tall woman. “How tall are you?” He asked.

“Five eight.” She said looking at him. It felt wonderful to have to look way, way up at him. “You?”

“Six three.” He looked down at her. “You were adopted, right?”

“Yeah. When I was nine.” She nodded; it used to make her feel funny to talk about it, now she didn’t care.

“Will your father come shoot me if I were to kiss you?” He asked.

“Yeah, he flipped when Hannah went to homecoming with Ben. Took Mom forever to talk sense into him. He’d enlist Holden’s help as well to make it look like an accident.”

“He’s eighteen.”

“He doesn’t care, he’ll probably get Caleb to help too.”

“He’s sixteen.”

“They’re built.” She laughs. “It’s a competition to see who can be the most built. I think Holden has the advantage right now, he’s on the school football team.”

“Interesting past time.” He smiled. “I never really was into that stuff in high school. Can I kiss you?” He took a step closer to her.

She didn’t answer. She had been kissed over the years but none of them had really done anything for her, except make her uncomfortable. He stepped closer and claimed her mouth. Sinking into it she wrapped her arms around his neck for anchoring. He sure didn’t feel like he didn’t spend his time body building.

He stepped back but she was still closely wrapped around him. “So, do you know my sister or her husband?” It had never occurred to her how he was here.

“I work with Ben.” He smiled.

Kailyn sat down on a bench watching her sister laughing at something Ben whispered in her ear. Alex came and danced with her before Kyle came and asked for her hand. Alex expertly turned her away and Kyle wasn’t happy. They set into one of their age old arguments over who got to hold Hannah. Ben came and settled it by whisking his bride off.

There were reporters outside the gates trying to get in on all the details. She stared at them before turning around to watch her sister.

“Have you always been in Hannah’s shadow?” He asked.

“Not really her shadow, I just chose to stay out of the spotlight and Hannah respects that. She mentions the family now and again, but we keep out of the spotlight. We get a lot of publicity from Daddy, but usually Hannah keeps us low.” She didn’t want the public life.

“You caught the bouquet, I noticed.” He said.

“Yeah.” She nodded. It was at her seat.

“What do you say we put it to use next month?” He asked her.

“What? I don’t even know you!” She said to him.

“Well, you’ll get to know me, you’ll love me, and then we’ll get married and have little doctor babies.”

She looked at him. “How do you know we’ll get married and have little…doctor…babies?” Her cheeks flamed.

“Because we move quicker than normal, you’re twenty four and have a Ph.D, I’m thirty and have three, I think we’re not the kind of people to move slowly.”

“You’re right.”

“And I love you.”

”You don’t know me!”

“Well I’ll get to know you and you’ll love me as much as I already love you.”

“Alright.” She had never been one to make decisions so quickly but she felt completely right as she slipped her hand into his. It was the first male hand she had held since Max when she was a little girl. Hand holding involved a sense of trust she didn’t give to any man.

Kailyn tried to keep her hand still but she had to test it. She pulled her hand from his and it slipped out easily, he didn’t restrain her. He did give her a hurt look though. She smiled and took his hand and squeezed gently. He returned it and Kailyn smiled up at him. “Now, I think Daddy might shoot you. Both his daughters in one year.”

“Maybe we’ll just have to run away, because I’m not going to lose you.” He looked at her with a half smile.

“I don’t want to lose you either.” She agreed and gave him another small smile. She squeezed his hand again and turned to go back inside.

****
One month later

”We didn’t just see that, Liz, tell me we didn’t.” Max said looking at his youngest daughter.

“You did, Max.” She smiled.

“She’s holding his hand.” Max noticed.

”I know.” She looked up at her husband. “She’s grown up so much, Max, thank you for fighting so hard for her, our baby.”

“I would have done it for any of our kids, Liz. She was ours the moment, you opened that door twenty four years ago and I saw you standing there with her in your arms.”

“Oh, Max…” Liz studied her husband. “You make me so happy.”

“I try.” He tried to shrug it off. “I owe you.”

“Not anymore, Max, that was so long ago, I don’t even think Hannah remembers it.” Liz said. “I don’t remember much of it either. We may have lived a different kind of life those first few years, but we got back on track.”

****

Six years later

“Kailyn, how are you doing?” Hannah poked her head in the door.

“I’m a little tired, to be honest.” Kailyn said.

“I bet.” Hannah walked in. “Ethan’s having a ball bragging about his daughter to everybody. Daddy’s ecstatic about having a granddaughter.” She sat on the edge of her sister’s bed.

“I tried.” Kailyn blushed. “How’s Aaron?”

“Good, he wants to come in and see his Auntie Kay though. He was so excited when we told him we were coming down here to see you guys.”

Hannah and her family moved further north where Hannah was close to work and her family. Kailyn had chosen to stay close to home and raise her children.

“Why don’t you let him come in?”

“I wanted to see you first, she’s so beautiful, Kailyn, it’ll be hard with four little geniuses running around.”

“Thank you, Ethan is very proud of our ‘doctor babies’ as he calls them.” Kailyn laughed. She lay back against the hospital bed and settled Ashley more comfortably to her.

Kailyn held her daughter tight in her arms and looked at her, knowing she wouldn’t have the same awful childhood home she had grown up into prior to the Evans.

“You’re getting that look in your eyes, Kailyn, don’t think about it.” Hannah said.

“I know. Thank you for sharing Mom and Dad with me, Hannah.” Kailyn looked honestly. “I’ve seen what a close knit unit a family can be and you just let me in. Thank you.”

Hannah was stunned into silence, it had never occurred to her to do otherwise.

“You didn’t even realize you did it.” Kailyn said. “I just wanted to say thank you.”

“That actually leads into my next thing, actually.” Hannah answered.

“Ben, come on.” Hannah called towards the door.

Aaron walked in and saw his aunt. “Hi, Auntie Kay.”

“How are you, my darling?”

“Good, look at my sisters.” He said proudly. He ran next to his father.

Two little identical blonde heads popped in the door and Kailyn’s brows creased.

They looked around the room and their faces brightened when they landed on Hannah.

“Hi!” They greeted as they ran to her.

“These, are our daughters.” Hannah picked up one of the bright eyed little girls. “We’re going to adopt them. They’re such sweet girls, Kailyn, we love them so much already. Since Ben came from a larger family, he would have liked one of his own, but that’s impossible. We discussed it right after Aaron was born.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Kailyn asked.

“We wanted to wait. We’ve been visiting them for a few months, but we didn’t want to tell the family until we were sure they were ours.”

Hannah and Ben had been given the go ahead to attempt for kids; Hannah’s heart condition would not be an issue. The first trimester had gone beautifully. Then, late in the second trimester there were complications. After a short, grueling seven and a half month pregnancy, Aaron Benedict Barclay had been born weighing just under three pounds. Luckily he didn’t suffer from any long term effects and was flourishing under his parents’ care. There would be no more children for Hannah and Ben, but Aaron’s childhood would not be lonely with so many cousins. Now it looked like there would be more siblings.

As if Kailyn’s final thoughts were brought up her mom and dad walked in followed by her young brothers.

Max smiled happily at his family and pulled Liz aside.

“Are you happy, love?” Max asked. “No regrets?”

“Completely happy, Max. No regrets.” She laid her head on his chest and watched her family

Content Hannah squeezed Kailyn’s hands as all three little girls were welcomed to their family.


The End