Coming Home Read Online Free PDF

door and tossed my purse in the passenger
seat. I kept the open door between us. “They just gave me stuff to work on and
would kick it back with changes or tell me it was good to go. I never really gave
any input or was part of any meetings on it.”
    “That’s a shame. You’ve got some really good ideas.”
    “Thanks. I should get going. Thanks again for dinner.”
    Wade leaned in a little, and I thought he was going to try to
kiss me, but he just said, “Goodnight, Rebecca.”
    “Goodnight, Wade.”

 
     
     
     
    Chapter 3
    “What are you waiting for?” My mother was a nervous
wreck on the other end of the phone.
    “Mom, please understand. I don’t want anyone to know about this.
I can’t just leave work without any explanation as to why I need a day off, and
I won’t lie.” I was starting to get frustrated explaining to my mother weekly
why I hadn’t looked for my birth parents yet.
    I’d been here for two months, and every week there was a new
reason to stay late and come in early. On the off days that we were allowed to
leave at a decent time, I was just too tired to do anything but go home and
crash. I knew the ad business was cutthroat and you had to strike while you
could, but I didn’t think my job would be so demanding. I could only search
things that were open on the weekends, and I didn’t even have every weekend to
do it. I was just too busy at work.
    I knew my mother wasn’t buying that excuse, and if I were honest
with myself, I wouldn’t buy it, either. I was completely scared about the
outcome. I wasn’t sure if I was afraid of what I might find or if I was afraid
of why they didn’t want me. And what if they still didn’t want me? Could I live
with that?
    “Are you ashamed that you are adopted?”
    I stopped folding laundry and put the shirt down to grip the
phone as if it were going to drive my point home. “Mom, I talk about you and
dad every day. I’ve told all of them how supportive you are and how much you
love me. No one suspects that I’m adopted because it’s obvious how much we love
each other—blood or not.” I sighed. “I’m not ever going to be ashamed of you
guys, but who I might find . . .”
    “Oh, I guess I never thought of that. I’m sorry, Becca. Do you
want me to come help you?”
    I’d never thought of having them help me, and I wasn’t sure if I
should say yes or no. On one hand, I would have loved the help, and I didn’t
want to go through this alone. On the other, I knew it would tear my mother in
two when I did find them. I knew she’d convinced herself that I would leave her
and she would no longer have a daughter if my birth parents were wonderful
people who just made a bad decision.
    I tried to assure her she’d always be my mom. She’s always made
me feel wanted and has supported any decision I made—including finding my birth
parents. My father was just as supportive, but he was a little less emotional
about everything.
    “What are you thinking? You’re never silent.” I could hear the
fear of rejection in her voice.
    “I just don’t want you to get hurt. I would love the help. . .”
    “Good, I’ll make arrangements and be there in a couple weeks.
I’ll take care of everything, sweetie. We’ll get the answers you need.”
    “Thanks. Mom?” I wanted to make sure she hadn’t hung up yet.
    “Yes?”
    “I love you.”
    I could almost hear her smile. “I love you, too, baby.”
    ~*~
    The unexpected pressure from my mother to find my birth
parents was keeping me up all night. Normally I ran on the treadmill, but it was
in my parent’s basement since I couldn’t bring it with me. Rent was a lot
higher in Dallas than back home, and I just couldn’t afford to live in a place
big enough to bring it. Mom had offered to pay the difference, but I was too
proud to accept, stating I was a grown woman and could make sacrifices like
every other adult. I was regretting that moment of independence.
    It was four-thirty and normally I got