"Um..Excuse me Mame," I stammered to a woman behind the counter. I was at the local civic center in Charlotte, looking for my birth mother. I had left Lydia at the hotel and I felt mortified about almost telling Zac about my talk with Taylor.
"How can I help you?"
"Um looking for a Julia Stevens. Does she still work here?" I knew my voice was shaky and I had knots in my stomech.
"Stevens! You have a visitor," The woman talked into a microphone and I began to feel even more nervous. I looked around at each other the hallway enterances. Not knowing which one she would come out of kept me from breaking down.
This whole adoption thing was still totally new to me, even though I had known for about 2 weeks now.
"Yes? Can I help you?" A kind voice asked from behind me.
I slowly stood up and turned around. I face a middle aged woman (about the same age as Diana and Walker), with red hair and pale skin like mine. Her face was painfully young looking like she was still in her teens.
"Um...You don't know me but..." My voice cracked and I brokedown. The tears began to fall and I sat back down in the chair.
"Oh honey, what's wrong? What's your name?" Her voice was soothing like Diana's and I felt her put an arm around me. She sat in the chair beside mine and pulled me toward her.
I suddenly felt a strange feeling of anger so I pulled away from her. "Im Kaitlin....Alex Stevens. I...I think I'm your daughter," I whispered and saw her face grow pale.
"Wh..what?" She exclaimed and stared at me. I could tell she was in shock and my stomech felt queezy. I stood up gathered my things together. I was about to go when I heard her voice.
"Wait, please. Come..come into my office," She extended her hand and I felt my legs moving along with her. We went into her big corperate type office (complete with the large window looking over charlotte and a big leather chair). I sat down in the chair and she sat on the edge of her office.
"I thought you were gone for good. I was young and alone and scared," Her voice trembled and she paused before going on.
"I know that it was a total mistake after it happened. I even tried to get you back but they had taken you from me. They had taken my baby..from me.
'Her baby! Since when was I still her baby?! She gave me up for adoption when I was barely a month old for Godsake' My thoughts were scattered and I interrupted her mid-sentence.
"Who is my father?"
She gave a deep sigh before starting.
"He was a collaegue from my work. He was here for a few weeks on business and it was an instant attraction. When he went back home, we tried to keep in contact but it was no use. Im afraid he doesn't even know about you."
I was instantly shocked by this news and found it actually funny. "What was his name? Where was he from?" I asked in apprehension.
"His name is Greg. Greg Hanson and he was from Oklahoma I think," She said the name and I almost feel out of the chair.
"Greg Hanson? From Oklahoma?" I asked just as my cell phone began to ring.
"Hello?" I answered it on mid-ring with a hurried tone. Her words still ringing in my ear.
"Where are you?" Lydia asked practically screaming into the phone. I could tell she was about to go off the handle if I didn't calm her down.
"It's okay! Im at the Charlotte civic center and I've found her. I've found my mom," I said and looked at Julia from across the room. She was rumaging around in her desk drawer for something.
"Well I've been trying to track you down for the past hour. Taylor called looking for you and said that you haven't answered your phone for him either."
"Im sorry. I won't be here much longer but don't wait up for me. Just go get something to eat for supper and I'll be there in a bit," I replied as Julia handed me the picture in her hand.
I looked down at a dark headed me who looked an awful lot like Mr. Hanson and I was taken aback. I didn't hear what Lydia was saying but we soon hung up anyways. Julia must have noticed my staring cause she asked me what was wrong.
"Oh..he just looks like someone I know," I replied and handed the picture back to her.
"Oh no hon. You keep it," She replied and handed me another piece of paper and a pen. "Here. Write down your phone number, address and email if you have one. We can keep in touch."
"Oh...I want to see you more. After all you are my mother. Don't you want to see me?" I asked and put the paper and pen back on her desk. I stuffed the picture of my father into my purse and stood up.
"Of course. I'll give you a ride back to the hotel. We can talk more on the way there," She replied and gathered up her purse and work papers. I slowly followed her out to her car in a daze.