Miles Dempsey

A couple of months ago, I didn't even know who my parents were. It had been a twenty-four-year mystery.

Since the minute my mom and dad told me I was adopted, the thought had become engrained in my brain, and slowly through the years, it ate away at me. Mostly because I had so many questions.

Was it normal for your parents to give you away?
Do mom and pops actually love me even though I'm not their own?
Do my real mom and dad love me?

Who are they?
That was the biggest question.

There were times in my life when my birth parents didn't even come to my head. Me being adopted didn't matter and life was okay just the way it was. It came in waves throughout my life. Then, it was just there. Didn't come in waves, it was just constant.

My curiosity kept on building until finally, I had to do it. I had to find them. My parents told me about them and the information came quickly. I knew nothing about them to knowing their names, who they were, and a little bit of my birth mother's story.

Sadly, I didn't have a birth father to get to know. He was gone before I was even born. Learning that face was difficult for me. Having a relationship with both my birth mother and father sounded nice. My reality was that I was only getting one of those.

Bethany was a good woman. I've known her for weeks now and we talk a lot. I feel as if I've grown to know her and if it came to it, I was most likely to defend her. Sometimes my brain brings me to the question, why didn't she keep me? Until I remember the story my mom and pops told me, the one she told me as well.

She was young. Her baby's father had died suddenly.

For her, it felt like there was no better option. She could have chosen another direction to go in the pregnancy. One that would have never let me see the light of day. One that would have never given my parents what they had been wanting their whole life. So, yes, even though she made mistakes, I still appreciate the woman.

When it comes to my birth father, there's still so much about him that I know I can learn. Beth and Brynn only told me so much. They knew him well but his family knows him the most. Getting the chance to meet them means I'll feel more connected to my birth father and build a relationship with his family that I never got to build with him.

Mom and Pops are proud of me for taking this leap. It's not as easy as it sounds. I'm nervous more than anything. What if they don't react the way I'd expect or worse, not bother wanting to get to know me the way I want to get to know them?

Then all of this would have been for nothing. I'd feed off the stories from Bethany and Brynn forever. Speaking of, Nola's mom has been one of my biggest cheerleaders leading up to this day. It was scary to think about. Walking into a home of strangers and telling them I'm related to them from their lost loved one. I knew it was going to be hard to sell myself to them. That's why I asked Mrs. Scott if she could join me.

She didn't need any convincing and agreed to be there with Nola and me on that day. It made me relax a bit more. Ryle's family knows Brynn well. Her being there with me wouldn't make them have any questions. At least no questions pertaining to whether I'm telling the truth or not.

My mind, heart, and body were still in full overdrive with the thought of meeting them. This was the final step of this whole process. I talked to Mom and Pops, met Bethany, and now I was going to meet my birth father's family. There was no soul on planet Earth more nervous than me right now.

Nola grabbed my hands and assured me that everything would be okay. She was there and that was all I needed. Because this girl was my reason. I did everything for her and in times like this where I felt a little weak, she was strong for me. She took that step and held me even when I felt like I should always be the one holding her.

God, she was special. My girl was everything and more than what I deserve.

Brynn had made me take a deep breath before she knocked on the door. We pulled up to a two-story blue house. There was a small garden out front and a white porch. Nola's mom pointed to the white house next door and said that was her childhood home up until her parents sold it and moved to Oak Hill. It was nice to imagine her growing up here with my birth father. Being best friends.

Brynn was a strong connection to Ryle which made me feel tied to her in a way. It was nice. She gave comfort to me, especially in this moment.

There were about five cars parked close to the house. I didn't know if they were from the neighbors or family. It made me even more nervous then. How many people would be behind that door? Nola smiled up to me, easing the tenseness in my body. Then, Mrs. Scott finally knocked.

A million feelings and thoughts coursed through my body. I was in fact terrified for that door to open. Most times, the unknown didn't scare me but this time was an exception. My breath hitched when the sound of the door being unlocked started.

This is it, Miles.
This is the final step.
After today, you can finally say you know who your birth parents are.

The door swings open and a middle-aged brunette woman stands there. She looks a little older than Mrs. Scott. Her gray eyes widen and she gasps. "Brynn freaking Danvers! Oh, my glory, come here!" the lady shouts. The two women squeal like school girlfriends who haven't seen each other in a while. "It's Scott now," Brynn adds. The lady gasps and nods, "How could I forget that gorgeous husband of yours?"

Mrs. Scott laughs when she pulls away. "Allison, this is my daughter, Nola, and her lovely boyfriend, Miles," she introduces us to this lady who I still have no idea who she is. Nola immediately smiles and waves. Allison, I'm assuming is her name now, gasps again. "You are so beautiful! Brynn, she looks exactly like you when you were younger. How old are you, baby?"

Nola's smile is wide at the compliment. "Nineteen, and thank you. I love being told I look like my mom," she admits. "Oh my goodness, I'm being rude aren't I, come on in you guys." Allison takes a step back letting us into the home. My heart still pounding, especially as I start to step inside. Allison offers me a smile and she stares at me for a little longer than I'd expect.

Does she recognize me?

Her smile doesn't falter and after a couple of seconds she says, "Come in, darling." I saw it pass through her eyes, the ones we share. "Allison is Ryle's oldest sister," Nola whispers to me once we've made it inside. My eyes take in the home around me.

The walls are painted a gray color. Tons and tons of pictures fill every empty space whether it's a wall, table, or other piece of furniture. There's children toys littered on the ground as well. Allison says to ignore those. Someone named Macy has their daughter over for their mother to watch. The wooden floors unmodernized the home but I actually enjoy the look of them. The blue coaches feel worn in once you sit in them but they feel like they have a long history so maybe that's why they've stayed.

"Momma, come downstairs! A present just walked through the door for you!" Allison shouted. Mrs. Scott had the biggest smile on her face. I've seen her smile multiple times if not all the time but this time is different. She has a different glow.

In a couple of seconds, an older woman is walking down the stairs. Probably in her seventies, she still looks as if she's fully mobile and healthy. "Oh my heavens. Allison, are my eyes playing tricks on me?" the older lady says. "Not at all, momma." Mrs. Scott stands to meet her embrace and they hug for what feels like five minutes talking to one another.

She's Ryle's mother.
The woman who lost her child and never got him back.

"What are you doing here, honey?! And who are these kiddos?" When the attention of any of Ryle's family is on me, my pulse rises. "This is my oldest Nola and her boyfriend Miles," Brynn says with a big smile on her face. "Oh my God, she's absolutely gorgeous, look at that!" Ryle's mom pulls Nola in for a hug and I learn that her name is Rosie.

When she pulls away from Nola, Rosie's eyes stay on me for a long moment just like Allison's did. There's no way they know about me but I wonder if they see him in me. "Look at those eyes. Did you see his eyes, Allison?" Rosie asks her daughter. Allison peers behind her mom's shoulder and smiles. "We have matching eyes," she says, smiling at me and then her mom.

My lips rise a bit. "Excellent choice, Nola," Allison says before leading her mom toward the couch with her. Nola smiles too and grabs my hand to interlock our fingers. "Brynn, honey, what brings you here today? It's been a while," Rosie asks. I can feel the love in the room. It makes me realize just how close Nola's mom was to Ryle's family.

Her words make my whole body freeze in place. Nola realizes and rubs my leg with her free hand. It's going to be said now. We didn't exactly plan how today was going to go but I thought I'd be the one to introduce myself and tell them that I'm related to Ryle. Mrs. Scott doing it for me makes me feel a little calmer. They'll believe her. "I thought it would be a good time to connect with you guys again. Especially after recently learning a new piece of information."

Rosie and Allison both looked confused by that last statement but Brynn passed over it quickly. "But let's catch up, ladies! I've missed you both," she adds. The worry in both their eyes seems to calm at Brynn's words.

Mrs.Scott does most of the talking, catching up with Ryle's family. They talk about Nola's dad and the rest of her siblings. I notice Mrs. Scott tries to include me in the conversations when she asks me things which leads to Rosie and Allison asking me questions too. Even though I'm not important to them as much as Brynn is, I still feel included.

Nola doesn't fail to mention the fact that I recently won the Stanley Cup Championship. Rosie and Allison's eyes widened immediately. "Really!? You know-" Heavy footsteps cut off Rosie then, and a small blonde-headed boy comes down the steps quickly. He's looking down at his feet, making sure he doesn't trip on them before looking up.

His eyes land on mine first. Shivers run up my spine at the sight of his brown eyes. A smile grows on his lips and he runs forward, jumping in between Nola and I. "Nola, Miles! What are you guys doing at my house?" he says and I'm a little stunned. It never crossed my mind that he might be related to my birth father Ryle. Not until now.

Everyone looks at Ryle in confusion but Brynn who has a slight smile on her face. "How do you know their names, bud?" Allison asked confused. "They were my teachers at the ice skating clinic mommy took me to," Ryle says. "Hi, Ryle," I tell him. He turns his head over to me quickly. "You remembered me? My name?" he asks, brown eyes widened.

"Of course, I said I would," I admit honestly. Seeing him now blows my mind. I didn't expect him to be a part of my birth family when I first met him a couple of months ago. His face flushes a pink color. "He's my favorite hockey player, Auntie Allison. Is that why you invited him over?" Ryle questions. He's a lot more talkative than I remembered. Nola smiles, looking down at him.

"Oh, I wish, bud. He's Nola's boyfriend and Nola is the daughter of Brynn. Mine and Mama's old friend," Allison explains to him. Ryle looks over at Brynn and she gives him a small wave. "Hi, I'm Brynn," she introduces herself to the little boy. "Hi," he says a bit shyly. "He's one of Macy's sons," Rosie tells Brynn. Mrs. Scott's eyes widen softly. "Oh Macy, how is she? Where are they all now?"

Rosie tells Mrs. Scott everything and I learn that Ryle has four siblings. His youngest sister is Macy, who's Ryle's' mom. Allison is the oldest and then he has two younger brothers, Nathan and Ethan. They all have kids so the family has only grown. Rosie seems ecstatic about that fact. Ryle leaves halfway through that conversation, joining his cousins upstairs.

When no one says anything after that conversation is over, Mrs. Scott turns over to look at me. Nola does too and smiles softly. She wants me to say something I'm assuming. My hands begin to get clammy and I wipe them on my jeans. The jitters I had earlier come into play again. "Uhm, I hope it's not weird that I'm here with Brynn and Nola today," I say to Rosie and Allison.

"Not at all, sweetie! You're always welcome," Rosie is the one to reply and Allison nods, agreeing with her. My mind suddenly blanks, not knowing what to say. How do I even go about this? Mrs. Scott might notice my confusion because she interrupts the silence. "Actually, ladies, there is a reason that Nola and I brought Miles along today. We learned something recently that...was very shocking."

This is it.
The final step.

I inhale a deep breath and hold it in like it's the last one I'll be able to take. Mrs. Scott looks over at me and smiles, handing me the baton. Ryle's family members look at me, waiting for me to say something. I suddenly feel every hair on my body, the blood pumping through my veins, and the sound of my heartbeat in my ears. It's the same feeling I felt when meeting my birth mother for the first time.

I've been feeling like this the whole time I've been here. There have been some instances where I feel calm. Mostly when Nola speaks. She brings me that comfort that's hard to find in times like this. Thinking about her makes my heart race a lot quicker.

My eyes land back on Allison. She stares at me deeply and I take in her eyes. They match mine in color. She's my aunt, I realize. She's my family. Her brown hair is pulled up in a ponytail. My heart drops to my stomach.

This is the first time in my life that I've seen someone who looks like me.

"I'm adopted," is the first thing that I blurt out. "My birth mother she... was really young when she found out she was pregnant with me. There was something that had happened with my birth father that changed her life. She made the decision based on her life at the moment, okay? She didn't think she could give me a good life with her circumstances," I defend my birth mother.

When they find out who my birth father is, who knows what they'll think about Bethany? Mrs. Scott looks like she wants to say something but holds back. I release the breath I was holding in. Rosie and Allison don't say anything as they listen intently. "My birth father died before I was born. My birth mother found out she was pregnant with me after the fact. She... her name is Bethany James," I tell them.

"Wait-"

"Bethany James? Ryle's friend?" Allison asks, looking over at Brynn for confirmation. Mrs. Scott has a frown on her face and nods. "She reached out to us from time to time for a couple of years after Ryle passed, remember momma?" Allison turns to Rosie. "The blonde girl? Oh yes, sweet girl. We haven't heard from her in years though," Rosie adds.

"God, how could I forget? I'm sorry, Allison, Rosie. There's something I never told you. Something I kept to myself for years just because I thought it would be better that way but I never imagined for this to happen so..." Brynn swallows hard, looking up at them like she's embarrassed to say anything at all. "Ryle and I hadn't been together since October before he passed. It's why I didn't come home for winter break that last time. We lied about being together still just for your guys and my parent's sake."

Allison and Rosie both have a sad look on their face, emotion passing through both their features. "He was dating..." Mrs. Scott looks over at me and smiles sadly. "Bethany." My eyes stay on Nola's mom for a little longer before returning to Ryle's family. "Brynnie, why didn't you two say anything? What happened?" Rosie asks. "He uh, we just-"

"He cheated on my mom. Twice. Physically once, emotionally the other time. So my mom cut it off. She doesn't hold a grudge over him for it, never has. Ryle will always have a special place in her heart but that's what happened," Nola speaks up when her mom can't. I notice tears brimming Mrs. Scott's eyes as she looks at her daughter instead of the two women in front of her.

"What?!" Rosie yelps. "Honey, is that true?" She looks at Mrs. Scott who nods. "Oh my God," Allison says, her eyes turning from Brynn to me. Suddenly, a tear slips from her glassy eyes. "Momma, his eyes. He's a part of him. Of us." Rosie looks back at me. Our eyes meet for a long time before she chokes out a small sob. Brynn goes over to her and rubs her back in comfort as she cries. "You're Ry's son?" Allison asks, tears rolling down her face as well.

"Ryle and Bethany's son, yes," I finally admit. Allison's lip quivers and she cries but she's smiling a little bit. "The minute I looked at you, I felt something pull at my heartstrings. My heart knew before I did," she tells me. Nola rubs my back in comfort. "Oh, honey, this is great. Why would she hide you from us?" Rosie asks between cries. "You believe me?" I reply. "Well of course. You look so much like him now that I'm looking at you," Rosie speaks.

Calmness floats in my mind.

They believe me.

Brynn approaches me and puts a hand on my shoulder. "He's a great man, Rose and Alli. You're going to love him. His parents raised him very, very well," she says, smiling. Her compliments boost my mood even more. Nola's mom liking me was all I ever wanted. Especially after she found out Ryle was my birth father. I didn't want her opinion of me to change.

We stayed for a long time after that, talking to Rosie and Allison. They told me almost everything about Ryle, I had learned all about my birth father in just a couple of hours. It was everything I could have asked for and more. They also learned a lot more about me. I told them about hockey, growing up in Canada, my parents, living with the kid, what I liked to do for fun, and much more about my past.

I never thought my heart could feel so full.

Not until I met Nola of course, but love from my birth father's family fills it even more. Nola rests her chin on my shoulder and smiles up at me. Her blue eyes light up as I talk about hockey with Rosie and Allison. They asked more about it because Ryle wants to play on a team one day and they want to be a bit more educated on the sport.

"You two are absolutely adorable," Rosie speaks, catching both Nola and I's attention. "Who woulda thought, Brynnie? Your daughter and Ryle's son? It's meant to be, don't you think?" Alli says. Mrs. Scott chuckles. "Yes, for them. They're really cute." I kiss my girlfriend's head. Having her comfort me this whole time has just made this day one thousand times greater.

Allison, Rosie, and Brynn talk about something else for a while and I excuse myself when I see a text from Tiffany.

Tiffany: Hello, client. Please review the final contract for Nike. I already sent it over to your lawyers but just wanted you to have a copy to read as well if you have any final questions. Sorry for the late text.

I roll my eyes at her calling me a client.

Miles: Thanks, Tiff. I'll look over it when I can.

She thumbs up my message. "You want another water or something else to drink, Miles?" Allison says, walking into the kitchen and towards the fridge. "Another water would be great," I reply. She retrieves two waters from the fridge and hands me mine, a smile on her face. "Sorry if I'm staring at you a lot. You look just like my baby brother, it's kind of insane. I never thought I would be able to look at someone who looks like him again."

I don't mind the stares honestly. They're just getting used to me so I know it's bound to happen a lot. "Ryle and Macy were the only blonde ones, the rest of us are brunette so I don't see him in Nate or Ethan," she adds. "It's alright. I know this is all interestingly new," I tell her. She chuckles nodding her head and turning to look at the couch where Brynn and Nola sit.

"You know, Miles, that's crazy. How God brought you to Nola who happens to be Brynn's daughter who used to be the love of your birth father's life," Allison states. I've come to learn that the Grayson family is also religious like my birth mother is. "He planned this, you know? To bring you back to us someday. This is how it had to happen. Lucky for you, He added a beautiful little lady to your life." She looks past my shoulder at Nola.

I turn to look at her too. Her focus is on Rosie as they sit on the same couch now, hand in hand. They're talking about God knows what but Nola has a smile on her face. My heart pulses in my chest. My family loves her. My birth father's family loves her. She's fucking perfect, how could they not?

Her blonde hair is down, a bit wavy - her natural state - since she didn't style it today. She wears minimal makeup but doesn't need any more to look gorgeous. How can one woman be so beautiful without even trying?

"It makes me happy that it's Brynn's daughter. I know we just learned the real story as to what happened between Brynn and Ryle," she shakes her head, "I'm upset about it. Momma didn't raise him that way. It makes me angrier that he did that to Brynn, she's a lovely person. Always has been. Even so, the two seemed perfect together. I see a little bit of them in you and Nola. It's beautiful," Allison finishes.

It's nice to know that she sees what Nola and I have. Her mom said the same thing when she first saw us together. I don't think you have to look closely to see how much the girl means to me. "Trust me, I'm not planning on letting that girl go," I assure her. She smiles. "Good. I see in both of your eyes," Allison pauses for a moment, "you two love each other deeply."

Her words hit me with so much emotion. I'm looking over her shoulder again and staring at the woman sitting on the couch. Her eyes sparkle as dark blue as they are. The way her smile fills her whole face and lights up more than just my day. Nola brings out the better parts of me. Her light shone one in mine. One I didn't know existed until her.

She's absolutely perfect and no, I'm not just talking about what's on the outside. Nola is the only woman who's ever made my heart skips beats. The only woman who's had the impact to move me. She's taught me a whole lot about myself that I never would have found out if she wasn't here to guide me. Just looking at her now hurts my chest.

In a good way.

I never want to lose her. It instills a new fear in me. Losing her. It's a scary thought.

And fuck. Allison couldn't be more right.

I'm in love with the girl. How could I not be?

Nola's attention turns from Rosie to me. I think she feels me staring. Her full-blown smile turns into a soft one for me. God, I do love her.

My heart beats in my chest for her. Chills rushed up my spine and down my arms. That girl going to be mine forever. Whether she likes it or not.

***

Honestly, I didn't realize how hard it was going to be to say goodbye to Rosie and Allison. They promised to invite me back and we exchanged phone numbers and everything. Rosie was going to tell the rest of Ryle's siblings about me. I'm sure they'd want to meet me one day too. Since we all live in Los Angeles, it's so convenient. It won't be hard to stay connected to them.

I learned so much today. About myself. About Ryle. It was overwhelming but inviting as well. Finally, my life felt in place. There were no unanswered questions. I had learned everything that I ever wanted to know at this point. Not only that but everything was good. Besides the fact that my birth father wasn't here anymore. It still made me sad on some days.

But after meeting his family today, I know I'll be feeling him with me throughout the rest of my life. Especially with the Graysons in my life now. Life could not be more perfect.

We returned to Oak Hill and since it was late, Nola and I spent the night at her parent's place. Her in her childhood bedroom, me in the guest bedroom downstairs. After my realization earlier, all I wanted to was be next to her. Out of respect for her parents though, I stayed put. I'd see her in the morning anyway.

Bright and early, I was awakened by Nola's little sister Kiersten who told me to come downstairs for breakfast. After we finished eating, we went to Mrs. Scott's parent's house. It was the first time I had ever met them and they were great.

Mrs. Scott told them about me and how I'm Ryle's son and they were in disbelief. They loved Ryle too, I could tell by their reaction and all the questions. It feels nice to know that so many people cared about him.

After we ate dinner, Nola brought me upstairs to her mom's old room. She mentioned how her grandparents never got rid of their stuff just in case they wanted to come home one day and stay over. Mrs. Scott's childhood bedroom was set up that of a teenage girl's bedroom. The bed sheets and curtains looked a couple of years old. So did the big vanity that was in her room.

"Mom said that my grandma kept some pictures up here of her and Ryle," Nola explained. She opened up one of the drawers in the vanity and there lay a good amount of pictures all sprawled out. She picked up one and smiled handing it to me. It was Brynn and Ryle. They were dressed in a suit and gown, smiling for the camera. Senior prom maybe.

Nola handed me plenty of pictures, over and over again. They all consisted of Ryle and Brynn. Not many of them had any other people but them. It felt kind of wrong seeing pictures like this knowing Mrs. Scott was now married to Mr. Scott. Still, it was nice to see my birth father happy. His face seemed to light up a different way when he was around Brynn.

It felt like me with Nola.

She was the only person who could make me feel the feelings I felt. Looking at her now, I can't help but smile and be reminded of yesterday. How I realized for the first time in my life that I was in love with someone. But not just anybody. Nola. The girl who was meant for me.

The most beautiful woman in the world.
The only woman who knew how to make my heart beat.

She looked at pictures of her mom when she was younger. There were a couple of candids of just Brynn. My guess is Ryle took them. Nola smiled, shifting from picture to picture. "I wonder if my mom would have been my friend if we were the same age at the same time," she says, still looking through the pictures. "Of course, she would be. Who wouldn't want to be your friend?" I reply.

Nola smiles a little. "I've told you before. People in school used to hate me for no reason," she reminds me. A bunch of losers probably. "Yeah, and I told you that they're nobodies. You're amazing and people who are your friends like Em can see that. They didn't know the real you because if they did then it'd be impossible for them not to love you," I tell her.

She looks up at me, her dark hues catching mine. Placing the pictures down, she rotates her body to face me. "I'm not as likable as you. Everyone loves you," she mumbles, wrapping her arms around my waist while looking up at me. I smile as I look down at her. "That's not true, Scott. And for what it's worth," my heart pangs hard against my chest, and something flutters in my stomach nervously.

My throat runs dry but I still manage the words out. The ones I've been dying to tell her. "I love you," I tell her, my voice coming out husky. Three little words. Ones I've never meant more in my life. Those three words belong to her and only to her. Nola's body stiffens against me and I don't miss the emotion that runs through her eyes. She just stares at me which makes me nervous.

"Like... love me, love me?" she asks, her voice ticking up a notch. It brings a smile to my face. "Yeah, Scott. I love you, love you," I assure her. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, I plant a kiss on her temple. When I pull back, her eyes are glassy. "He-"

"I love you too... like a crazy amount," Nola responds and my heart starts beating again. I never imagined her saying those words to me but it's all I ever want to hear. She grabs the back of my neck and pulls me down for a long, deep kiss. Who knew how much better a kiss could feel after telling your girlfriend you're in love with her?

Nola tugs on the strands of my hair and as much as I don't want to, I have to pull away. Her eyes are no longer glossy and she has the biggest smile on her face. Teeth and all. A giggle escapes her lips and she keeps her arms laced around my neck. "Who would have thought all those months ago that we would be here right now? Saying I love you to each other."

Definitely not me.

I always felt a pull to the girl but I didn't realize why. I'm glad it was this because I'm at my happiest because of her and I truly believe that my life wouldn't be going the way it was without her in it.

There's nothing like this feeling of happiness.

"Not me, Scott. But..." I turn my head to make sure no one is close by before leaning down to her ear to whisper. "I'll show you how much I love you tonight."

Her face flushes pink and she nods quickly. She's cute when she's nervous.

"Let's hurry up and say we need to go," she tells me, grabbing my hand and pulling me downstairs. It brings the biggest grin to my face.

Yeah, I could get used to this forever.