Adopted

"I believe my mother, your sister, made a miscalculation, perhaps worrying about how she and I would fare with my father having made no offer to support us financially. I believe my mother would have been too proud to press for a court order for maintenance from my father."

"I also believe my mother was horrified at placing us in danger and her only thought was to try to save me so she fell, making no effort to protect herself and softened my landing on to the roadway, the wheels of the vehicle passing over her, crushing her. Had she thrown me forward I may not have survived the impact. Therefore I believe my mother was a heroine in looking after my safety ahead of her own."

"Jesus."

"Where you not aware of this scenario?"

Hayden swallowed. "The report I remember reading that dad brought home with him was far more matter-of-fact than that. It said Connie stumbled and fell and held you out, or words to that effect."

"Now for the second big bit Hayden. My mother was dead and my birth father wanted nothing to do with me and had never seen me and nothing about that changed when he learned of my mother's death. So I was truly orphaned. And who was there for me? I was my mother's total responsibility. Because I was born illegitimately my father had practically no legal claim over me, therefore no responsibility as far as I understand it, although he could be made liable for paternity payments. None of my father's family knew of my existence. So my only other option was to be claimed and cared for by my mother's family, the Shutters. Unfortunately for me there was some sort of conspiracy against recognizing me by the Shutters, perhaps as a result of the shock of my mother's death and fury that my father had washed his hands of me. So without rationalizing the consequences for me and on my future until gaining my independence as an adult, the Shutters as a family disowned me and as I came to understand later blamed me for my mother's death."

"Oh we were so callous to wrong you like that," Hayden groaned.

"We can't turn back the clock Hayden. Anyway, fortunately for me my father's attorney who'd know him closely since they were at school together, a practical and passionate and loving woman who recognized my plight, acting on instructions arranged for my adoption. And fortunately for me that attorney's daughter had lost a child and she and her husband agreed to adopt me. That sweet-hearted attorney Virginia Ricardo, who I regard as my savior, became my grandmother and remains one of the most influential persons in my life. My father gave her $10,000 to establish a trust fund for me that comes to me when I turn thirty when it will have grown to more than $250,000. There is provision for me to access the fund for special reasons, such as education, but my adoptive parents Stephen and Leonie Armstrong insisted I should not touch that fund and they are putting me through college and say they are delighted to do so as my parents as they wish me to be well-educated to take full advantage of my future."

"That's what I have come to Canada to say Hayden and the purpose of my visit is to attempt to get your brothers to adopt a conciliatory approach as you have done and admit I was terribly wronged by the Shutter family. I seek no compensation and make only one demand. That appeal is that we all meet at my mother's gravesite and have some sort of revocation/cleansing ceremony and for the four brothers to acknowledge me as their niece from an illegitimate birth. I want nothing more than that and I have yet to visit my mother's grave and I'll say this: Unless I get that revocation commitment over a meeting at that gravesite I shall never visit it. Thank you for listening to me Hayden. You have been so kind. I'd like you to meet with your brothers and play this recording."

Kelly switched off the recorder and looked up and said to Hayden, "Another wine?"

Tears streaming down his face Hayden held out his arms and said, "We have so wronged you. Please let me hug you."

Kelly sat on his knee and was hugged and kissed. She was dry-eyed and said, "There, there. Don't be so upset. You are my great hope Hayden, "I'm counting on you."

When Hayden had calmed Kelly said she was going to Eglinton Town Center to a movie.

"Take my car."

"No a cab is fine."

"Please take my car Kelly."

"Okay thanks, I'll be a few minutes getting ready."

* * *

Monique arrived back with the kids and said they'd eaten in town.

"Has Kelly gone somewhere in your car?"

Hayden said yes to a movie in Eglington.

After the kids went off to watch TV Hayden poured two wines and said to Monique. "I'll play you this tape. You might find it a bit harrowing."

"Who tough old me? You have to be kidding."

"It had me crying. Monique spoke to me from her perspective of Connie's death."

Monique had second thoughts and returned from the kitchen carrying a box of tissues.

Jacki came in and said there was nothing of interest to her on TV.

"Okay sit with us and listen to this tape. I warn you this might make you cry."

"Mom can hug me," Jacki said and Ella came out and said she can hug her too.

"Hayden?"

"Um I think it will be okay darling. It's about Kelly talking about being unwanted."

"Right girls you can stay and listen," Monique said. "But if it gets upsetting then please go back to TV."

Hayden said they should talk about anything that upsets them or leaves them uncertain with their mom or him.

Ella frowned, "What's upsetting?"

"Just sit and you'll find out," Jacki snorted.

Hayden played the tape and before it finished even he was wiping his eyes.

Jacki came over and sat on his knee and Ella was clutching her sobbing mom, trying to calm her.

When Hayden switched off the hand-held voice recorder Monique said, "Ohmigod, I knew it had been pretty tough for her but somehow I'd not really taken it in."

They sat not attempting to leave the family huddle. Hayden sniffed, "I was even more aloof about it although recognizing an injustice had been done. God how could we be so thick."

"You're not thick daddy."

"Ella my brothers and I shut out little baby Kelly when we ought to have welcomed her with open arms and come to some arrangement between us who would adopt her."

Jacki said, "We can adopt her."

"No the time for that had gone," Monique said, blowing her nose. "God I feel so guilty. I was your Aunt Connie's best friend. Kelly won't leave her family in New York now because they took her in and have stood by her."

"Mom I think this is a mess. Why wasn't Kelly crying as she was talking?"

"I think she's thought about this a thousand times Ella and little of the hurt remains. She just wants her uncles to say sorry and they recognize her unconditionally as their niece."

"They will do that won't they?"

"Jacki I wish I could be confident about that. I think Uncle Seth will come through for Kelly. If your father can somehow influence Uncle Victor then Uncle Nolan will tag alone with him."

"I don't like Uncle Nolan and Auntie Sadi and what a dumb names they both have."

"Ella it's not nice to say such things. Please apologize."

"I'm sorry mom."

Jacki looked at Hayden and frowned. "Dad you don't think this appeal by Kelly is going to work do you?"

"I'm not sure. It's going to be tough."

"Then why not call a meeting of your brothers and wives. Females are big into this because it involves emotions rather than who was right and who was wrong."

Hayden looked at Monique who raised her eyebrows. "Thank you darling. Your mother and I will think about that when we discuss strategy. Look let's not say anything to Kelly about this. I don't think she would have expected having a family conference discuss her recording."

The girls agreed not to talk about it unless Kelly raised the subject.

Monique was in the kitchen in her dressing gown when Kelly arrived home.

Kelly looked at her closely and a asked, "Have you heard the recording?"

"Yes and I cried. It was so sad."

"Well I hope it will have similar reaction is breaking the other brothers out of their apathy."

"I hope so too."

As Kelly put the car keys on the hook she asked, not looking at Monique, "Tell me truthfully, what of my chances of gaining unconditional acceptance."

"It's difficult to say."

Kelly swung round and said, "But not too difficult to say?"

"Well it will hinge on Victor?"

"What does he do?"

"He's a cop."

"What a gung-ho cop or is he in admin?"

Monique said reluctantly, "He's a homicide investigator."

"Well that suggests nothing of assistance to me."

Monique appeared to be rattling her brain. "What about expertise in analytical thinking?"

"Oh good one Monique. You are such a positive person."

Next day Kelly took the two girls Sunday shopping to buy their mom a birthday present. Monique got Hayden up hard.

"Christ I was hoping to sleep in."

"Well you should have married someone with less interest in sex."

"Just how interested are you?"

"Ready to be made to scream now that the kids and Kelly are out of the house."

"What can I do?"

Monique tickled him under the chin and said anything he wished.

"Put your mouth round it."

Monique threw off the covers and lifted up his erection and licked it ups from his balls and both sides, leaving it slick with saliva.

Hayden grinned. "Are you going to remove all hair when we go on holiday like you did last summer?"

"Yeah if you are expecting a wet summer."

Monique smiled and began jerking him. "Well you do know what our climate is like but I'm thinking I'd like to be fucked every day of my holiday, wet or shine, day and night."

"Oh great."

"For goodness sake Hayden, sound a little more enthusiastic. You are not an old man... yet."

"Right, well keep your cunt juicy and I'll slip in every free moment we have."

"Liar."

"I thought you like me sweet talking to you. Calling me a liar is not very nice. For that your punishment is getting it up the butt. Roll over slut."

'Oh sweet taking me are you?"

Hayden didn't answer. He stuck a finger into pussy and worked it into his wife's anus. That was followed by another finger and he worked gently and the surround slowly became more supple and the opening widened.

"Oh that feels soooo good you don't have to go any farther."

"What about me?"

"Oh sorry. Yes you'd better get yourself off." Monique reached into her bedside cabinet drawer and handed Hayden a condom.

Slowly her inserted the tip and she groaned, clutching the sheet under them in both hands. Hayden knew she wasn't it real pain. The initial feeling of discomfort was enough to make her groan because she was a noisy lover, given the chance. He wished his cock wasn't so fat because if it were long and thin he'd slam into her in no time, get her off and she'd go and run a bath, allowing him to doze.

He pushed a little too quickly and she screamed as if she'd had a red-hot poker up her butt.

"Are you okay?" he asked trying to sound concerned.

"Yes, thanks for your concern," she panted.

When he was two-thirds in Hayden began rocking in and out of her while she thrust a hand under her belly and began thrashing round her clit. It was the only way she could get off when being sodomized. She didn't believe a woman could have her own anal ejaculation but Hayden knew her friend Judy could but he couldn't tell Monique that without getting into deep shit; she'd want to know how he knew that.

He pulled Monique's head back roughly by her hair (she'd taught me to do that and what force to apply) and she screamed delightedly and when he was ready to come he pushed in right up to his balls and she arched her back for him to squeeze her tits hard. She lashed her nub and climaxed and seconds later he bellowed and pumped into the condom.

They were both sweating.

"Oh that was wonderful darling. Thank you. I always climax with greater intensity when I scream and have my breasts mashed."

"It's my pleasure."

"I bet."

She removed the condom off Hayden as she usually did but didn't go off to the bathroom with it. Instead she placed it on the towel after rubbing them both dry. "So how best can we help Kelly achieve her twin goals?"

"You want to talk about this now?" Hayden said, faking a yawn.

"Yes unless you wish to sail up the other channel."

"Aw talking is okay I suppose. I think Jacki made a very mature suggestion. You should have the women there as well."

Monique, eyeing the bathroom door and now thinking about a bath, said, "What about Kelly being there?"

"Dunno."

"I think not," she said firmly.

Hayden rubbed his chin. "But my brothers and I could feel more guilty seeing her there. Perhaps they could stay in the car and I'd fetch her in at the appropriate time."

Kelly called her Uncle Seth on Monday during her lunchtime at the commercial property management company where he was a vice-president. Seth greeted her without warmth and when Kelly asked to meet him his manner changed.

"I really don't think so. My brother Nolan spoke to me about you at the weekend and he described you as rude and arrogant. I don't associate with people who are like that. Goodbye.

That abortive phone call should have been a warning but Kelly remained optimistic thinking if she could meet Seth somehow then she could win him over with her charm and good nature. Then her enthusiasm died when she considered how could she meet a person who was adamant about not wishing to meet her. She thought she'd discuss the problem with Monique but would wait until the fashion show was over because at present Monique was under pressure getting her entries made to her exacting requirements and negotiating for models of the age, shape, experience and coloring she desired and of course she was in competition with other designers with similar requirements.

Kelly had become very friendly with Phyllis Chambers, the architectural student on Hayden's team who'd been asked to liaise with Kelly during the first couple of weeks of her induction into the office and to help familiarize her with the Canadian way of life in Toronto. Kelly now turned to Phyllis and her mom.

Kelly stayed with the Chamber's the next weekend and when the three women were outside in the shade having coffee she said, "Phyllis and Mrs Chambers, I'd like your advice about a family problem I'm groping with."

"Yes dear of course." Faith said.

The two Chamber's women listened fascinated as Kelly sketched in her background and the efforts to date to negotiate a complete unification with her estranged Canadian family.

Phyllis who was twenty was in tears and clutching Kelly but Mrs Chambers, manager of the human resources unit at a private hospital, was sympathetic but otherwise remained unemotional. Kelly had been counting on this.

"I'm sorry Kelly but my initial assessment is your changes of success look pretty hopeless. You have made huge progress with Hayden and his family but that could be it."

"Oh mom, don't be so cruel," cried Phyllis.

"Be quiet please darling. Kelly is asked for opinion, not to be petted."

"Yes, quite right," Kelly said, grappling with her disappointment.

"You believe there was a conspiracy among the brothers at the time of the tragedy to shut you out Kelly. Well sadly I think that youngest brother Nolan has rekindled it by contacting his other two brothers warning them not to have anything to do with you. Seth more or less indicated that to you so it's not exactly rocket science."

"I accept that Mrs Chambers..."

"Well I don't, Phyllis said. "Someone ought to knock sense into them by banging their heads together."

Faith and Kelly laughed and Faith said, "I really do think Kelly is seeking practical suggestions from us darling."

"I'm sorry. God this is so unfair for you Kelly."

"True but I've endured and will continue to endure. I have wasted my time coming to Canada."

"I see, so consolidating your relationship with Hayden and his family has not been worth it?"

"Oh Mrs Chambers, of course it has. You are so right. They all are just so lovely people and are lovely to me. Normally I would be the first to acknowledge that. Please understand talking about my past makes my mind jump a bit and the hurt clouds my mind but only temporarily. I'm not a vindictive person."

"I'm sure you're not Kelly. Why don't you two go off to the mall. I'll join you there for lunch."

Kelly had not had sex since leaving college almost a month ago. The only reason for that was lack of opportunity. Phyllis's boyfriend Andrew on three previous occasions had found a friend to allow Kelly to double date with them but Kelly had been left less than impressed and had declined to go beyond enduring some groping. But on this Saturday Andrew excelled himself... well, there was a marked improvement. Riley turned out to be quite dashing.

"Kelly this is Riley Copeland," Andrew said, looking a little nervous. Phyllis would tell Kelly later she'd been on to Andrew to come up with someone top shelf for her friend.

Kelly's breath caught and Riley looked almost as much at her face as he did her breasts in that opening minute.

"Hi Riley. It's a pleasure to meet you. A real pleasure I should think."

Riley's head jerked up for him to look at Kelly as she added that last bit. "Hi Kelly, you look great."

"Well let's do it, I mean shall we go?" she said coloring and was spared further embarrassment by Phyllis diverting by yelling, "Bye mom and dad."

Kelly was happy because of what had happened five minutes earlier. Phyllis was in the bathroom and Kelly was in their shared bedroom doing her hair when Faith came in and said she's checked the registration list for next month's summer conference for HR directors and managers.

"Seth Shutter's wife Liz is manager of HR for an IT consultancy and is on the list. I know her quite well so just phoned her about room sharing and she appeared delighted to be asked. So I'll find the occasion to talk about you."

"Oh Mrs Chambers how wonderful," Kelly said, hugging her.

"Sit down again darling and I'll finish your hair for you," Faith said, picking up the brush.

Coming out of the bathroom Phyllis said in delight, "Oh mom, that's a lovely thing to do for Kelly. I always love it when you do my hair."

* * *

After movies and dinner, Andrew parked his battered 1996 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight under trees on the edge of a park and announced he and Phyllis were going for a walk. He produced a rug from the truck and he and Phyllis walked into the park, arm in arm.

Riley and Kelly remained in the back seat and he said, "Guess what they will be doing?"

"Luck them," Kelly murmured, giving Riley the incentive he needed. In the movies he'd place an arm over her shoulder and the heroine would snuggled in against him.

Riley placed an arm around Kelly's shoulder and that was it. So she lifted that hand and pulled it down and placed in on her breast.

Now Riley was much more serious about kissing her and did so passionately. His tongue pressed against Kelly's teeth and she opened her mouth and murmured, Hmmmmmm."

Sex appeared inevitable.

Riley reached down and soon had two fingers in and when they both heard the squelching noise, Kelly pulled away and removed her panties and whispered, "Do you have a condom?"

"Sure."

Encouraged, Kelly unzipped Riley and pulled out his erection, taking her time and received his cooperation.

He stupidly wheezed, "I didn't think you'd do it on a first date."

Kelly thought so what if he thought she was a slut. She needed this. Kelly sank her head down and worked her mouth over his dick, her tongue flicking.

"Jesus," Riley groaned.

Later, after spitting out his semen into her panties, Kelly fished out the condom and rolled it on to Riley who appeared most impressed, saying he'd never have a babe do that before.