Promises Made and Promises Kept Pt. 05

Amy and Emily were happy to see me when they came in. They took turns giving me a hug, and I hugged them back, again saying how much I enjoyed watching them swim. We all then sat down at the table. Judy said grace, and we all tucked in to eat. I couldn't believe how fast they ate, reminding me of Matthew and Mark when they came home after a grueling soccer match. They were done before Judy and I were done eating. Judy sent them off to their rooms to do their homework after another round of hugs. Judy and I cleaned up before she walked me out to my car. Since it was dark, I pulled her in for a passionate kiss before leaving to go home.

When I got home, Mark was just coming downstairs from his room. His questioning look made me smile, so I told him about the swim meet and what I had witnessed. He intently listened as I described how Amy and Emily had totally outclassed everybody else who participated in the events. When I was done, he looked at me and hesitantly said, "I'd like to go to a meet with you, if you don't mind."

I pulled Mark in for a hug and said, "Of course, Mark. I'm sure Amy and Emily would be happy to see you."

I had to smile as I saw Mark blush at my remark. I was sure he was interested in Amy, despite his denials. I could have teased him about it, but I didn't. I was sure Amy was just as interested in him.

February 1995

We celebrated Grace's and Kathy's birthdays today. I had always thought how weird it was that they had both been born on the same day, in the same hospital, and had the same surnames. They both joked about having been switched at birth and that Kathy was really Grace and vice versa. Now that they were both 65, Kathy retired because of her bum leg and started collecting her Social Security. Grace began to collect her Social Security but was still planning to work part-time. Mark and I took them out for dinner at Marie Callender's, and we all had a great time. Matthew called that night to wish them both a Happy Birthday.

***

Since our dinner with Judy's parents, I've been planning dinner so Judy, Amy, and Emily can meet Grace and Kathy. Kathy was a little hesitant, but Grace and I double-teamed her and eventually convinced her that I did want her to meet my love and her two daughters. I hugged her and said, "Kathy, Judy is just going to love you. And I'm sure Amy and Emily will just adore you."

With that settled, Grace and I planned the menu. We decided to go with meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, and green bean casserole. I've always loved Grace's meatloaf, and I wanted to do something different for dinner since Judy usually had Italian-based dinners.

The following morning, I met up with Judy in the break room and told her about the dinner plans. Judy was enthusiastic about it and said Amy and Emily were looking forward to meeting Grace and Kathy. We were going to get together Friday night. Amy and Emily had a swim meet Thursday night, and I was invited to attend. I told her Mark had asked if he could attend, and Judy smiled and said, "Of course, Mark can come. Amy and Emily would just love to see him there."

I smiled and said, "It's a date, then."

Thankfully, the rest of the week was busy, so I didn't have time to dwell on our developing relationship. We've had a couple of more dates, and the sex was incredible each time. Judy's parents have accepted me, and I started to think about taking the next step and making our relationship official.

Thursday evening came, and Mark and I were excited about going to the swim meet. I got home and changed into jeans, a polo shirt, and low-rise sneakers. Mark also wore jeans and a polo shirt, along with sneakers. We went straight to the school and met up with Judy at the front desk. We got our tickets and went into the pool and found some good seats. I noticed there were more spectators this time. Judy proudly said there were a lot of scouts from local colleges scouting Amy because of her swimming exploits. This perked up Mark, and he was looking around with interest.

We spotted Amy and Emily, and they both waved and grinned at us. When they spotted Mark, they both came over to meet him. Mark was trying not to ogle them since they were wearing one-piece suits that fit them like a second skin, making it obvious they were both very female. Knowing how uncomfortable Mark was, they both made sure to pull him in for a hug, making his face even redder. They then hurried back over to their bench to prepare for the meet, giggling as they went.

Mark sat down, trying hard not to watch them hurrying away. I patted him on the thigh and reassured him they were just teasing him. Soon, the meet started, and like every other meet I attended, Amy and Emily won every event they participated in. Mark was enthusiastic about how well the two were doing, talking animatedly with Judy about what was going on. I just sat there listening, loving how smoothly Judy and Mark interacted with each other.

When the meet ended, it was another victory for Mira Costa HS. Amy and Emily came over afterward and hugged all of us before going back to be with the team. Judy pointed out the several scouts talking to the coach before he called the team together for their meeting. We left the venue, and Judy thanked us both for coming, kissing me, and hugging Mark before we separated and headed home. All the way home, Mark excitedly talked about what he had seen. I could tell he was smitten by Amy since he hardly mentioned Emily at all. I just smiled at him, happy about his excitement. Amy was a really nice girl, and I couldn't think of a better girl for Mark to be interested in.

I met Judy in the break room the following morning and told her how much Mark had enjoyed attending the swim meet last night. Judy said Amy and Emily were more excited about Mark being there than their victories in the pool. We both stood there smiling at each other, wanting to hug and kiss each other but resisting the temptation.

"You haven't forgotten about dinner tonight, I hope?" I asked.

"No," Judy replied with a smile. "The girls are really looking forward to it."

I reached over and touched Judy's arm before saying, "I hope you're looking forward to it?"

Judy smiled and said, "You know I am." Before I could give in to the urge to take her in my arms, Tim came into the break room to get some coffee. Judy and I separated and headed back to our offices. The rest of the day was busy, but I could get off work early enough to get home due to some fortuitous rescheduling of meetings (and I was starting to catch on that Cathy was the instigator on some of them) and get ready for dinner.

When I got home, I found Grace and Kathy in the kitchen, working on dinner. I could tell Kathy was nervous about meeting Judy, Amy, and Emily tonight. I hugged her and said, "Kathy, there's no need to be nervous. Judy will just love you, and I know Amy and Emily will just adore you."

"Thanks, Virginia," Kathy said, returning my hug. "I know how important this is for you, and I worry that I'll screw it up."

"Nonsense," Grace retorted, stopping what she was doing and coming over to hug both of us. "From what I've heard, they'll accept you as you are."

As Grace and Kathy prolonged their hug, I excused myself, saying, "I'll head up and get changed," and ran upstairs to my room. I performed my toilet, finishing up by donning a nice pair of slacks and a nice button-up blouse. As I came downstairs, I heard two cars pull up and knew Mark and Matthew had arrived. I met them at the door and hugged both of them, greeting Matthew with a slightly longer hug, glad he was able to get away from school to make it tonight.

Once the greetings were out of the way, and Mark had helped Matthew with his things, I went back out into the kitchen to see how the food preparation was proceeding. Grace told me everything was set and to make sure to pull out the meatloaf when the timer went off. She then left to go get ready, Kathy having already left to do the same. When Matthew and Mark came down, I pressed them into service to set up the dinner table. Since we didn't have a huge dinner table, we planned for the adults to sit at the dinner table, and Matthew, Amy, Mark, and Emily would sit at the breakfast bar.

Finally, everything was ready. I heard a car pull up, and Matthew and Mark rushed out to greet Judy, Amy, and Emily. I waited at the door with Grace and Kathy. Matthew handed out Judy while Mark handed out Amy and Emily. Judy handed a bottle of wine to Matthew before coming up to the door to greet me. Judy was decked out in slacks and a nice cardigan sweater top. Amy and Emily were similarly attired, in complementary colors. After a quick kiss, I introduced Judy to Grace and Kathy. Judy hugged them in turn and said how beautiful Grace was. Judy could tell that Kathy was nervous, so she made extra sure to greet her, telling her how happy she was to meet her.

When Amy and Emily came up to the door, I hugged them before introducing them to Grace and Kathy. They greeted Grace and Kathy effusively, leaving no doubt they were happy to meet them. I could tell Grace was totally smitten by them, and even Kathy was loosening up and getting more relaxed. I smiled at Kathy, knowing that she had been so nervous about meeting them. She smiled back at me, and I knew she would be okay.

Grace and I went into the kitchen while everyone else went into the living room. While Grace and I finished laying out the food, we could hear the roar of conversation coming from the living room. Grace side-hugged me and said, "I really like Judy, and the girls are just adorable."

"Thanks, Grace," I said, trying not to tear up. "That means a lot to me."

When everything was ready, we went into the living room to announce that dinner was ready. Everyone jumped up, and we trooped out to the dining room. I explained the seating arrangements, and Matthew and Mark seated Grace and Kathy before seating Judy and me. Once everyone was seated, I said grace over the food. Then we all dug in and enjoyed our meal.

Judy took charge of the conversation, taking turns asking Grace and Kathy about themselves. Kathy, usually reticent about talking about herself, opened up to Judy. Grace was smiling, happy with how Judy and Kathy were getting along. I just smiled and pitched in when needed but mostly just followed the conversations. Judy would look over to me from time to time and smile, and I knew she loved her interactions with Grace and Kathy.

I kept an eye on what was happening out at the breakfast bar. The kids were having animated conversations, and hearing the laughter coming from there thrilled my heart. Knowing how well they were getting along made me happy.

Finally, dinner was finished. The kids volunteered to clean up while we adults retired to the living room. The conversation ended up on the latest Space Shuttle mission. I remarked how incredible it was that enemies we all grew up with were cooperating in space missions. Judy and I discussed how easing tensions could result in fewer defense contracts for Raytheon, which could affect our employment.

When the kids were done in the kitchen and came out to join us, the discussion turned to sports. Amy and Emily regaled Grace and Kathy with their sports accomplishments. Even Mark got involved, having become interested in swimming since attending a swim meet. Judy and I exchanged knowing smiles as we knew Mark and Amy were always talking about the other. Eventually, the conversations wound down, and it was time for Judy, Amy, and Emily to leave.

After a round of hugs, I walked out with Judy and kissed her before she got in her car. I watched them drive off before going back inside. Once the door was closed, Matthew and Mark excused themselves to go to their rooms while Grace, Kathy, and I went out into the kitchen to finish cleaning up. Grace and Kathy both told me how much they liked Judy and the girls. Grace pulled me in for a hug and said, "I totally approve of Judy."

I teared up when she said that, knowing she was approving Judy, not only for me but also for Matthew and Mark. In effect, she was giving her stamp of approval for Judy to replace Bonnie. The enormity of what she had just said made her start tearing up, too. I reassured her, saying, "Grace, Judy may be taking Bonnie's place in my life, but I am never going to forget Bonnie. She promised to wait for me, and I'm going to hold her to it."

***

I attended several more swim meets, taking Mark with me when he was available. I noticed more people were showing up for the meets. Judy always showed me newspaper articles about Amy and Emily and what they were doing in the pool. They were still winning every event they entered except when they competed against each other. Only then did Emily lose, but she was always right on top of Amy every time, pushing Amy to even more records. Amy had actually set a couple of state high school records. Knowing that Emily would be around for two more years caused several parents to want their girls to attend Mira Costa and be on the swim team.

Mark really enjoyed rooting Amy on whenever she was competing. Of course, getting hugs from her every time he attended a swim meet had a lot to do with that, I'm sure. Judy and I had discussed how we would react if they decided to start dating each other, and we agreed that if it happens, we won't discourage it. We wouldn't let it affect our relationship.

Despite our best efforts to keep our relationship secret, people at work were catching on that something was going on between us. I would catch my co-workers looking at us whenever Judy and I were together in the cafeteria or in meetings. Cathy and Sue did their best to deflect any questions about us whenever anybody came up to them to ask about our close relationship. We both worked our asses off to ensure it didn't affect our work, and Steve was the direct benefactor of that hard work, so he didn't say anything about it.

March 1995

I had signed the two petitions for Adoption for Matthew and Mark, and the lawyer had submitted them back in January. We got a court date of March 6, 1995, for the judge to sign off on the adoptions. I was very excited but also very nervous all day Sunday. I could hardly sit still, pacing back and forth to the point Grace threatened to have Kathy tie me up and throw me in the closet to keep me still.

Finally, Monday morning came. After a night of restless sleep, I made sure I looked nice for court today. We showed up at Family Court early to make sure we weren't late. Our lawyer, Chet Walker, showed up. While we waited to be called into the judge's chambers, he assured us the procedure would go smoothly. He told us that Judge Stevenson was a fair judge. She had approved several petitions of Adoption he had brought before her.

I was attached to Grace like a limpet mine, afraid to let go. She kept reassuring me everything was going to be okay. As much as I wanted to believe it, I was still worried something would happen to prevent the adoptions from taking place.

Finally, we were called in to see the judge. Chet followed us into the room, and we all sat down. When I saw the judge, I immediately relaxed. She had a friendly face, and when she smiled at me, I knew everything was going to be okay.

Judge Stevenson said, "I'm not one for a lot of formality in cases like this, so as long as everyone is polite, we'll keep it informal." Turning to Chet, she said, "Mr. Walker, I assume all of the parties are present?"

"Yes, your Honor," Chet said, smiling. Pointing to each of us in turn, he introduced us to the judge. "This is Grace Steiner, the guardian of the petitioners, these are the petitioners, Matthew and Mark Taylor, and this is Virginia Hanratty, whom the petitioners want to adopt as their mother."

"Thank you, Mr. Walker," said Judge Stevenson. Turning to Grace, the judge asked, "Do you approve of the petitioners wanting Ms. Hanratty to be their mother?"

"Yes, your Honor," Grace said, turning and smiling at me. "Virginia has been their de facto mother for nearly ten years now, and I couldn't be happier with their choice."

Judge Stevenson smiled at that before turning to Matthew and asked, "Do you, Matthew Taylor, of your own free will, wish to adopt Virginia Hanratty as your mother?"

"Yes, your Honor," Matthew said before he looked at me with a big smile on his face.

Judge Stevenson then turned to Mark and asked, "Do you, Mark Taylor, of your own free will, wish to adopt Virginia Hanratty as your mother?"

"Yes, your Honor," Mark said, before he, too, looked at me with as big a smile as Matthew had.

Then Judge Stevenson turned to me. She asked, "Do you, Virginia Hanratty, of your own free will, accept the wishes of Matthew and Mark to become their mother in the eyes of the law?"

With tears in my eyes, I answered, "Yes, I do, your Honor."

Judge Stevenson smiled at me. She said, "Having ascertained that all parties have entered into these agreements of their own free will, I find for the petitioners and grant their adoptions. Additionally, I note that both petitioners have requested to have their surnames legally changed to Hanratty, and I have signed off on those requests. Now it's up to you to get all of your legal documents updated as soon as possible."

With that, Judge Stevenson closed the folder and handed it to Chet. She said, "I trust you know what needs to be done with these documents?"

"Yes, your Honor," Chet said as he tucked the folder into his briefcase.

"In that case, this hearing is concluded," Judge Stevenson said. "Congratulations, everyone."

"Thank you, your Honor," I said, trying not to burst into tears of happiness. "I can't begin to tell you how happy I am right now."

With that, we all got up and left. Chet said his goodbyes and went off to get the documents filed with the clerk. He told us he would get copies of the orders to us as soon as possible. We all shook his hand, thanking him for everything before we left to go home. We stopped at Marie Callender's to celebrate. The pie never tasted so good as it did today as I just smiled as I sat there, so happy I can now call Matthew and Mark my sons without having to qualify it anymore.

That night, I called Judy to tell her the news. I was so happy I started crying as I talked to her. I also talked to Amy and Emily, who congratulated me and said how happy they were for me. Judy and I exchanged "I love yous" before I hung up. I was really looking forward to seeing her at work tomorrow.

As I drove in to work, I barely paid attention to the traffic. Once I was parked, I walked through the lobby, and Peggy greeted me. I greeted her back and then ran up the stairs, anxious to see Judy. When I passed Cathy's desk to enter my office, she looked up at me and returned my huge smile with one of her own.

"Good morning, Cathy," I said on my way into my office.

"Good morning, Virginia," Cathy said as she got up and followed me into my office. "How did it go yesterday?" she asked as I put down my bag and picked up my mug.

"Oh, it went okay," I said, trying not to explode from the happiness I had inside me. Before Cathy started to get a worried look on her face, I pulled her in for a big hug and said, "Oh, Cathy, it was so wonderful!"

I think Cathy was startled by my passionate hug, but she accepted it in the spirit intended. She returned it and said, "That's great, Virginia. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Cathy," I said, stepping back. "I'm going to go get some tea. Want to come with me?"

"No, I'm good, Virginia," Cathy said with a smile before she turned to head back to her desk.

I headed to the break room, a big smile on my face. Just as I got in the break room, Judy also came in. When I turned to her, I couldn't restrain my happiness anymore, and I pulled her in for a hug. "Oh, Judy, I'm so happy," I said.