Episode 1107: Rebel Rebel

Although they were a group of five girls trick or treating, each dressed as a book character because they were all nerdy like that, only two of them knew the very specific reason why Hope had finagled this particular street into their trick or treating agenda. And it wasn’t about full-size candy bars like they’d told Jenny’s mom as a plausible excuse though that was an added bonus.

Their three other friends bumped into another group from their school and Jenny purposely held several steps behind them.

“I’m concerned,” Jenny said, anguish all over her face, an expression that didn’t match the happy zaniness of her Pippi Longstocking costume. “I think you should have just talked to your parents.”

“The whole point is to protect my parents,” Hope said.

“But who’s going to protect you?” Jenny asked. “I mean, I’m here of course, that’s what besties are for, but I’m just a kid, we both are and it’s just like this birth parent stuff it feels like a very adult thing that maybe you need adults for.”

“It’s okay, really, I promise. It won’t be as big of a deal as it seems.” Hope squeezed her friend’s hand. “I told you I’ve done this before. It’s not going to be a disaster or anything.”

“I just think if it wasn’t potentially trouble you wouldn't be all secret about it.”

“Again, that’s just to protect my parents. My dad is totally stressed about this stuff. And my mom, she says it’s okay, she supports whatever I want but does she really feel that way deep down. This is easiest for everyone, nothing will change. I saw my birth mom that one time in person and that’s all I want to do with my birth dad, too.”

“Can’t you just stick to the photos and other stuff you learned online. You don’t even know for sure it’s him and it just seems risky to go behind your parents backs if it’s not even-”

“It’s him. The file on him was totally hidden in my dad’s home office. There’s a reason it was top secret. He’s the right age and and my smile looks kind of like his, doesn’t it? Plus he’s black and with my skin and my hair and my birth mom being white that just kind of makes sense, right? I don’t want to know him. I just want to see him close up. See his home. Hear his voice. Just once and then I’ll be over it. But I get it if you’re too nervous about sort of breaking rules, I usually am nervous about that, too, you know that. So I won’t be mad if you don’t come with. I can face him alone.”

Episode 1108: Hope