A/N: My apologies for those who have been reading this story, it got lost and now I'm in the process of rewriting it all so it's coming gradually. Keep checking back, thank you for being loyal readers, God bless
This is a story about a young 13-year-old girl named Sara Stevenson. She lived at the Jacobson Group Home for Girls in San Francisco, California. She had a sad life at her young age, remembering very clearly the day her parents abandoned her when she was 9 years old. She carried that pain with her every day of her life, not being able to forget it. It was a pain she would carry with her all the days of her life.
Sara wasn't alone at the group home; she had a best friend named Britney, who was a year older than she was. At 14 years old, Britney had no memory of her parents, since they died when she was a baby. She had been raised in group homes, but she was such an optimistic young lady, which was where she and Sara clashed in their personalities a little bit.
After classes one Monday afternoon, the two girls had met up and were now sitting on their beds in their dormitory, talking about their days.
"Do you have a lot of homework?" Britney asked. Sara shrugged.
"No not much. I just have to read a chapter for history by tomorrow. What about you?" She asked.
"Well, I have a couple of chapters to read for English, plus a story summary for each chapter by tomorrow." Britney complained. Sara giggled.
"It's amazing the difference in the homework load between grade 8 and grade 9." She commented. Britney rolled her eyes, as the two girls pulled out their homework and began working on it.
An hour had passed, and Britney looked up at her best friend curiously.
"Hey, have you heard about Nora?" She asked. Sara shrugged.
"What about Nora?" She asked, knowing Nora was a girl her age that had been in group homes all her life, just like Britney.
"She got adopted." Britney replied, with a large smile on her face. Sara looked up and raised her eyebrows.
"So?" She asked, uncaringly. Britney looked surprised.
"Well isn't it great? Nora's finally going to get a family." She said excitedly.
"Family's are overrated." Sara replied as she flipped a page in her history book, clearly not even reading its contents.
"No they aren't! Why would you say that?" Britney asked.
"Families don't exist. People just coexist in a house for no reason other than to cause problems and hurt each other." Sara replied bitterly. Britney sighed.
"Sara, that's not always true. Just because your parents –"
"Hey do you want to give the homework a break and go play some basketball for a bit?" Sara asked. Britney sighed, not surprised. Sara had a habit of changing the subject whenever the topic of her parents came up. Britney didn't argue, so the two girls headed outside to play some basketball.
In another part of San Francisco, at 1882 Gerrard Street, a couple named Jesse and Becky Katsoppolus were sitting in the living room of the large house they lived in. They shared the house with seven other people. Jesse and Becky lived in the attic with their two-year-old twin boys, Nikki and Alex. Jesse's brother-in-law, Danny, owned the house and he had three daughters, DJ, Stephanie and Michelle. Danny's best friend Joey lived in the house as well.
On that same Monday afternoon, Jesse and Becky were having a very important conversation they had been having off and on for a few months now.
"Jess, we really need to make a decision on this. We've been thinking about it for months. What's holding you back?" Becky asked. Jesse sighed and shrugged.
"I don't know Becky. It's a big decision to make. Adopting a teenager is a big undertaking. I don't know if we can handle it at this point in our lives." Jesse admitted.
"Jess, I don't understand how you think we couldn't handle it. We're already handling life with two boys. Why not add another child? Jesse, I really want a daughter, and I really want to help somebody who really needs it. There are teenage girls out there who just need somebody to love them, and I want to give that to somebody." Becky said passionately. Jesse still felt strange and uncomfortable, and Becky could see this. She sighed.
"I'm going to check on the twins." She stood up, and headed to the attic to check on the napping boys upstairs. Jesse sighed, hating how this topic was causing problems in their conversations. He pulled at his hair, not knowing what to do. He loved Becky and the twins so much, and it was true, there was a part of him who wanted a daughter of his own, but there was so much to consider. As he sat on the couch, considering all of the possibilities, Danny and Joey walked into the room and joined him.
"Jesse, are you okay?" Danny asked.
"Yeah, you look a little stressed out." Joey added. Jesse looked up and sighed.
"Well, you guys know we've been talking about adopting a teenage girl. But every time Becky and I try to talk about it, we end up either arguing or we're not able to come to a decision." He admitted. Danny and Joey nodded.
"Well, why aren't you making a decision?" Joey asked, not understanding.
"Joey, there's a lot to consider. I mean, with my music and Becky's career, I don't think we really have time for another kid. It's difficult enough with Nikki and Alex. I would hate to never have time for her." Jesse admitted, trying to verbalize his feelings. Danny nodded.
"Yeah, but Jess, you could make it work. You make it work with Nikki and Alex as it is, and you even spend plenty of time with my daughters. What makes you think you wouldn't have enough time for a daughter of your own?" Danny asked. Jesse shrugged, considering Danny's advice.
"That's true, I guess." He admitted.
"And Jesse, you wouldn't be doing it alone either. I mean, Becky has the best motherly instinct there is, and besides, you have all of us to help you." Joey said.
"There's no harm in at least looking into it, is there? Maybe if you actually met a teenage girl, you would be able to make your decision a lot better." Danny added. Jesse sighed and nodded.
"You know what? You guys are right. We've put this off for too long. There's nothing wrong with looking into it. That isn't permanent. Thanks guys." Jesse stood up with a smile. "I have to go talk to Becky." He ran up the stairs to his attic apartment, where Becky was just shutting the door behind her from the twin's bedroom. Becky looked at her husband, who had a smile on his face.
"What?" She asked, unimpressed. He led her to the couch, where the two sat down, and Jesse grew serious.
"Becky, I've just been talking to the guys about what we've been talking about for the last few months." He said. Becky sighed.
"Oh?" She asked, not sure where this topic was going to head now.
"Yeah, they really made me see things in a new light. Becky, I haven't told you about how I've always wanted a daughter myself, but I'm just scared honey. I would hate to adopt somebody and then never have enough time for her, or do something wrong and make her life worse than it's already been." He admitted. Becky nodded, understanding her husband.
"I know Jesse, but think about how much better her life would get when she at least knows she's loved and cared for." She said, not sure if she would even be able to change his mind, but felt like she had to express her feelings on the matter.
"Well, I'd like to look into it, honey. I don't know what kind of decision we'll come to, but the guys were right. Getting the information and maybe even meeting a young girl might make our decision easier. So what do you say? Do you want to go to the Jacobson Group Home for Girls tomorrow and look into it?" Jesse asked. Becky was shocked, almost too shocked for words. Moments ago, it seemed as though there was no changing Jesse's mind, and now, he wanted to explore the options. Becky smiled.
"Oh Jesse, I love you so much, and I would love to go see what we can find out tomorrow." She threw her arms around her husband and embraced him, thankful for the opportunity that her and her husband might have the chance to adopt a young teenage girl.