Knowing That Changed Everything

Her mother glanced quickly through the pile of mail that had accumulated while they were on vacation, and stopped suddenly at a large fat envelope.  This one’s for you, Emily, she said.  Were you expecting something in the mail?  Emily thought quickly—she hadn’t expected a response so soon or she would have made sure to be the first one through the mail.  Not really, she replied.  Well, here it is, her mother said.  No return address.  How strange.

Emily took the envelope from her mother as casually as she could muster and said, I’ll just take all my vacation stuff upstairs and sort out what needs to go into the laundry.  I’ll be down in a bit to help you start dinner.

No hurry, her mother said.  We’ve got plenty of time before dinner.  I’ll have to see what’s in the freezer that we can quickly defrost.  Or maybe something with eggs. She didn’t say anything else about the letter, but Emily knew she hadn’t forgotten about it and was waiting to hear Emily’s explanation.

Emily gathered up her various bags of souvenirs and not-read books and vacation clothes bought for ridiculously high prices at the hotel shop and made her way up the stairs, having stashed the fat envelope into one of the bags when her mother wasn’t watching. She turned at the top of the stairs into her bedroom and partially closed the door behind her.  Her mother would definitely be suspicious if she closed the door shut.  But she needed as much privacy as she could muster right now.

Sagging down on the twin bed that had been hers since she graduated from a crib, Emily fished the envelope from the souvenir bag and held it in her hand.  The postmark was smudged, but Emily knew it was from Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina.  That’s where she had sent her request for information—information on how to obtain adoption records for adoptions in that state 18 years ago. This must be some forms to fill out.

She took her nail file from the bedside table and carefully sliced across the top of the envelope; then slid the set of papers out and unfolded them.

Dear Ms. Fulton:

In response to your request for information regarding adoption proceedings in this state prior to 2005, when the law was revised, I am enclosing forms on which you can make an official request regarding a specific adoption.  Please be advised that for adoptions made prior to 2005, it is exceedingly difficult for adoptees to obtain information about birth mothers or fathers, as the proceedings were sealed by Court order, and will require another Court order to open the records. 

However, should you desire to petition the Court to open a particular set of records, the enclosed forms should be filled out, by you, signed and notarized and returned to the address provided.

Yours sincerely,

Brock D. Thornton, III

Deputy Director

Division of Vital Statistics

State of North Carolina

 

Emily’s pulse quickened.  This made everything seem real suddenly, not just a secret wish, a hidden desire that had grown slowly during her teen years, but now it would have to be out in the open.  Somehow just knowing that changed everything.