11 11: Family Dinner

The drive to my hometown is longer than the drive from the work site to Xanthus home. We spend a night in a hotel. And when we arrive at the Richards and Richards building, we park around back and one of my cousins comes rushing out of the back door to the offices.

"Eli," my cousin calls, "I thought that was your piece of a car being towed behind the moving van. I don't know why you bought that thing. Uncle Danny can afford to buy you something nice. All you had to do was ask. Did you buy some new furniture?"

"I don't need my dad to buy everything for me, Carl. I like to do some things for myself. And no, I didn't buy new furniture. I'm moving... Carl, this is Xanthus. Xanthus, this is my cousin, Carl, Carl Richards Attorney at Law."

They shake hands and nod a greeting to each other with a brief "Nice to meet you."

"And this is Harley," I add.

"Does Uncle Dan know you're moving," Carl asks me.

"Not yet," I answer, "We've got to hold a family meeting."

"I'll let Uncle Dan know you're here," and Carl rushes back into the offices.

Xanthus starts unhooking my car from the car tower. Harley waters a nearby tree.

My father comes out as Xanthus is parking my car. He gives me a big warm loving hug and everyone has followed him out, my cousins and uncles. It occurs to me that my two uncles probably know I'm adopted and I wonder if my cousins know.

"So you're finally running away," says my father with a smile.

"I'm too old to run away," I tell my father, "I'm simply relocating."

My father kisses my forehead, "And this must be your new man."

"It's good to see you again, Mr. Richards," Xanthus greeting my father with a hand shake.

My father is mystified, "I'm sorry, I rarely forget a face."

"Daddy, it's Xanthus," I inform him.

"Xanthus," repeats my father thoughtfully. Then his face light up in recognition as he says, "Xanthus... you're the boy who saved Eli."

"Yes, sir," confirms Xanthus, "It was years ago now, and I'm a bit taller than I was then."

My father hugs him. "I'm so glad you found each other. But when you come to the house, let's do our best not to remind my wife who you are. And it's Dan for you, son, not sir or Mr. Richards."

"Finding Eleanor again was just a chance happening," Xanthus tells my father, "But now that I've found her again, I'm not going to lose her again."

"Well. There's plenty of family here to help pack up Eli's apartment and load the truck," says my father. "But I hope you two aren't in too big of a hurry."

"Not at all," Xanthus tells my father, "I'm a floater for Capital Construction. I'm a master mason and carpenter. I can also handle some basic plumbing and electrical work. Plus, I own some property outside of Old Barstow."

"That's wonderful," says my father in a congratulatory way, "It's good to know you're doing so well for yourself."

"I just want you to know that I am able to provide well for a family," Xanthus tells my dad.

"I see," says my dad in his fatherly tone, "So you two want to have a family together."

"Yes, of course," I tell my father.

"Shouldn't you get married first," says my Uncle Dave.

"It's not legal for us to marry," responds Xanthus.

"Yet," my father tells Xanthus, "We've got a couple of cases in the works that are going to change that. I am going to walk my little girl down the aisle."

"What do those cases have to do with Eli, Uncle Dan," ask my cousin, Janet.

"Do you mind if I share with your future in-laws," my father ask Xanthus. "They're going to know eventually anyway."

"Go ahead," Xanthus tells my father.

"Xanthus, my future son-in-law, is a chimp," My father informs my two uncles and six cousins. Their eyes pop and their mouths drop open in shock.

My father adds cheerfully, "The only thing giving him away right now is his wide width shoes, a little extra wide to accommodate his opposable big toes."

"Your mother is going to pop a brain vein," says my cousin Dave Jr.

"It's not important, so I'm not planning on telling her. Are you going to tell her," I ask.

"Hell no," answers Dave Jr., "She'll kill the messenger. I like breathing."

"Now, if she actually remembers Xanthus, I'll deal with it," I tell everyone.

"We'll deal with it," adds my father, "You won't have to deal with her alone on this." Then he turns to my cousins and informs them, "There's something else you kids don't know. Eleanor is adopted. Laura can't have children..." He lets that soak in for a few moments. "Now I'm going to share with you why it's so important to me that advanced chimps and gorillas are not just free, but have equal rights and are not discriminated against or persecuted. My reasons are purely selfish and it's something none of you knows... Eleanor is half chimp."

"We knew she was adopted," says my Uncle Darren, "but Dave and I thought Laura's younger sister was her mother."

"She is," confirms my father. "Eleanor's biological father is a chimp named Tin, Tin Winter. If anyone did a little digging they'd learn Eleanor's biological parentage."

"But... Eleanor's feet are normal," says my cousin, Stu. "Is that typical when someone's only half chimp?"

"No," answers my father, "Eleanor's feet are Laura's doing, to hide that Eleanor's half chimp. Not just from the world, but from Eleanor too. Laura's not happy that Eleanor's learned she's adopted. It's going to be an interesting family dinner to say the least... Can you and Xanthus make it for dinner tonight?"

I nod, "Yeah, might as well get it over with."

"That surgery on Eleanor's feet right after you adopted her," recalls my Uncle Darren, "That was to make her feet human?"

My father nods sadly.

"I don't approve of the way you disfigured Eleanor," Xanthus tells my father.

"It wasn't my idea," my father informs Xanthus, "Laura didn't even tell me she was going to have it done. If I had known, I wouldn't have allowed it. I came home from the office one day two weeks after we brought her home and it was done."

"That's awful," comments my cousin Hanna.

"Hey, I've got to disconnect this car tower so I can park this van properly," says Xanthus. "We've got a bunch of empty boxes in the back. You guys want to help carry them up?"

There's a collective, "sure," from my family. And a few minutes later, all the empty boxes are in my apartment ready to be packed. Then everyone needs to get back to work. Xanthus and I have lunch before we begin packing up my apartment. We don't spend long packing. My mother serves dinner promptly at 5:30 p.m.

"Are you really going to change clothes just to have dinner with your parents," Xanthus asks me in disbelief.

"Yes," I answer. "My mother is highly critical of me. And I'ld really appreciate it if you you'ld change into the clothes I picked out for you. Since she didn't pick you for me, she's going to be looking for your flaws so she can pick at me about them later. If it was just my dad it wouldn't matter. But my mom," I sigh sadly. "Please, change for me, please. It's not going to be a pleasant evening as it is. She didn't want me to ever know I was adopted and half chimp. And she's not going to be happy to discuss it with you present... Please..."

Xanthus kisses me, "Okay," and he changes clothes for me.

I drive us to my parents' home. We arrive a little after five. My father greets us warmly as we step through the front door. He hugs us both.

"Come on, we'll relax in the den," my father leading the way.

"It's a lovely home," Xanthus compliments my parents' home. "Did you grow up here, Eleanor?"

"Yep," I answer.

"Was it immaculate like this when you were a kid too," ask Xanthus.

I nod as I answer, "Yep."

"That doesn't sound like fun," comments Xanthus.

"It often wasn't," I respond. My stomach is in knots.

"Laura is a bit of a perfectionist," shares my dad.

"A bit," says Xanthus with a raised eyebrow, "I don't think there's a speck of dust anywhere."

"That's why I was never allowed to have a pet," I share, "She said because their hair and dander would get everywhere."

"And I like dogs too," my dad says wistfully. "When I married Laura, I didn't realize I was getting a live in boss," he says good humoredly. "But I love her dearly. Marriage is about compromise, and I think I've done most of the compromising," he says with a smile.

"So far things have just fallen into place for us," shares Xanthus. "We haven't had any major disagreements."

"That's because Eli takes after Luann," shares my dad, "agreeable, patient and accepting. Laura takes after her father from what I understand. When I met Laura, we were undergrads, her father had passed away in an accident a year earlier. So I never met him. But Laura's mother, Justine, has a personality similar to Eli's and Luann's. While Laura's older brother, Stan, seems to be a balance between his parents."

"Mom has an older brother too," I ask surprised.

My dad nods, "She's the middle child of three."

Then my mother steps into the den and announces, "Dinner is served," with a bright smile. She's darker than me in complexion. My father is lighter than myself so I had always thought my complexion was a blend of their two different tones. My mother is a beautiful woman and she's not as thick as me. I can expect that sometime during dinner she'll comment on my weight. Her black hair is cropped stylishly short because she believes long hair promotes clutter because people buy all kinds of hair ties, barrettes and head bands for their long hair. My mother doesn't own a single barrette or even a bobby-pin for her hair. She hates that I've let my hair grow long. To her, hair that touches your collar is too long and mine is past my shoulders, and Xanthus' hair is even longer than mine.

We follow my mother into the formal dining room. My parents' dining table has been adjusted and set for four.

"I've set the food up on the buffet here," indicates my mother, "Just grab a plate and help yourselves. I'll grab the pitcher of ice water from the kitchen." She walks into the kitchen and we line up, take a plate and help ourselves. My dad and I put Xanthus between ourselves which puts him directly across from my mother, but keeps him from sitting right next to her.

"Here we go," says my mother as she sits the pitcher of water on the table. As she sits down, she says, "I made my plate before I came and got you so you wouldn't have to wait for me."

We all hold hands and my father blesses the meal.

"Well," says my mother all smiles, "When Dan called and said our Eli was coming for dinner, I was thrilled. She's such a loner, we don't see much of her anymore. And when he said she was bringing a guest, I was quite surprised. Dan said your name is Xan?

"Yes, that's correct Mrs. Richards," confirms Xanthus, "Xan Champus."

"I'm just bubbling with all kinds of questions," says my mother cheerily, "but my husband has warned me not to grill you and embarrass Eli which means you must be very special to her."

"Well, she is certainly very special to me," Xanthus tells my mother as he gives my hand an affectionate squeeze.

"I certainly hope so," says my mother pleasantly enough, "Our beautiful Eli hasn't been very lucky in love. I'm sure if she would just lose a little weight, she would be able to hold a man's interest."

"Eli is perfect the way she is," Xanthus tells my mother.

"Yes, she is," my father agrees with Xanthus, "Laura, don't poke at Eli like that. I don't know how you can poke at her like that and then wonder why she doesn't come home for dinner more often."

"I'm her mother," she tells Dad, "I only want what's best for her."

"But the truth's not what's best for me," I ask my mother.

"What do you mean," ask my mother.

"When were you going to tell me I was adopted," I ask her, "on your death bed?"

"You just didn't need to know," responds my mother. "You knowing doesn't change anything. I'm still your mother. He's still your father. And we are the ones who have fed you, clothed you and provided you with an education."

"Well it would have been nice to know and not be surprised and shocked and look like an idiot because I didn't know I was adopted."

"Do you really want to discuss this in front of your new friend," ask my mother.

"Yes, I do," I answer firmly. "We're going to spend our lives together so he might as well know everything about me, the good, the bad, and the unpleasant."

"So you two are serious," ask my mother.

"Yes, mom, we're very serious."

"How serious," my mother asks me.

"I've actually been living with him for three months already," I share, "and I'm officially moving out of my apartment and in with him. But that's not what this is about. I want to know about my adoption, my birth parents, your side of the family that you never talk about, everything."

"What brought this on," my mother asks me, "Where did this come from?"

"I got mistaken for a chimp," which is part of the story, but I'm not about to tell her Xanthus told me I was adopted or how he knows, "They did a full background check and told me I was adopted," not what actually happened but I've heard of it happening. Besides, I know when it's a bad idea to be honest with my mother.

My mother has gone quiet. She finally says, "You... you got mistaken for a chimp. How?"

"The hair on the sides of my face," I tell her.

"I gave you the number of a good laser hair removal center," my mother reminds me.

"She'll do no such thing," Xanthus tells my mother firmly, "I love the soft hair on the sides of her face. I love everything about her. And I hate that you disfigured her feet with surgery."

"She... She had a minor birth defect," insists my mother, "The surgery was necessary to correct it so she would be able to walk properly."

"Mother," I say in a chastising tone, "I know when you're fibbing and I don't appreciate it." Funny, she can never tell when I'm fibbing.

"Laura," my father says to my mother softly, "No more lies and secrets. It hasn't been good for your relationship with our daughter. Eli has a right to know. Now, are you going to talk to our daughter, and answer her questions honestly?"

My mother gets a stubborn look on her face, "She knows too much already." She puts her hands in her lap and stares at her plate.

"Alright, Laura," says my father knowing that my mother is basically finished talking, "Eli called me when she learned she was adopted and asked me a few questions. But I didn't go into detail because I wanted to give you a chance to talk with her and explain yourself. Yet it seems you like the strained relationship you have with our daughter."

My father is silent a few moments to give my mother a chance to say something, but she doesn't.

My father sighs, "Alright, Eli, what would you like to know first?"

"How did I come to be adopted," I ask, "When we talked and I asked why they didn't want me, you said that they did want me and they love me."

My father takes a deep breath, "They still want you, love you and miss you very much... I guess I need to give you a little background on Luann. She's five years younger than your mother. And during her birth she suffered a little oxygen deprivation that caused a little brain damage. It's nothing really noticeable in any way. Yet you have to have an intelligence score of 80 to be considered normal. Luann got a 75 which makes her legally inept. Those that are legally inept but still able to work are trained for jobs and work and earn a living doing jobs normal people feel they're too good to do. Luann is a cleaning lady at the hospital where you were born. They get tax breaks for having legally inept employees. And back then, they saved money by also having advanced chimps and gorillas as slave labor. So the hospital is where Luann and Tin met. Unfortunately, the legally inept are seen by most people as second class citizens, thought of as no better than slaves back then. So the legally inept and slaves hung out together in their free time, took lunch together. Luann and Tin started off as friends and fell in love. You weren't a planned pregnancy. Luann's birth control failed. She didn't tell her family right away she was pregnant because she was afraid of how they would react when they learned who the father was. She had her own apartment, so no one saw her having morning sickness, except Tin I guess.

Of course, when she started to show she told her mother she was pregnant. Justine of course called and told Laura. We had decided about a year before that we were going to adopt which is a long and lengthy process. And birth control options are so good and so rarely fail you can wait a long time for a baby to become available. But Laura saw a golden opportunity, her legally inept sister was pregnant. She petitioned for custody of you while Luann was still pregnant with you. Laura didn't tell me what she had done."

"She was pregnant by a slave," my mother interjects, "an animal. That was proof enough she's an unfit parent."

My father's eyes well up with tears, "She had proven Luann an unfit parent based on the fact she had gotten pregnant by a slave. And since she was unfit, she couldn't keep you. You were three months old when Luann was officially declared an unfit parent. And if we didn't take you, you would be given to another family waiting to adopt a baby. They wouldn't let your grandmother, Justine, or your Uncle Stan have you because they had sided with Luann and been supportive of her. I was busy with the practice here. I didn't know what was going on. Laura said to me the day before we picked you up that our new baby was ready... That we just needed to fly to New Jersey to pick you up. I was excited. I had thought it would be years before we got a baby. And I said to Laura, 'While we're there, we can visit your family, show off the new baby. Is it a boy or a girl?' Laura said, 'It's a girl.' She was smiling and I was so excited I didn't notice the strain around her eyes. Luckily, I didn't have any court appointments that week and I asked your uncles to handle the office appointments for me that couldn't be rescheduled and we caught the next air shuttle to Jersey...

We drove to the Department of Protective Services to pick you up. There, we were led into a room where your mother's whole family was waiting with Luann and Tin. I didn't know what was going on. Laura didn't tell me Luann had gotten pregnant. Luann was holding this perfect beautiful black haired baby girl and they were all crying including a male chimp. I'd never seen him before so I didn't know who he was. Then this social worker tells Luann, 'Miss Fetzer, it's time.'

The chimp was holding Luann as she stepped forward with you in her arms. She was nearly crippled with grief. She was crying profusely and trembling as she handed you to Laura. As Laura accepted you from Luann, it finally dawned on me what was happening and I said, 'Laura, what have you done?' To which she replied, 'I got us our child.' I was in shock as I said, 'But Laura, this is your sister's baby.' She said, 'Luann's been declared unfit. If we don't take her, she'll go to strangers, Dan. We can't let that happen.' Justine was seething with anger as she yelled at Laura, 'You had her declared unfit, Laura... Why? ... Why would you do this to your sister? Just because you can't have one of your own?' Laura told her mother way too calmly, 'You know this is for the best. Dan is a lawyer and I'm a physical therapist. She's going to have a large comfortable home and attend good schools free of the ugly stigmatization this disgusting union would have cursed her with. She'll grow up in a real home, not a tiny apartment owned by the same hospital that owns her sperm donor.' The male chimp said angrily, 'I am not a sperm donor. Luann and I love each other very much.' Laura just rolled her eyes. I asked the chimp, 'Who are you?' He said in a very wise voice, 'I am Tin. I am Eleanor's father. You will take good care of our Eleanor, won't you? Love her like she is your own?' I nodded as I said, 'Yes, we will.' Laura said, 'I don't know if I like the name Eleanor.' To which I responded, 'For heaven's sake, Laura, she's not a puppy. Eleanor's a beautiful name.'"

I'm in tears as I look at the woman I have known as my mother. She doesn't look at me as I ask, "You wanted to change my name?" But she won't answer me. I look back at my father.

He informs me, "You should also know that the date we celebrate as your birthday is actually your official adoption date. You're three months older than that."

My birthday isn't June 17th," I ask. My father shakes his head, "No, your actual date of birth is March 3rd. Laura thought you might need an edge to help you compete against fully human children. So your adoption date became your birthday."

"Do I have any brothers or sisters," I ask hopefully, "Have they had more children?"

"No," answers my father, "Laura petitioned for Luann and Tin to both be sterilized. And because Luann had been declared an unfit parent on top of legally inept and Tin got a human woman pregnant, they were both sterilized. They can't have more children. You're their only child."

I am horrified as I look at this woman that I love and call mother, "That's just evil."

"I did what was best for them and for you," my mother insists firmly.

"Have you kept in touch with them," Xanthus asks my father.

"I have," my father nods.

"Dan," my mother says in a betrayed tone.

"Laura hasn't," my father informs us. "On top of the rift she created with her family by the way she took you, she didn't want you to ever know the truth and they wouldn't go along with it. That's why we've never visited them and why your mother never talks about them. But I've called them regularly and send them pictures."

"Dan," my mother says again in an outraged betrayed tone.

"And when they want to get a hold of me," my father shares, "They call me at the office. I actually have a pretty good relationship with Laura's family."

"Do you think they would like a visit from Eli," ask Xanthus.

"No!" my mother's fist hits the table, "Absolutely not! I forbid it!"

I've never seen my mother loose her temper in the presence of my father before in my life. But I'm calm as I say, "Mother, I'm twenty-six years old. You can't forbid me from anything. I'm sorry this upsets you, but I want to meet them."

"And they would love to see you," my father informs me. "They've been waiting for you to discover you're adopted and hoping you would want to meet them." He holds up an index finger, "I'll be back in a minute. I'll just grab their addresses and phone numbers for you from my home office."

My father leaves the dining room and my mother grabs my hand with both of hers. "Please," my mother pleads with me, "if you love me and respect me as your mother, you won't do this."

"That is absolutely the most selfish thing I have ever heard in my whole entire life," states Xanthus shocked. "Eli has a right to know everything about herself. She shouldn't be learning from someone else that she's adopted and wondering how anyone could mistake her for a chimp. If you were a mother that truly wanted what was best for her, you would be loving and supportive, not secretive, stubborn and demanding."

My father pauses as he's returning to the dining room to listen to Xanthus. As he steps between me and Xanthus, he asks, "Laura, what did you say while I was out of the room?"

My mother releases my hand and puts her hands back in her lap, it's obvious she's not going to answer him.

"She told me that if I love her and respect her as my mother, I won't go visit my biological parents," I inform my father.

My father shakes his head as he says, "Laura that was low." Then he sits a photo album down on the table between me and Xanthus. "I've been saving this for you," he tells me.

I open the album and my father points to the inside cover. "Here's your parents' address and phone numbers. This is your Uncle Stan's address and phone numbers. Your grandma, Justine, lives with him and his wife, Sharron."

Xanthus points to a picture at the top of the first page, "Is this Eli when she was a newborn?"

"Yes," my father smiling, "She's only a few minutes old."

"No wonder you're such a beautiful woman," says Xanthus, "You've been beautiful since the moment you were born."

I kiss Xanthus for that. I look at the naked newborn me. "My feet weren't deformed. I just had opposable big toes like all chimps do."

"Humans don't have opposable big toes," states the woman I'm not sure I should call mother any more. "Your parents are human so I had it corrected."

I choose to focus on the pictures. "This must be them. You can see she's mom's sister. Having two such beautiful daughters must have driven my grandmother crazy." I tilt my head as I look at the picture of the man who is my biological father.

"I'm not sure what to think of him," I admit.

Xanthus says what he's thinking, "He really looks chimpish. You don't see too many advanced chimps these days that look this chimpish."

Xanthus was right. Tin's facial features are very chimpish and you didn't see many advanced chimps these days that looked that chimpish. Of course, in the beginning, they all looked like the chimps they came from. The scientist that began breeding them is long dead, but he still has descendants in Kansas, I think. I wonder if I dropped by, if they would share what he did. I want to know more than ever as I look at this chimpish man that's my biological father.

"Thank you so much, Daddy. It was so thoughtful of you to keep this for me all these years."

"You're welcome, Eli," says my father sincerely, "As you get farther back in the album, the pictures get more recent. They've sent me pictures for you to have over the years and I've sent them picture too."

"You and I need to have a conversation, Dan," states my adoptive mother.

"She means she's going to yell at me," says my father.

"You're welcome to come back to the apartment with us," invites Xanthus. "We'll probably spend an hour or two packing before we go to bed."

"You might as well relax tonight and get a good night's sleep," says my father, "Tomorrow's Saturday so the offices are closed. You're going to have an apartment full of Richards helping you pack. Besides, if I try to avoid my tongue lashing, I'll only upset her more."

"I'ld try to call them tonight, but it's getting late," I say as I check the time, "And they live on the east coast. It's like three hours later there."

"They're both probably working," my father informs me, "They usually work nights. Try around noonish tomorrow," he suggest.

My mother picks something off my clothes, "Is this an animal hair," she asks disgusted.

"Dog hair," Xanthus specifies for her. "We have a dog. His name is Harley."

"This is why we've never had a pet," states my mother, "Their hair and dander get everywhere."

"I like Harley," I say as I stand up from the dining table. "Thank you for dinner, Mother." I smile at my father, "Thanks again, Dad, I really appreciate this."

My father hugs me and kisses my forehead, "Your welcome, sweetheart."

"If you really insist upon seeing them," my mother suggest, "we should make it a family trip."

"I'll think about that," but the truth is I don't want her there hovering over me when I meet them.

"Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Richards," Xanthus says politely, "It was delicious."

Xanthus smiles as he shakes my father's hand, "We'll see you tomorrow at the apartment then?"

"Sure will," answers my father with a warm smile.

"See you tomorrow, Daddy. We'll show ourselves out."

After we get back to the apartment, we really don't do any packing. We basically spend the rest of the evening looking at the pictures in the album.

As we're sitting in bed together, I point at a picture of my biological parents holding me, "They were so happy. Losing me must have been devastating... How could she hurt them like that?"

"She can say it was about what was best for you all she wants," comments Xanthus, "but it was an act of pure selfishness. She took advantage of the situation because she didn't want to wait years for a child to become available for adoption."

"I have so many confusing feelings right now," I share with Xanthus, "I love my parents so much, especially my dad."

"Your dad is wonderful," states Xanthus. "Your adoptive mother on the other hand, she's a piece of work. I couldn't believe she belittled you at dinner in front of me like that. If that's a normal occurrence, she helped ruin all of your relationships. No one wants a mother-in-law like her."

"Do you still want me to move in with you," I ask afraid my mother has scared him away.

"Of course I do," answers Xanthus positively, "She can't run me away from you... The sad part is I think she loves you very much. But I think she hates chimps so badly, that it seeps out at you because she knows you're half chimp and there isn't anything she can do to change it."

"I'm not even sure if I should call her mother anymore," I share sadly.

"If it doesn't feel right, then don't," Xanthus tells me.

"The only things that feel right now are you and my dad. I'm not sure what to do when it comes to her. Nothing I do is ever good enough for her," I say frustrated as I sit the album on the nightstand.

Xanthus kisses me reassuringly, "So that feels right?"

"Everything with you always feels right," I answer.

We make love, then sleep.