Free Every Happy Family by Dede Crane

birth mother with “no use digging up what’s already buried,” so of course I registered the day I turned eighteen. But you see, your birth parent has to put their name in. That’s how it works. They’re not like a private-eye business. We resorted to that later.” Faucet mouth, a little voice warns, but she’s helpless to stop. It always happens when she meets a man she likes. “So there I was, waiting with bated breath for the phone call. You dream about it a lot. I was depressed for a year after Joni Mitchell was reunited with her daughter. Not that I look anything like Joni but I loved Joni and, you know, there’s such a shitload of possibilities you can’t help but dream big. I was banking on Dad being Bill Clinton for a while.” She takes a long drink.
    â€œYou’d have Hillary as a stepmom.”
    His wry smile makes her laugh.
    â€œYou know,” she says, pausing, “I realize I just assumed my father was dead so didn’t even think to ask yesterday.” She huffs, mentally kicking herself. “So Hillary might be my stepmom for all I know.”
    He laughs though she wasn’t being funny. “Anyway, not too long after I’d put my name in, I finally got the call.”
    â€œBut I thought you said you had to hire a private –”
    â€œIt wasn’t my mother they found. Annie Kellman, they said, did you know you have a brother? I had a brother! I danced around my room for an hour.” She slips the second Bloody Caesar cup inside the empty first one and pats Les’s sleeping leg. “Gerry died when I was twenty, dropped dead of an aneurism, boom, on her way home on the bus.”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    â€œYeah, I was devastated. And permanently stoned on something or other for the next two years. Les is my family now. Nicest man, I can’t tell you. Gentle, kind, funny. Loved him the moment we met and the poor guy hasn’t been able to shake me since. The truth is I probably wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.”
    â€œYou’re very fortunate then.”
    She loves the elegant way this man speaks. “We were never sure if we were full or half siblings, since we hardly look related. Me the size of a pygmy and, he six two. And the hair.” She grabs a swath of her dark, wiry curls. “Though I always thought we had the same mouth. Not that it really matters whether we’re full or not, but that was something we wanted to ask our mother.”
    â€œAnd did you?”
    â€œOh, I’m getting to that.” The food trolley is making its way down the aisle. “I’d really like some cheese and crackers. Stuffs me up, cheese, so I shouldn’t eat it, but I love it. Lost my appetite after yesterday but am getting it back talking to you.”
    â€œGlad to be of service,” says Jonathan and empties the rest of his bottle into his glass.
    â€œBecause of Les, I’ve got this amazing family: Jill, his wife, who’s stupid-smart, a university prof, linguistics, and beautiful and organized and sane. Very few sane women on my planet. Two nephews, Quinn’s the one who’s in an architecture program, and Beau’s in high school, a rugby man; and one niece, Pema, who’s a fashion hound like me. She’s adopted too. Tibetan. Well I’m not Tibetan. I helped them find her through this meditation group I was involved with. Oh, god, those kids are the best things in my life.”
    â€œThose are interesting,” he says with a graceful gesture towards her earring.
    â€œThank you. I make them from Scotch broom pods.” She gives them a little rattle. “Seeds.”
    â€œThat’s very clever,” he says. “May I buy you some cheese and crackers?”
    â€œWhy yes, yes you can.”
    â€œWould anyone care for a snack?” The flight attendant leans in to snatch the empty wine bottle.
    Annie raises her hand. “This nice