Togethermore: Rejection and Reunion

By Roderick Edwards

After 50 years in virtual amnesia, a man wakes to a new world after finding his birth family. Come discover with him how to fit back into an origin that was not his but becomes immediately familiar and necessary. It is a human story about more than adoption but about human belonging and living over existing. It is an autobiographic that intersects multiple lives to the point of causing rejection and abandonment due to hurt and hate, yet the deepest love anyone could experience. It is a short story, a novel, an epic all rolled into one. Unlike any other book you have ever read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roderick Edwards
• Release date: Sep 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463241967

Roderick Edwards

Roderick Edwards (aka RoderickE) was born in 1968 and adopted at age 4. His adopted family was chaotic and virtually non-existent making for a unique perspective of life. Due to his very thin physique, as a young boy, doctors suspected Roderick had a muscle deterioration disease which caused him to spend many years in treatment. However, the prognosis was wrong. As an adult at age 50, Roderick found his biological family. Much of his early forays into writing came via the advent of MOOs and MUDs (online, text-based communities before the Internet had images). The text-based nature of these communities required very descriptive writing, especially as many of the early users were blind and would use screen readers. This attention to descriptive and imaginative detail has led to the style Roderick demonstrates. Further, Roderick has an interest in theology, philosophy, and politics and even once ran a mock presidential campaign

Book preview

TOGETHERMORE

Rejection and Reunion

Copyright 2019 Roderick Edwards

Published by Roderick Edwards at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Dedication and Disclaimers

Chapter 1 Amnesia No More

Chapter 2 The Siblings

Chapter 3 The Fitting

Chapter 4 Gefundene

Chapter 5 There Go I

Chapter 6 Sunrays

Chapter 7 Expedition

Chapter 8 Whirlwind

Chapter 9 Ocala Escape

Chapter 10 Sisters and Brothersmore

Chapter 11 Togethermore

After Words

About The Author

Other Books By Roderick Edwards

Connect with Roderick Edwards

INTRODUCTION

In life, there are only a few events that define or refine who we are. Or sometimes, we go through life merely existing; living out a role and routine until we cast off this fleshly carapace.

Every human being begins the same; naked and helpless, more helpless than all other creatures since unlike all other mammals, the human baby must be physically held against its mother’s breasts to feed lest it die.

This book is about that – about the essence of life that affects us all; rich, poor, black, white, male, or female. It is a true story of discovery, pain, loss, gain, sadness, happiness, separation, and togetherness.

What you are about to experience is an account of merely one life as it intersects and intertwines other lives. You are going to read about someone else, but it might as well be you. It might as well be the lyrics to every song and the words to every poem. It might as well be the birth announcement of every newborn and the obituary of every dearly departed.

This is a story of how a fifty-year case of amnesia was one day overcome and began a new life.

DEDICATION AND DISCLAIMERS

Mom, we are okay. Be at peace. We love you!

The names, words, and events in this account may or may not be who and what you think so maybe you should just absorb it all and look beyond trying to make it into something more or something less than it is intended. Enjoy!

Chapter 1 AMNESIA NO MORE

Fifty years is both a long time and a short time depending on what is being considered. Fifty years of a human life is both a lot and nothing. How many centuries and millennia have humans been born, lived lives and died and have become forgotten?

But what if someone were in a state of virtual amnesia for fifty years? What kind of world would pass them by? When they awoke, who would they be? Where would they fit in?

On November 2nd of 2018, Rodney woke up just like he had the forty nine November 2nds before but on this day a letter would arrive in the mail that would awake him from his virtual amnesia. He knew what it was the moment he saw it. In June he had sent in the forms to the State to release his identifying birth records. So, there it was; the State emblem emblazed across the envelope. As he ripped open the seal, his mother-in-law stood behind him in a child-like anticipation that was more visible than his own.

There it was, his birth mother’s name on the line where it should be. Louise. His birth date was what he had always been told it was; June 28, 1968. There had always been doubt since there are stories of adoption agencies and adoptive parents falsifying this identifying information to make it more difficult for the adoptee to locate or be located. But Rodney’s name appeared nowhere on the certificate of birth. He wasn’t given a name at birth. It simply read male and his mother’s last name. This merely confirmed the lack of personhood Rodney had always felt. It was a bittersweet moment of seeing a name next to no name.

Besides this information there were other curious bits and omissions. There was no father’s name listed but there was a last live birth date of October 8, 1966. Apparently, another child before Rodney.

Events of the day would not allow Rodney to dwell on this revelation; for he and his wife, Barbara had planned to see the president speak at a rally; yes, the president of the United States. The line to get in would be a 2-4 hour wait. What should have been a surreal moment in itself was being crowded out by thoughts drifting in and out of his mind. The president seemed so small in the moment.

After the rally, he and Barbara made it back to their car; trinkets and rally hats in hand. It was late but both were eager to see if any information on Louise could be found via the Internet. At home, they popped open the laptop lid and waited for the screen to appear. A search was inconclusive at first but then the dreaded truth…Louise was deceased. Fifty years is both a long time and short time. She had died at age 58. A little distraught and a lot tired, Rodney and Barbara went to sleep.

The next day was a Saturday. Rodney spent it looking at the DNA website where almost a year earlier he and Barbara each had submitted a DNA test; not necessarily to find his family but more out of a curiosity of his ethnicity since his lips were typical of either African or Viking heritage. He had no African descent, but Barbara surprisingly had a minute amount. But today he was less interested in genetics of DNA and more interested in the databases that the site contained. He interacted with other members of the site who helped direct him to old marriage records for Louise. This wasn’t terribly helpful since none revealed any children, especially not the one listed on his birth certificate born in 1966.

Further research revealed Louise’s parent’s names and even her siblings who from all records also appeared to be dead. The road to revelation was becoming narrow. Then he contacted some of the other members of the site whom had helped him learn some of the terminology of genealogy and they pointed out that Louise’s data lists two sons. Where? It was an associated marriage certificate for one of Louise’s sons…or at least a son related to Louise. The last name didn’t match her maiden name, so it was possible the son wasn’t even biologically related. Next place to look was on social media.

It was going to be a long shot to find Richard on social media since his age group typically doesn’t use it. But his last name is unique enough that a search of it in the local area might find a relative of his. There were two men with the same last name as Richard; Ed and Johnathon. There was no picture for Ed and Johnathon appeared to be too young to be one of Louise’s children; the other brother. It was worth a try anyhow. Rodney sent messages to each.

Hello, are you related to someone known as Rosie Louise, because if you are, I might be related.

The message was hopefully just vague enough not to scare anyone off but enough to cause curiosity to respond. No reply from the faceless Ed. As Rodney waited, he texted Barbara at work that he thinks he may have located one of Louise’s sons. Barbara has worked the nightshift over 14 years ever since their daughter was young so that she would not have to be in daycare. Cameo is Rodney and Barbara’s only child and as Rodney’s only blood relative, extra special to him. Now, Barbara continued to work the nightshift so that she could be home to watch Cameo’s son; Levi. He is a 3-year-old blond-haired, blue-eyed good guy of cuteness and fun.

Rodney sat in front of the laptop waiting for any sign of a reply and suddenly Johnathon’s message box popped up:

Yes, Rosie Louise was my grandmother. Related how?

Rodney was frozen for what seemed like all fifty years packed into a moment. He could not breathe. How does he respond?

Are you sitting down? I don’t want to lay this on you too much but…I would be Rosie Louise’s son.

Johnathon’s message box