Hey SF, you know that I respect your opinion - I have to. It mirrors mine quite often, LOL.

(Sigh) I may be overdosing on this topic. Using references made by total strangers who are citing events and vague conversations that took place decades ago, and after hearing diametrically opposed stories, I'm really trying to reach some kind of conclusion. For me, that becomes more difficult with each episode. It's all so personal, and it should have been a wonderful thing...tinged with sadness...but still wonderful. Apparently, something went wrong here. The saddest thing is that a young man who is already dealing with challenges now finds himself in an unbelievably tough spot. Where is his loyalty supposed to go? I know I wouldn't want to be there.

You've asked some good questions. What did happen in 1986 in the backwoods? I know that Cassie's barely functional, quite embarrassing mother was useless. So where did Cassie go when she found out she was pregnant? Where did she meet these people? Did they see a pregnant, homeless girl as a short-cut to a standard, expensive adoption? Why didn't Cassie know that there were countless agencies and attorneys that would adequately represent her, screen prospective parents for her, pay her medical and housing costs, etc? Is it possible that she was drinking heavily during the early trimesters of her pregnancy? Another poster downthread mentioned Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. There are other derivatives of FAS as well, at least five that I saw mentioned. Did Dustin's adoptive parents suspect that this child could be affected by something like that? Was there a question as to Dustin's paternity? Dustin has learning difficulties - is that related to Cassie's alcoholism? Were the parents exploiting a troubled young woman in crisis? Are the adoptive parents irresponsible and flakey, or are they flawed and protective? SO's attorney says the notarized letter looked legit, and that Cassie's only recourse would be to put her name on a birth parents' list and wait for Dustin to call. I thought she did that...then she shows up saying Dustin called her. Dustin said he thought Cassie was dead. Is it possible that Dustin is lying about that? Why would he? Who knows?

If we could get the absolute truth to all of these questions, well, maybe none of them would come out smelling like a rose. For now, there are just too many variables.

You may have hit the nail on the head, my friend. Perhaps the animosity is based in Dustin's paternity - not his maternity, lol. Stranger things have happened.

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