Orders flew from Laura as she rushed around trying to make an organized house even more perfect. Flying up the stairs, she headed to a guest bedroom to try and turn it into a little girls room as fast as she could. She had sent JC up to the attic to grab some stuffed animals that she had played with as a child. She quickly changed the bedding to pink sheets that she and JC had received as a wedding present. They could get some things tomorrow that would help her feel more at home. As she rushed around the room, she called out into the hallway for Brandon to bring one of the comfortable rocking chairs from the sitting room across the hall. She figured the little girl, whose name she didn’t know yet, wouldn’t be able to sleep so Laura planned to stay in the chair as long as she was needed – just like she had with Brandon.
Sooner than she thought possible, the doorbell was ringing and the family rushed downstairs to greet their newest member. With a critical eye, she looked over her family and decided they didn’t look too bad. With a loving smile toward his wife, JC twisted the door knob and opened it to see a stern looking woman and a scared little girl with tear tracks on her dirty face. Knowing his wife, he simply gave her a look to convey his feelings as he opened the door wide and invited them in.
“Welcome, come on in. I’m JC, this is my wife Laura, and our son Brandon. Who do we have here?” He knelt on one knee on front of the little girl as Laura put her hand on his shoulder.
“This is Sophie. Say hello, Sophie.” The girl simply tucked her chin deeper into her chest as she studied the floor in front of her. Sophie had yet to look at any of them. The woman shook the arm that she held, trying to force Sophie to speak. “Sophie, I’m talking to you.”
Laura interrupted. “That’s ok, Sophie, have you eaten, are you hungry?” Sophie slowly glanced up, keeping her chin tucked into her chest, looking at Laura through her bangs and nodded. Holding out her hand, Sophie took it quickly, immediately wiggling to get away from the Child Services woman.
Shooting a hard look at her husband, conveying her feelings on the woman, Laura escorted Sophie to the kitchen, making idle chitchat as the woman demanded to have her paperwork signed. Laura could hear JC reply in a calm tone. Brandon followed the two into the kitchen
“Sophie, I want you to meet Brandon, and my name is Laura, if you need anything or have any questions, just ask one of us okay?” Laura lifted Sophie up to sit on the counter in front of her. So Sophie, what are you hungry for – a cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese?”
Sophie lifted a hand and rubbed her eyes as she tried to stifle the sobs that were bursting from her little body. It broke Laura’s heart and just as she was about to lift Sophie into her arms, JC called for her to come sign the paperwork. Brandon immediately moved over and gathered Sophie into his arms and began to rock back and forth. With one last look, Laura left the kitchen.
Laura hurriedly signed the paperwork that was presented to her and left JC to usher the woman out. The kitchen was now empty as was the family room. JC joined Laura just as she was beginning her ascent to the second floor.
With a hand on her arm and a finger up to his lips, he halted Laura when she would have entered Sophie’s new room. Brandon was inside talking to Sophie and the couple stopped to listen to his words.
“You know Sophie, JC and Laura aren’t my real parents either. My real mom died too. Yeah, JC took me in before he married Laura. And if I had to pick anyone in the world to live with, I would always pick the two of them. They aren’t scary at all and if you get scared ever, they’ll make it so you’re not scared.” Laura leaned back against JC’s chest while he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“I know you’re sad and don’t know what’s going on right now, but I’m here for you. You will always miss your parents and brother, but JC and Laura will help you all that they can.”
JC leaned down to whisper in Laura’s ear, “Obviously, we must be doing something right, huh?” He couldn’t quite hide the lump in his throat.
Laura wasn’t sure how long they stood there listening to Brandon murmuring comfort to the little girl. When all was quiet, Brandon made his way from the room, whispering that Sophie was now asleep. Laura wrapped Brandon in a tight hug before heading in to check on their newest charge.
JC looked proudly at his son, this boy was turning into an amazing young man.
***
Sophie clung to Brandon; he was her safety net. Brandon didn’t mind; he knew exactly what she was going through, but now with the funeral over, it was time for Brandon to head to practice.
Sophie’s screams reverberated through the entry hall, her hand was held tightly in JC’s as Laura practically pushed Brandon out the door to his ride to practice. “Sophie will be fine, Brandon, you can’t be with her 24/7 – go to practice.”
JC lifted Sophie up into his arms as she kicked and punched with all her might. He wrapped an arm tightly around her arms after he took a couple of punches to the face that made his eyes water.
Laura moved in close behind Sophie, grabbing her feet an instant before they would have connected with a sensitive part of JC’s anatomy. She leaned in so her lips were close to Sophie’s ear. JC wasn’t sure what she was saying to Sophie over the screams, but whatever it was appeared to be working.
Slowly, the screams subsided as Laura whispered in Sophie’s ear. JC loosened his grip as Sophie twisted to move into Laura’s arms. Laura released Sophie’s legs, perhaps a little too soon, to pull Sophie into her arms. A flying kick caught JC unaware in the area that just a moment before he had been grateful for the miss.
“Take her,” he grunted painfully as he half tossed Sophie to his wife.
“Are you alright?” Laura asked as JC collapsed to the floor. Sophie had immediately wrapped her arms and legs around Laura in a vice grip. All Laura could do was look on in concern as her husband folded in on himself.
“I just need a minute,” he ground out through gritted teeth.
Laura began pacing with Sophie in her arms, murmuring words into her ear as Sophie cried out her tears of sadness and frustration. When Sophie fell asleep from exhaustion, Laura climbed the stairs and put her in her own bed for a while. She came back downstairs to check on her husband who had somehow made it to the couch in the family room.
His face was still pale as he spoke, “I hope you aren’t counting on me for children anymore. I think that did me in.”
“Aww, baby, I’m sorry, can I get anything for you?” She sat down next to him and gently rubbed his thigh.
“Yeah, a new set of – ”
“Joshua Scott!”
“A drink would be great.” He looked over at her innocently.
She kissed his temple as she got up to grab him something to drink. What was she going to do with him?
***
While it was still a rough adjustment for Sophie, she began to settle in and trust both JC and Laura. She went back to school, but still spent an enormous amount of time with Brandon.
One day after Sophie had been living with them for about six months, Brandon was working on his homework at the kitchen table and Sophie was at school, he posed a question that had his parents stop in their tracks. Laura had been preparing lunch and JC had come up from his studio for a break.
“So are we gonna adopt Sophie or what?” Brandon asked point blank.
JC and Laura looked at each other before Laura asked, “What do you think about it?”
“I think you should, obviously you guys are meant to be parents and do you really think you’ll be able to send her away easily.”
Laura walked over and gave Brandon a big hug while she laughed. “I think you’ve been hanging around us too long, we have been talking about doing just that, however there is something else we have to consider as well.”
JC moved over to put an arm around them both. “You see Brandon, I just discovered that I’m pregnant again.”
Brandon’s eyes widened before he jumped to his feet. “I’m going to get another brother or sister? What took you guys so long? Are you feeling okay? I don’t want you to go through what you did before again.”
“Yes, you are getting another sibling; we were just waiting for the right time; yes, Laura is feeling okay; and we hope and pray that we won’t have to go through a miscarriage again.”
“Is that why you guys are just talking about adopting and not moving forward?”
JC took a deep breath before he gave an honest answer, “Yeah, that definitely was a consideration, but Sophie fits in so well here and you are a wonderful brother that as long as you agree we will get the process started before we talk to Sophie about it. We don’t want to get her hopes up in case something were to happen. So what do you think?”
“I think it’s great, you guys didn’t have to take me in, but you probably saved my life by doing so. And Sophie – well you didn’t have to do that either.”
“Well, what do you say about forgetting about your homework today and going out for ice cream for lunch?” JC’s suggestion was met with great enthusiasm and the family that was about to become larger headed out to celebrate.
However, Laura held JC back an instant. A thought had just occurred to her. “Obviously, that kick several months ago didn’t do that much damage.”
He looked confused for a moment before he recalled the incident that had him collapsed on the floor. “That’s true, but there could be lingering damage, you’d better check it out tonight.”
“Gladly,” she rose on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips.
“You know a kiss makes any booboo go away,” he said suggestively.
“That can be arranged, I – ” Laura was interrupted by Brandon wondering what was keeping them. The couple just exchanged a look full of promise and intent before heading out for their ice cream lunch.
