Legal Prejudice 2 - Weather The Storms

Chapter 22

Michael and Allie had been approved and were nervously waiting to be matched to a child. They had told Patricia they would consider a child up to the age of three, partly so Emmie could be the big sister and partly because they wanted to have some time to bond and spend time with the child they were matched with before school kicked in. They were trying to be patient as Patricia had impressed on them how important she felt it was to match them with just the right child. Everyone was excited for them, and to have another child join the family. Emmie had just started Kindergarten, and Allie was conscious of how quickly that had come around. She went along with Daniel to drop her off on the first day, Emmie wearing her new school clothes that Allie had picked out.

Michael was working late and Allie was cooking for them alone at home when the phone rang. She wiped her hands and saw it was Patricia. Her gut told her it could only be the call they had been waiting for since it was after six. Patricia started to explain she was ringing late as she wanted to let them know some news as soon as possible. Allie explained Michael was running late so Patricia continued, "You guys have been matched to a child, assuming you want to move forward. I can call over tomorrow with more details, but I wanted to give you the basics so you can start to think about how you feel. Allie couldn't breathe choking out, "Okay." And Patricia continued, "You've been matched with a little girl called Rose she's six" Allie felt a moment of panic, before telling herself that Patricia must think this was the right match to have gone so far out of their age range. Then she heard the rest of the sentence "months, still a proper baby really." Allie was stunned and squeaked out "Really. Oh my god Patricia I'm so excited. I can't wait to tell Michael!" The seasoned social worker felt a glow, noting there was no hesitation or question about background or medical. "I'll let you go and call Michael then Allie. Are you free tomorrow at three?" Allie was in tears without even registering it, "Yes, I'm sure. We can move stuff 'round. It's no problem." Patricia chuckled, "Then I'll see you tomorrow and I'll E mail you a photograph now. Obviously just for you and Michael until it's official right?"

Allie messaged Michael to ask if he was on his way, wanting to tell him in person. He replied he was just leaving, so she tried to concentrate finishing the dinner, ignoring the E mail so they could see the picture for the first time together.

When she heard the front door open Allie waited at the end of the hallway. Michael smiled as he spotted her and dropped his keys on the table so he could grasp her around the waist while he kissed her. She pulled away a little and he looked at her surprised, but seeing she looked ready to burst with excitement he said quizzically, "What is it Allie?"

"Patricia rang Michael. We've been matched." The words literally took his breath away and his eyes filled with tears as he searched her face. Allie nodded and he took her face in his hands and kissed her over and over. Her own tears were spilling down her face, "She's sent a photograph. Shall we have a look?" He nodded and laughed, "Oh my God Allie. What did she say?" Allie stroked her hand through his soft, almost black hair and laughed with sheer happiness, "It's a baby girl Michael, she's just over six months old and she's called Rose." He looked at her in disbelief and she laughed, nodded and kissed him. He took a breath, "Let's open the picture." Holding her small hand he crossed to where Allie's tablet was sitting on the island unit. She swiped to unlock it and clicked on the unopened E mail from Patricia and opened the attachment. Within a couple of seconds they were staring at the first glimpse of their new daughter. She was strapped in a baby chair, blonde hair, blue eyes, laughing at the camera with her little arms and legs sporting rolls of baby fat. Allie and Michael looked at one another in total rapture. Allie said, "Her eyes look the exact same colour as yours Michael." He shook his head "I can't believe she's really going to be ours Allie, she really looks like you though."

They stared at the screen a while longer and Michael printed a copy each for them before he led Allie to the couch and she laughed saying, "I think dinner may have gone cold." He smiled, "Don't know about you, but the excitement has killed my appetite." Allie leaned into him tucking her feet beneath her. He threw an arm around her as she rested her head on his chest, "Is she really going to be ours Allie?" She sat up and stroked his face before kissing him and saying, "Patricia says she's coming tomorrow at three to tell us the circumstances, and then we have to say if we want to move forward and make the match official." He nodded and traced her lips with his finger before saying "I love you my Allie. Without you I would have never experienced this moment and I know this wouldn't have been how you might have dreamed of having a child, but she's just perfect. And so are you." Allie couldn't speak but she kissed him completely losing herself until he broke off gasping and she whispered, "I love you too Michael. I have to keep pinching myself to make sure I'm really living this life, with you and it's not all a beautiful dream." He stood up wordlessly, looping one arm under her knees and the other under her arm to carry her to the bedroom.

The next morning Allie walked out of the lift almost bursting with happiness. She smiled saying Hi to Sara, Everley and the relatively new member of the team Pauline as she walked in. She went into her office and logged on to block out some time for the meeting with Patricia and to check if Daniel was free. Frustratingly he had an eight thirty call with a client, so Allie messaged him from her laptop, "Please finish with the client as soon as poss, I have big news I can only tell you." She smirked, just to herself, knowing he would be dying of curiosity. At eight fifty, just as the office was filling up he appeared breathless, closing the door, "Okay, I was almost offensive trying to get them off the phone, spill! What's going on that you can only tell me?" Allie couldn't resist just sitting there smiling, enjoying the moment. Daniel was outraged at the delay. He sat on the edge of her desk and playfully grabbed her shoulders, "I swear Allie I'm going to beat it out of you in a minute." There was a knock at the door. Rolling his eyes exasperated he let go of her and jumped off the desk, as Sara came in to drop some mail from London off. Allie couldn't help but laugh out loud at his irritation and Sara said, "What?" Allie quickly reassured her, "Not laughing at you lovely, just something Daniel said." He turned to her and explained, "Sara she's just being Allie and enjoying tormenting me with something." Sara shook her head and turned to leave, "You two are nuts."

As the door closed Allie took pity on him. "Okay, Michael and I are only telling you, so you can't say a word to anyone." He nodded so she continued, "Patricia rang last night. We've been matched with a little girl, well a baby actually Dan. "Despite the smile her eyes were full of tears and Daniel pulled her off the chair to hold her tight. Pulling back he said, "Oh my god Allie, that's the best fucking thing I've ever heard. I'm so happy for you both, it's amazing." She sniffed and said, "We don't know much, meeting Patricia later and it's obviously not official or definite, but we couldn't not tell you." He pulled her back in and kissed her grinning, "Do you know anything else about your future baby daughter?" Allie put her hand over her mouth stifling something between a laugh and a sob. "I can't quite let myself believe we're going to have a flipping real baby Dan. Her name is Rose, she's just over six months old. Want to see a photo?" He wiped a tear that was running down her face and let her go so she could grab it from her bag saying, "Jesus yes." Allie pulled out the picture they'd printed from Patricia's E mail, "Michael and I have just been staring at it all night." Daniel took the photo from her hand keeping one arm wrapped around her and looked at the happy looking dark blonde baby, "Wow Allie, she actually looks like you! She's so gorgeous."

He bent down and kissed away another tear that had escaped and held her to him again, "You guys so deserve this. Hey, how the hell are you going to concentrate on work now?" Allie laughed, "Goodness only knows. I'll have to try though, because I absolutely can't tell anyone else until we know it's definitely going to happen. Patricia said she was going to tell us the circumstances and background, but neither of us can imagine she could tell us anything that would make us not want this little one you know?" Daniel's heart melted, "I know. You two are going to be amazing parents to this little girl. Now listen, I'm going to leave because the longer I stay and make you cry, the more likely people are going to know something is going on. Okay?" Allie smiled up at him and threw her arms around his neck kissing his cheek, "Thank you for everything." He lifted her off the ground "Stop it or you'll make me start crying and Max and Robyn will definitely smell a rat. I need to go and call your husband, see if he's free. I'll come get you for the partner associate meeting at eleven."