Protecting Leah

Orphanage Roughage

Taylor's P.O.V

I had seen the terrible woman before, but looking around her office I could tell that she wasn't really a maternal person. It was cool and clinical and nothing like any other place I had been to with kids in it. The only other person who lived like this was my ex, Joe Jonas. He didn't like kids that much. It was always Nick and Kevin who did the talking to kids. Mrs Straight was eyeing me and my lawyer and then I recognized that she was talking to me. I caught the last bit of conversation "...you are the woman who brought her back the other day. I nodded and she continued. Well that afternoon she hid away and the next day which was yesterday it was recognized that she had run away again. To which you must have found her again, but you never brought her back. May I ask why?" I looked to my lawyer who simply nodded as he has seen a picture of Leah's face so I tuned to the woman and honestly answered that it was because of a massive welt on her face that had begun to bruise. "It's simple really, when I brought her back last time, I saw you slap her. Yesterday I saw the after effects of that slap. She was bruised so that's why I didn't bring her back.""Excuse me but I would never hit a child. You are simply trying to say things that never happened.""I'm sorry Mrs Straight but as you can see my client is very secure in that thought, I have seen the child in question and when I get back to my office I will see that your orphanage is brought under question and investigation for child abuse. But for right now you can produce those papers with Leah Wilson's details on them." My lawyer finished with a flurry.

I watched as Mrs Straight got the papers and signed them, then I signed them and within half an hour it was all over. My lawyer had gone back to start the adoption paperwork and the inquisition paperwork for the orphanage. I got into my car and drove home. I was greeted with a mess when I walked in. Water over the floor in the kitchen and Abigail was scrubbing my oven like there was no tomorrow. I just stood there and laughed. Leah noticed me standing there and jumped off the stool she had been sitting on to hug me around the legs. Abigail looked sheepish at me, smiling I hugged Leah and picked her up to put her on my hip. "Guess what Leah.""What?""You get to live with me now. So how about you hop upstairs and grab your shoes so we can go shopping," "Okay Taylor...I'll just get them." I looked after her and then called her back. "You know Leah. You can call me mom or mommy if you want to but if you don't Taylor's fine." I could instantly see her grin. "Okay mommy. I'm going to get my shoes." I watched her leave the kitchen then I turned to Abigail. "What?" I asked her as she stared at me. She said nothing but came over and hugged me whispering in my ear. "You are changing that girls' life, Tay. She is amazing. But you are going to be an amazing mother to her. I love you mommy Taylor." Grinning at Abigail I hugged her and she left. Then I called my security detail to have them drive us because I didn't have a child seat for my car yet. While I waited for Leah to come back I took the mop out from behind the door and wiped up the excess water wondering where it came from but shrugging it off, thinking 'life with a kid Swift, you ready?' to which I kind of nodded my head agreeing with myself then Leah then came downstairs and we left with security waiting at the door of the apartment building. I just wanted Leah safe whether we were in Nashville, L.A or New York.