The Baby Between Them

Chapter Sixteen

"Marie will be coming back tomorrow with the paperwork that's been updated with Amelia's name change." Abi announced the following afternoon as she walked into the room and checked the baby's stats on the machine. "She called through a few minutes ago."

"Right." Rae mumbled, not bothering to look up from the homework she was working on. She'd arrived at the hospital later than normal today, after stopping by her house to pick up fresh clothes.

She'd made a promise to Abi that she'd always get her homework done as soon as she got here before tending to anything Amelia needed and Milly would be needing a bottle soon and she'd be damned if hospital staff was going to be giving it to her.

"Raegan..."

"I heard you Abi. Milly is going to need a bottle soon and I need to keep my promise to you as well, so I'm getting this done."

"I appreciate you keeping the promise Rae, but you need to hear me." Something in Abi's tone made Rae finally look up.

"What?"

"Once the paperwork is done tomorrow, she goes into the system Rae. The search for a foster family will start and being that she's a newborn and they're the easiest to find homes for, she'll have a family to go to probably by next Friday at the latest and there's a good chance they'll want to come and meet her first."

"No." Rae answered flatly.

"Rae this isn't up to us."

"What 'us' Abi? You and Mitch don't give a rats ass about Amelia and what is best for her or for me!"

"That's not fair Raegan! You know that we all love you both dearly, but think that this option is the best for both of you."

"Well you're all wrong." Rae lowered her eyes and went back to her math homework.

"And since when do you call me Mitch?" Came a deep voice from the doorway. Rae didn't bother looking up at her father.

"Since you decided to let them take my sister away and not trust me to do what's right by her."

"It's got nothing to do with that Rae. We want you to have a normal life as a teenager."

"Since when have I been normal Dad?!"

"Point taken, but can't you see our point as well?" He asked and Rae sighed.

"Of course I can, but she's my sister Dad. She's my blood. I've looked into it and there's a good chance I wouldn't get to see her much, if at all once she's in care. Especially if she gets adopted by a family in another state."

"Sweetheart I'm a lawyer. I can add stipulations into the adoption agreement that states you get access and Lily too if she wants it."

"Well that stipulation will need to be that they adopt me as well, because that's the only way any of this is going to be agreeable to me." Rae finished off the question she was working on, closed the book and grabbed another one from the pile beside her.

"That's not something I'm agreeable on Raegan. You're my daughter and you don't need a new family. You have one that loves you already."

"And so does Milly. This isn't an argument that you're going to win, so you may as well save your breath."

"Well hi there family Beckett!" Nash walked in with a big smile on his face and Milly's bottle in his hand. "Don't mind me. I just have a hungry niece to feed. As you were." He announced as he walked over, picked Milly up and sat to give her the bottle. "Yes I tested the temperature first." Nash said when Rae opened her mouth. She shut it again and gave him a small smile.