Roommates

51

"I have to take this, sorry." Quinn apologized, excusing herself and going into the bedroom.

Beth looked at Finn.

"Do you wanna play a game or watch a movie?" Finn suggested, trying to distract Beth as he got up from the couch.

"Can we play pirates?" Beth requested.

"Pirates?" Finn repeated. "Sure, how do we play?"

"We have to build a fort." Beth informed Finn. "And then we have to look for treasure."

"Okay." Finn nodded. "I'll start the fort then."

"Okay." Beth smiled as she watched Finn pile the pillows and drape blankets over the furniture, connecting them into a fort.

Quinn emerged from the bedroom and looked at the scene in front of her. "What are you doing?"

"We're gonna play pirates." Beth answered.

"No." Quinn shook her head. "B, it's too late to play pirates. You need to start getting ready for bed."

"But Finn said we could play." Beth told Quinn.

Quinn looked at Finn.

"I did." Finn began. "But Beth, why don't we leave everything where it is, and we can play pirates tomorrow when we have more time?"

"I wanna play now." Beth whined.

"I know, but if we play now, we have less time to have fun 'cause we'll have to stop and go to bed." Finn explained. "But if we save it for tomorrow, we can play more."

Beth paused as she thought about it.

"What do you think?" Finn wondered.

"Will you pinky promise we'll play?" Beth asked.

"I pinky promise I'll play pirates tomorrow if you wanna play pirates." Finn nodded, putting his pinky out.

Beth linked her pinky with Finn's, smiling happily.

"Go put on pjs." Finn commanded when they parted. "Mommy and I will be right there."

"Okay." Beth replied as she walked away.

"Sorry." Finn apologized. "I didn't realize it was getting late."

Quinn nodded.

"Everything okay?" Finn questioned Quinn.

"The lawyers called." Quinn said.

"What'd they say? Is it official?" Finn wondered. "Of course not, you would've ran in here if you had good news."

"We're probably gonna have to go to court to have them override his paternal rights." Quinn informed Finn.

Finn furrowed his eyebrow. "What? Why?"

"Because he's being difficult." Quinn answered. "And he won't give his approval for you to adopt her until or unless I call him."

"Are you gonna call him?" Finn asked.

"I don't want to." Quinn shrugged. "That's why I've been having the lawyers handle all communication and everything with this."

Finn nodded slowly.

"But I don't wanna go to court either." Quinn added. "So I might have to call him, but I need you to promise me something."

"Anything." Finn said.

"Promise me you won't get involved with this." Quinn requested. "Don't call him or threaten him or anything."

"Quinn, I'm not gonna-"

"Promise me." Quinn interrupted Finn, exhaling slowly. "Okay?"

"Okay, yeah. I promise."

"Thank you."

"Come here."