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19 - Ours

Andy and I were sitting in the office at 11 the next day. I was nervous and picking at the skin around my nails. Andy reached over and placed a hand over mine.

"It's all going to be okay Mel." Andy said and I shook my head.

"Andy, you don't know that." I whispered, looking at him.

"I'm optimistic." Andy smirked and I smiled back at him.

We sat back in silence, but Andy kept his hands over mine.

Finally, the door opened, "Sorry to keep you both waiting."

"No problem." Andy and both said.

Jennifer Collins was the social worker on this case. I had previous experiences with her and I knew she did the home visit and conducted all of the interviews.

"Where is Faith?" I asked knowing we had to bring her with us, which worried me even more.

"She is in the playroom with my secretary. They are watching a cartoon on tv." Jennifer said and I half nodded.

"Well I called you both in to do the final stage of petitioning for adoption."

"Right, I brought all the paperwork that would be needed. I know you saw it all already but just incase it was needed again -..." I was saying and Jennifer held her hand up to stop me from talking.

"What I need you both to understand Mr. and Mrs. Barber is it seems like a sudden change for you guys to be wanting to adopt once you got Faith in your house for a few nights. We don't usually see a change in people that fast." Jennifer was explaining.

"We understand but if I may, Faith came into our lives when we didn't expect it but she took up residence in our hearts and our lives that I didn't even know needed to be filled. We love Faith and we are hoping for this chance to give the girl a happy life." Andy spoke up and I gently squeezed his hand as Jennifer smiled at Andy.

"Well I couldn't have said it better myself Mr. Barber. When I saw you all at the home visit I was in shock at how well she fit it. I also heard how Jacob talked about her and he is so happy to have a younger sibling. You are the kind of family we always hope for that will come in and want to adopt." Jennifer said. Andy and I smiled at each other.

"Now, I know Mel knows the process from this point and which proves why she is so giddy right now. We have to get a judge to sign off on it which we had one at the courthouse ready to do today in his chambers. What do you both say we get Faith and go to the courthouse and make this adoption legal?" Jennifer added.

"Really?" I asked with a huge smile.

Jennifer smiled.

"Let's go get Faith." Andy said and I nodded as we stood up and Jennifer showed us how to get to the playroom. Once we opened the door Faith got up and ran to Andy, he picked her up.

"Can we go home now?" Faith asked a little scared. She didn't like being her, I could tell.

"We have one more stop to make...then we go home." I said taking her hand and she smiled.

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We walked out of the courthouse a family. Andy, Faith and I. Faith was now a Barber and the paperwork was being filed. As we got to the car I looked at Andy.

"We should go sign Jake out of school, call my parents and we all go out for a celebratory dinner." I said and Andy smiled. I looked at Faith and she smiled vigorously nodding.

"I think it's a great idea. Although I would like to make a quick stop by the office, I forgot some files." Andy said and I nodded.

"We can go in and talk to Lynne, let her meet Faith." I said and Andy smiled. "Want to go see where Andy works?" I asked Faith and she nodded. We weren't going to force the mom and dad titles with her. We told her we could be mom and dad, Andy and Mel or whatever she felt comfortable with.