Adopted By The Script (Completed)

Chapter 17 - I love you

Monday - 8am

Glens P.O.V

The door was flung open, the first time we knocked as well, Danny was actually up early for once, something wasn't right.
"Morning Dan, you going to the hospital today? 'Cause we were thinking of bringing Iris some..." Mark started before Danny interrupted him.
"Look lads, I'd love to chat but I have to tidy the house!" Danny rambled, his shirt half tucked in to his trousers and attempting to tie his tie without a mirror.
"You clean? What's going on?" I laughed, but Danny's stern frown gave me the impression he wasn't amused. "Sorry." I muttered following Danny into the house.
"Guys, I'm really busy! So either help me..." Danny fiddled with his tie, getting no where, "Or leave!"
"Give me your tie!" Mark sighed, pulling the tie off Danny and putting it around his own neck. "There I'm helping you. Now tell us what the hells going on!"
"The social services woman is coming this morning to check my house is a safe place for Iris to live!" Danny rubbed his forehead and flopped into his chair! "Then this morning I realised what a dump this place is! I've been up since six guys! Please help!"
"Right! Here's your tie," Mark slipped the now tied tie off his neck and back around Danny's, tightened it to fit him and clapped his hands together, "Let's get cracking! Glen can do the kitchen, I'll do the lounge and Danny, you can do the bathroom and your bedroom!"
We worked for hours on end scrubbing, mopping and hoovering all over the place. Once each of our rooms, Mark had assigned us, were finished, we all chipped in to make Iris's room look like a proper little girls bedroom. Danny even ran down to IKEA and picked up some pink paint for the walls. Once that was finished it was 10:45, the woman would be here in fifteen minutes and we had just enough time for a quick cuppa!
"Thanks for helping me lads," Dan smiled flopping onto the armchair.
"No problem, hey careful sitting like that you'll crumple your shirt," I laughed, "You nervous?"
"A bit," Danny confessed, running his fingers through his hair, "But I'm pretty confident that my house is safe. All I have to do is be my charming self." Danny winked and continued talking, "Anyway, once I've got through this bit, Emma's coming over tonight because I haven't seen her in a few days, so that thought will keep me going today!"

*Knock Knock*

Danny P.O.V

"She's here!" I jumped up almost spilling my tea all over myself. "Jacket, Mark, Jacket!"
Quickly, Mark ran into the kitchen, grabbed my jacket and hurried back into the lounge. "Arms out!" I lifted out his arms as Mark slipped on my navy suit jacket.
"Thanks Mark! Right you two need to go out the back door!" I rushed shoeing them away as they scuttled out the back of the house.
Sighing, I opened the door, "Hello, come in, I'm Daniel," I smiled at the woman on the door step, her  hair was tied up into a tight blond bun, glasses rested on the end of her nose and her lips were set in a stern straight line.
"Laura," She replied grimly, I stretched out my hand to shake hers but she ignored the offer and handed me her coat instead.
"Tea, coffee, water?" I asked politely, hanging her coat on the banister.
"Do you have fruit tea?" Laura questioned making her way into the kitchen.
"Um.. No sorry, anything else I could get you," I coughed anxiously.
"No, I only drink fruit tea." She said stubbornly, pushing her glasses further up her nose.
"Oh... Ok then. Would you like a tour of the house?"
"That is what I'm here for." Laughing nervously, I lead Laura into the lounge,
"So this is the living room," I bit my lip and Laura began to scribble furiously on her clip board.
"Hm," She nodded, wandering around the room her heals leaving a small imprint on the carpet with each step she took. "It's... Ok."
Sighing with relief I took that as a complement, "So you've already seen the kitchen, why don't we go upstairs."
Without a word Laura pushed past me and found her own way up the stairs,
"Your bedroom is...?"
"Just through here," I pointed at the room at the other end of the landing.
"Ah," she nodded, tightened the button on her suit and made her way inside. Once in my room Laura certainly wasn't shy, pulling out draws and rummaging in my wardrobe. Then she began to examine the contents on my bed side table, "Who's this?" She asked picking out a photo of myself and Emma from that night in the park, our first date.
"My girlfriend," I said.
"Girlfriend?" Laura said raising an eyebrow and making notes on her clipboard, "You sure you'll be able to juggle a girlfriend, a baby and a rock band?"
"Iris is my priority, if that means cancelling shows, I can do it. If that means blowing of my girlfriend, that's something I'm just going to have to do it. Iris is my number one." I nodded proudly, not meaning to make such a speech.
"Right," Laura nodded and I think I almost saw the hint of a smile. "Now," she coughed, "The babies room?"
"Course, just through here," I lead her into the freshly painted room, it looked amazing. The double bed had gone and in its place stood a small white bed, with a flowery pink duvet and a bundle of cuddly toys at the end of it. Also there was a huge vintage dolls house, Mark had given me from when his kids were little and there were pale pink and purple fairy lights hanging across the ceiling for Iris to use as night lights. For a minute I thought even Laura was speechless at how brilliant the room looked.
"Good," She said her mouth still in a straight line, making even more notes on her clipboard. "Very good."
"Thank you," I smiled rubbing the back of my neck anxiously, I really wanted her to like it.
"You're impressed me Daniel," Laura said, still no expression in her voice and her mouth still pierced like she's just eaten something sour.
"Thank you, again." I laughed anxiously watching her write more the clip board.
"I think I've seen everything I need to," Laura slipped her clipboard under her arm, readjusted her glasses and made her way back down stairs. Once at the door I handed her, her jacket and thanked her for coming.
"Just doing my job Daniel," she nodded as I opened the front door, "So I'll send these notes to the adoption agency and they'll get back to you."
"Thanks again," I smiled as she left the house.
"You can stop thanking me Daniel," Laura hinted a slight smile and climbed into her car.
----------------------------------------------
7pm

"So it really went that well?" Emma grinned as I handed her a glass of red wine and sat on the sofa next to her.
"Yeah, she was pretty harsh but once she saw Iris's bedroom, she totally lightened up!" I said, sipping my wine.
"That's great Dan! Good for you!" Emma smiled kissing my cheek gently.
"I genuinely think I might have done it, I think I've got a good shot at adopting Iris," I was glowing now, smiling from ear to ear.
"Thanks brilliant babe!" Emma bit her lip and a slight flash of nervousness crossed her face.
"What?" I sighed, "Come on Em, what's wrong?" She looked up at me, our eyes locked and I kissed her softly.
"Nothing, nothing wrong, everything's fine, great actually. I just wanted to tell you something," She paused.
"I'm listening."
"Well, I've never felt the way I feel about you towards anyone. You're what I've been looking for, you complete me, my other half. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love you." A silence followed, a good silence, a silence in which my heart exploded with joy and my head was a mess of emotions. But eventually I said those three beautiful words back to her,
"I love you to."