Dumpster Baby

Chapter 4 - Officially Mine

Arriving outside the social workers office, I sit in the car for a few minutes gathering my thoughts. Sighing I finally get out of the car and get Gabriel out of the back seat. Getting his feeding and changing bag as well as my own purse I slam the door shut and enter the building. The office is bustling with people running around. Noticing a few children from all ages but mostly teenagers, I wonder what their story is. Walking further into the building I see a receptionist I walk up to her desk and wait patiently as she finishes of a phone call.

"Hello, thank you for waiting. What can I do for you today?" she asks giving me a bright smile. "Hi, I actually have an appointment with someone called Cindy." I say with a small smile of my own.

"Ahh, yes... Miss Pearson, go on and see her she has been waiting for you" she replies. "Thank you" I say while giving her a wide smile of my own and walking in the direction she pointed me towards.

Coming up to a brown wooden door I knock on it sharply. A Firm "Come in" is what I get in reply. Opening the door I timidly walk in and close the door behind me. Sitting behind the desk is a woman- whom I presumed was Cindy. She looked to be about in her late forties and was wearing a very stylish business suit. Her black hair was in a sophisticated bun and brown rimmed glasses sat at the bottom of her nose. Overall this woman oozed classiness and to be honest it was a little intimidating.

Cindy stood up from her seat and extended a hand towards me. Walking up to her desk I park Gabriel's stroller next to one of the two seats in front of the desk and shake her hand. "Hello Miss Pearson nice to meet you." She said. "Thank you, likewise" I reply gaining a bit of confidence. 'Well maybe she isn't that bad' I think to myself. Taking a seat I turn towards her only to be offered a cup of coffee which I kindly refuse. "So Miss Pearson, if you could please re- account yesterday's events from your point of view please" she demands while pulling her glasses.

Taking a deep breath I begin to tell her what happen. When I had finished she nodded her head and continued writing as she had while I was talking. Finally, putting the pen down on the desk she clasped her hands together and turned her full attention toward me before speaking. "Honestly, Miss Pearson this is quite a bizarre situation; however I really admire the way you have dealt with it. In just a day you have managed to supply Gabriel with all he needs. I don't see any harm in Gabriel being yours, if you don't want to keep him though we can have him placed in a foster home, temporarily while we look for a family to adopt him" she calmly states.

Looking down into Gabriel's stroller I find him looking back at me. My thoughts run wild with doubt. Can I do this by myself? Could I really become responsible for this handsome little guy? I am brought out of my thoughts when Cindy calls my name. Staring back at her I clear my thought and glance at Gabriel I put little finger in his and he does the most amazing thing in this universe - he smiles. A big toothless grin that has me smiling right back at him. Turning sharply towards Cindy I nearly shout the "yes" that leaves my lips.

For the first time since I've been here I see Cindy smile, and its directed at me. Her face softens and it makes her look incredibly young. Picking Gabriel up I hold in my arms while I place a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Well then I'll go get the forms" she says while standing up. While she's gone I just stare lovingly at Gabriel while he plays or tugs on my hair. Cindy comes back a few minutes later and I sign what I later found out were adoption forms. Thirty-minutes later I am Gabriel's official mother and legal guardian. Using the toilets in the office to change Gabriel's nappy before leaving I get him settled nicely in the car, packing the stroller in the boot.

Getting in the driver's seat I head off to the hospital. Twenty minutes later I am looking for a birth certificate with the name 'Gabriel Pearson' and my name stood out proudly next to his as mother of child. Debating whether or not I should put down Gabriel's biological father's name. After a few minutes I came to a decision. "Well what harm can it do?" I murmured and with a shrug of my shoulders I wrote down unknowingly the words; Angelo De Luca, that sealed me and Gabriel Pearson - my son's fate.