Chapter 1: Adopting Our Daughter

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"Babe?"

"Yes Dan?"

"Phil I don't think I'm ready..."

Phil looked over at Dan, who was hunched over, head in his hands. The couple was sitting in a large waiting room, painted light blue with green chairs. Phil reached towards Dan, lifting his chin to look at him. Phil took his husband's hands in his own

"Baby, we've been ready since we first saw her."

"But what if I'm not a good father? What if she gets sick, or what if she doesn't like me or-"

"Dan! You will be an amazing dad." He took a deep breath, "Yes, she will get sick. All children do. All kids have things happen to them that worry their parents. And Dan? Look me in the eyes baby."

Dan looked up at Phil fearfully. He was barely shaking

"Yeah?" Dan mumbled.

"Since the second we saw her, you and I both knew she was ours. So don't think for a second that you could be a bad daddy." Phil looked Dan straight in the eye before lightly kissing him.

"Do you feel any better Dan?"

Before Dan could answer, A woman in scrubs with her hair tied up and carrying a clipboard opened a door on their left, walking through to the room.

"Howell-Lester?" She asked in their direction. They were the only couple in the room.

Phil stood up, pulling Dan up with him.

"Yes, that would be us."

The woman smiled. "Hello! I'm Zoe. You gentlemen are picking up Emilia right?" They both nodded, and Phil squeezed Dan's hand.

Zoe smiled even wider, "Follow me just down this hall a bit."

Dan and Phil, hands still locked, followed her through the door and down the hallway. They passed three labeled doors until Zoe opened a door on the left labeled "Infants" and led the couple through.

******************

There were eight cribs in the room, six of which had a small baby in them. A couple of babies were sleeping, one was playing with a teddy bear, and a few had bottles or pacifiers. Zoe walked over to the fourth crib and carefully lifted a small purple bundle of blankets out.

"Do you want to carry her out?" Zoe asked, holding the little girl out to Phil.

Phil shook his head. "I want Danny to hold her."

Dan's eyes widened in fear before holding his shaking arms out to Zoe. She gently placed the tiny girl in Dan's arms. Dan looked at Emilia and smiled at her, before glancing up at his beaming husband.

"See Dan? You're doing great. She's not crying or anything." Phil whispered.

"He's right," Said Zoe, "You look like a fantastic daddy." She turned to Phil, "And you look like the proudest husband in the world."

Phil smiled at her "I think that's what I am."

******************

After a bit of just holding Emilia, Zoe led the happy family back to the waiting room and over to the front desk. The secretary grinned and handed them a few papers on a clipboard.

"Here's the last of your paperwork, just sign and initial the blanks and you can be on your way."

Phil picked up the clipboard, as Dan was still holding the almost sleeping baby in his arms.

"Thank you Miss-" Phil started to say, looking at her name tag, "Louise."

Louise winked, "Thank you boys. It's so nice to have one of our children here find such a loving, caring home. You'll be great daddies!"

Dan smiled, "Thank you so much."

The couple finished signing the papers, ending with the date and handed the clipboard back to Louise with a smile. They walked out to their car and Dan buckled Emilia in to her car seat before climbing in the passenger seat. Phil started the engine and the new family drove home.

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