Family is Everything - Linstead Fanfic

Chapter 11 - We Love You

September 17th

"Erin! Kids! Come here, now!" Jay called as he walked into the house.

"What's going on? What's happening?" They all asked as they hurried to the kitchen to greet him.

"It's official!" He yelled, holding up the adoption certificate for Andrew.

"Really?!" Andrew asked, his eyes widened. He'd been living with the Halstead's and going everywhere with them and was essentially a part of the family already, but now it was official.

"Really! You are our son now!" Jay said hugging him, which soon turned into a group hug.

"Wait a second." Landon suddenly said, looking at the certificate.

"What?" They all asked.

"Andrew, your middle name is Boston?"

"Yeah, it's where my real mom grew up, so it became my middle name."

"I'm calling you Boston from now on."

"Now I have 4 different names to reply to." Andrew laughed, everybody looking at him confused.

"What are you talking about?" Erin asked him.

"You call me 'Andy,' Jay and Emily all me 'Andrew,' Landon calls me 'Boston,' and Cody calls me 'Drew.' I like it! Oh! And Adam calls me 'Bubs' sometimes."

"Hey, nicknames are a sign of love, Drew." Cody joked, putting his arm around Andrew's shoulders.

"It that why you don't have one?" Landon said sarcastically.

"I can think of a few for you." Cody retorted.

"Okay, okay, break it up. Let's go out and celebrate with a little Gino's Pizza!" Erin decided, Andrew and Emily fist-bumping because it was their favorite restaurant.

-/-/-/

After celebrating at Gino's and some frozen yogurt afterwards, the family returned home.

"I call dibs on showering first!" Landon called, starting a war between himself and Cody for the bathroom.

"I'm going to go read for a little bit and then I'll go to bed. Goodnight." Emily said, walking off.

"Wait, aren't you going to shower?" Erin asked her.

They all suddenly heard a loud crash, followed by the twins yelling at each other.

"Yeah, I'll wait until morning."

Once Emily left, it was just Erin, Jay, and Andrew.

"So, Andy, whaddya think? Is being a Halstead pretty fun?" Erin asked him as she sat on the couch.

Jay and Andrew joined her, Andrew sandwiched between them.

"It's awesome. But, I have a serious question."

"What's that?" Jay asked him, already loving the boy as much as his other kids.

"Can I call you guys 'Mom' and 'Dad,' even though you technically aren't really my parents?"

"Buddy, you can call us whatever you'd like. If it feels right, call us 'Mom' and 'Dad.' If it's too much, call us 'Erin' and 'Jay.' But you are as much our son as Cody and Landon are, I can promise you that." Erin told him.

"Okay mom." Andrew said, a smile playing on his face when he saw Erin's smile.

"Oh, and Andrew?" Jay said.

"What dad?" Andrew questioned, smiling once again.

"We love you."