A Dummy's Lady - A Goosebumps Fanfiction {Completed}

The Important Paper

Shivers raised an eyebrow. "What?" he questioned.

"T-the window," I admitted. "When I woke up, it was opened. The wind blew into the room." I held out my arm to show it to him. "See? I have goosebumps."

He frowned and pushed up his glasses. "We do not say that word in this house, young lady."

"Huh?" I was confused. "I-I did not say a bad word."

Hannah whispered in my ear. "Do not say the word 'goosebumps,'" she stated.

I stared at her. "Why not? It is not a bad word that will give you a week of detention at school."

"I know, but...my dad does not like it. It reminds him of things that he would like to leave in the past."

"Like what?"

"Sad things," Shivers jumped in, crossing his arms. "Regretful things."

"...oh." I looked down. "Sorry."

He sighed and lifted my chin, making me look at him. "I am sorry, Shelly. I should not have gotten a bit angry at you. You did not know."

I nodded. "It is okay."

"No, it is not okay." He pulled me into a hug. "You have been through a lot. The only people who really care for you, which are me, Hannah, and possibly Hannah's friends, should not make things even more difficult for you than they already are."

I nodded again and hugged him back.

This was awkward for me. He barely knew me, and yet he was treating me like his child. Also, he was not my real father.

I looked up at the ceiling and teared up. I really missed my real father and mother.

Shivers noticed my tears and shoved a hand in his pocket. He pulled out a handkerchief and gently wiped my eyes. "Now, now," he said soothingly. "There is no need to get upset. You are safe here, and there are two people in this house who care for you. Me and my daughter."

I sniffed and looked at Hannah, and she slightly smiled and joined in on the hugging fest.

"Dad," Hannah spoke. "You are using a handkerchief to wipe Shelly's eyes."

"So?" he wondered.

"Handkerchiefs are used for the nose, not the eyes."

He chuckled at her response, and I could not help but smile and giggle along.

These people were really nice to me, and I had a feeling that they were not just pretending. They actually cared and treated me as if I were one of their own. Better than Cassandra.

"I will be right back," Shivers stated. He pulled away from the group hug and left the room. He then came back with a piece of paper in his hand.

"What is that?" I asked, pointing at the paper.

"What does it look like? Paper."

I giggled. "No, Mr. Shivers. I mean, does the paper have anything on it? Like writing?"

"Why, yes." He handed the paper to me, and I took a good look at it.

The heading said in big, bold letters:

"ADOPTION FILL-OUT."

My eyes widened, and I glanced up at him. "Why do you have a document that talks about the terms of adopting?"

He smiled. "Because I would like to adopt you, Shelly."

I was surprised by his statement. "You...you want...to adopt...me?"

"Yep. That is, if you want me to adopt you."

I glared at the paper, and then back at him. "No. I do not want to be adopted."