The Way We Were

The Way We Adopt in Yokohama

Laura was so excited, she was sick to her stomach. Or was that the baby?

Marc squeezed her hand. "Relax, babe."

She took a deep breath. "I'm relaxed."

Quad began crying.

She picked him up from his carrier and put him to her shoulder to sway. He was probably teething. He was nearly six months old and was now cutting teeth. "It's okay, honey."

The stern man who ran the orphanage lightened at seeing her soothe her natural child but loving your flesh and blood was easy. He walked up behind them and sat in his desk chair. "Your background check has been approved. We can view the children now."

Laura grew excited again and shoved a frozen teething ring in Quad's mouth. "Yay."

Marc loved her being so happy. "Let's do it."

They left Mr. Oen's office and went around to a large room holding all of the children. They were told to be on their best behavior and were dressed in their best clothing.

Marc and Laura went around speaking to them until they got to an older girl. She was small but she wasn't a toddler.

Laura's heart melted because she knew the look in the defiant girl's eyes. She was a little Marcy. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"I'm not sweet." The little girl spat.

"Wen!" Mr. Oen snapped.

Wen lifted her nose.

Marc's lips twitched. "You got a lotta sass for a four year old."

"I'm ten!"

Marc was actually surprised by that. She was very short. "Are you sure?"

Mr. Oen was surprised into almost laughing. "She is ten, Mr. Taylor-Jones."

"Hmm!" Marc had to take a moment. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Set fires." Wen turned her head.

Mr. Oen was sick of this girl. This was why she was never adopted! "Wen!"

"Sounds like our little sister." Marc grinned.

Both Mr. Oen and Wen blinked in shock. "Your little sister set fires?"

"Massive fires." Laura frowned.

Wen grew excited. "Did everything burn up?"

"A lot of times, yes."

"Cool!"

Marc laughed. "Yup! You're a little Marcy!"

"I'm not little!"

"You come up to my knee."

"You're big!"

"Yeah."

Laura rolled her eyes. "Besides the fires, what else do you like?"

Although Wen had been telling the truth about liking to set fires, she'd mostly been trying to scare them off. But they seemed cool so she could tell them other truths to send them packing. "I like animals. Snakes and frogs and lizards."

Laura paled. "Frogs?"

Marc turned red trying not to laugh. "Our little brother would like you. Mike loves animals."

"Is she okay?" Wen peered up at Laura.

"She's afraid of frogs."

"Why?"

"Mike."

She wanted to meet Mike! "I like to cheer."

Laura's color returned. "I was a cheerleader. So were my sisters."

"I only like it cuz I can tell the little kids what to do and be on top of the pyramid."

"Quinn." Marc and Laura said in unison.

"Who's Quinn?"

"Our little sister." Laura huffed. "Very bossy."

"How many of you is there?" Wen asked suspiciously.

"There's eight of us."

"And you're married?"

"Yes. Luckily no blood is mixed but we are related and we are married."

"Cool!" Wen liked them.

Mr. Oen was shocked stupid. No one had ever lasted this long with the brash Wen. "Do you think you can get along?"

"Mighty Mouse is alright." Marc ruffled her hair.

Wen glared at him. "They're okay."

Mr. Oen refrained from rolling his eyes. "Do you want them to adopt you?"

Wen wanted to say no. She didn't believe in happily ever afters or good luck but she was also no fool. These people were the best couple she'd ever had talk to her. "Yes."

"And you want to adopt Wen?" He looked between Laura and Marc.

They looked at each other and smiled. "Yes."

He blew out a breath. "Let's get to the paperwork."

W.W.W.

The door to the mansion opened and Laura and Marc walked inside with Wen and Quad. Their family stood in the foyer and shouted Congratulations to them.

Laura burst into tears, thanking them profusely.

"She's so big." Quinn sprouted.

"You were dropped, weren't you?" Marcy lifted a brow.

Mal snickered. "Yeah. Laura dropped her on purpose."

"Marc!" Quinn screeched.

"This is Wen." Marc ignored them. "Say hi."

"Hi." The Fabangeses chorused.

Wen was a little intimidated by all these people. But at least they spoke Japanese. "Hello."

Po came to Marc. "You don't need any more children. You have your three."

"Technically it's two and a half." Marc just wanted to rib his grandfather.

"Marcus Donald." Po cut his eyes at him before lowering his voice further. "Meet me in my office with your brothers in ten minutes."

Marc watched him walk off without waiting for an answer. Of course, old man. Of course...