The Best Years

17

"What are we doing?" Chloe asked from the backseat of Calum's Range Rover.

"Well," He replied, "we never got to celebrate your big win last week. So we thought we would spring you from the center for the night and go back to our house and get all dressed up, Holland got you a special dress and everything, and then we are gonna go eat at that restaurant you always talk about wanting to go to."

He glanced back at her through the rear view mirror and grinned as he took in her reaction, nothing but pure joy on her face. "The one with the pasta and the fancy lights?" She asked him.

"That's the one. What do you think?"

"I think fuck yeah!" She said. Holland's head whipped around from the passenger seat.

"Don't say that word Chloe." She spoke sternly and Chloe's face fell.

"Calum says it." The little girl said in a small voice, her face falling.

"He does but he shouldn't, it's a bad word. Okay?" Chloe nodded and Holland turned back to face forwards and shot Calum a glare.

His cheeks deepened like a child who had been caught but the crinkle of amusement in his eyes didn't go unnoticed by her. "It's not funny." She whispered.

He chuckled and extended his hand to cover hers on the console between them as his other hand steered his car towards their home.

By the time they made it back to their home Chloe's previous excitement had returned and Holland led her to the room that, unbeknownst to Chloe, they planned to make hers.

"This color is so pretty" Chloe commented, her hand running along the pale pink color Holland had picked. The room still lacked furniture apart from a small white vanity Holland had already placed but the dress she had purchased for Chloe hung in the closet.

The dress was a golden yellow and velvet. The straps were thin and Holland had found a necklace to match it. "What do you think?" She asked, holding it out for Chloe to approve.

"I love it. I get to wear this?"

"Yep. C'mon you can watch Diseny+ in the living room while I run up and get dressed then we'll get you ready. Sound good?" Chloe nodded and Holland got her situated before moving towards the master bedroom.

She met Calum's eyes and saw the laughter within them.

"It's not funny you know."

"It kind of is." He chuckled. " I can't believe she said it." He added.

"Yeah, well you know who won't find it funny? The people who decide if we get to keep her."

Holland's words seemed to dawn on him and he quickly sobered up, no longer as amused by Chloe's car outburst as he had been.

"Okay, you're right, point made. Think you scared her in the car though so I doubt she'll say it again. Let's not dampen tonight's mood. This is supposed to be exciting."

"I know, I know. It just scared me. I feel like if someone needed a reason not to let us have her they wouldn't need to do much digging to find something and I don't want to give them any further fodder."

"Babe..." He said, stepping from his closet where he'd been dressing and moving towards her, his hands slipping around her forearms. "It's all going to be alright. Nothing bad is going to happen."

"Funny, it seems like that's always what I hear before something bad indeed happens."

"You'll see." He promised her, bending down to kiss her softly. "Go get dressed, I need to shave."