The Best Years

30

Elise rambled to them about something, their court date being a few days away, and something else, but Holland didn't even try to remember it. All of her focus was on the little girl who stood happily next to them, soaking up their love and attention, all traces of the screaming mess she had been exactly one week prior vanished.

"You know...I'll just call you guys tomorrow. Enjoy your night." Elise said with a small smile and a gentle wave as she turned and retreated to her car. She pulled away just as Cal lifted Chloe onto his side.

"Come on bub, let's go inside. There are some people who want to meet you."

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Calum. "My grandparents?"

"And your Auntie Mali. Plus, your bubba wants you to hold him, too. He missed you."

"I missed bubba." She said, leaning her head against Calum's shoulder as he carried her inside.

His parents and sister were spread out around the sectional, fighting their excitement and trying to give Holland and Calum a moment to themselves with Chloe before they finally got their chance to meet her.

"Clo, this is my mummy and daddy. This is Grandma Joy," he said pointing to his mother, "and Grandpa David."

"Hi Chloe, it's so nice to meet you. Your daddy didn't tell me how pretty you are."

Chloe dropped her gaze in embarrassment and tucked her head into the crook of Calum's neck.

"She gets a little shy around new people but she was super excited to meet you when we are outside. Just give her a bit." He told his parents as he ran his hand across the little girl's back.

Joy and David nodded in understanding and Mali lifted her shoulders gesturing to Knox in her arms.

"Good idea." Calum mumbled. "Hey Chloe, what about Knox? You wanna hold him?" She leaned back in his arms just enough so that she could see his face and nodded. Calum released his hold on her and bent down until her feet touched the floor. She sheepishly sat next to Joy on the couch and held out her arms waiting for Calum to move Knox into them.

The baby whined as he was placed against her for a moment before seeming to recognize his sister and quieting as she pressed her lips to his forehead.

"Hi bubba. It's sissy. I missed you."

Calum looked to Holland to find her already looking at him, his heart clenching in his chest. The moment was incredibly bittersweet. Calum was so happy to, for the first time, have his entire family under one roof. But he knew that this moment had the potential to be fleeting and even though they'd just got their girl back, they were on the brink of possibly having to say goodbye to her for good and that damn near broke his heart.

Mali moved from her place on the couch to the space on the floor directly in front of Chloe. The little girl eyeing the blonde as she cooed over Knox and asked Chloe questions until finally the little girl answered, slowly but surely shedding her shy skin until Mali had her giggling. With the ice broken she took a quick liking to David and Joy as well and the rest of the evening flew by. Where the previous week had seemed to drag, the two days between Chloe's return and their day in family court to decide her placement couldn't have rushed by any quicker.

*

The courtroom walls were a faded shade of off white, the room's age evidenced by the large chunks of the paint that had peeled off or cracked along with the dingy carpet that appeared to have once been dark blue but that had faded to more of a blue gray. Calum's knee bounced nervously as he, Holland, and Chloe waited impatiently in the pew they'd been assigned to. Both of their parents, Mali, Evan, and Knox were in the back of the courtroom, along with his bandmates and their families, among the other gallery members as they waited for their case to be called.