Haven Harbour: Beyond the Sea • a.i. • (Sequel to Haven Harbour)

Chater 121

My hips swayed slightly as I lightly bounced a sleeping Gracie. Her arms were slung around my neck as she snoozed away, Ashton behind me getting ready.

This morning we were meeting with our lawyer at the social services office with Holly. Gracie was going to go through her first round of questioning as to how we cared for her and if she liked us.

But last night Ashton, Ann, and myself sat down with Ender to explain to him what was happening. He was devastated like the rest of us and we all held him while he cried, Ashton eventually carrying him down the hall to Ann's room so he could sleep there with her.

I felt like our family was falling apart piece by piece, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Hey, it's time to get her ready." Ashton said softly behind me and I nodded.

Last night had been a rough night for Ashton as well. Gracie had slept in our bed with us and I woke up to find Ashton sitting up, his head in his hands as he cried.

Yes I had seen him cry before, the time we almost broke up and the day I surprised him by adding his name to Gracie's birth certificate, but I had never seen him cry like this.

Gracie never woke up as I held onto Ashton as he clutched onto me, his tears hitting my skin, breaking my heart.

"Okay, come on princess." Ashton took Gracie from me, her brown eyes opening. "It's time for you to get dressed." He wrapped her in his arms as he took her over to her suitcase, finding a dress for her to wear.

"Daddy, I want pink." She sleepily pointed at her suitcase.

"You want your pink dress? Okay, baby." He kissed her cheek making her smile.

We got her in her dress and shoes and I then braided her hair how she liked, the three of us now ready.

We went downstairs for breakfast which Gracie was excited about but I noticed both Ashton and I didn't eat much.

After that we got in the car, Ashton and I on each side of Gracie, smiling at her as she "sang" along to the radio and I found the tears welling up in my eyes again.

Once we arrived at the social services building we were supposed to be meeting our lawyer outside, and I saw an older man in a nice suit, dark brown hair and blue tie waiting for us along with his briefcase.

"Mr. Irwin." The man stepped forward and shook Ashton's hand.

"Mr. Jackson, nice to meet you. This is my fiancé Carter and then Gracie." Ashton introduced me and the child in my arms.

"It's very nice to meet you both, I wish it was for better circumstances. Now inside they will put me in the room with Gracie and the social worker that will be interviewing her and the social worker in charge of Gracie's previous case before it was settled, Holly Baker. You will both be watching the interview through a window and we will be recording this for the judge to see."

"Okay." I said, Ashton nodding.

"Then let's go." Mr. Jackson said and led us into the building. We were directed down a series of hallways and doors until we arrived at the place where they would be conducting the interview.

Holly Baker was waiting along with another woman named Jane who was apparently conducting the interview who we shook hands with before they took Gracie inside the room.

She panicked at this and they let her out so we could hug her and tell her it was okay to go in before she actually did.

"And they have the nerve to want to give her to someone else." Ashton growled as we watched Gracie sit down next to Mr. Jackson and Holly Baker through the window.