Blanks

17 - Planning

It had been a few days since Andy brought up wanting to adopt Faith. I would be lying if I said I hadn't been thinking about it, but I just didn't know how to bring it up. I knew what it would take to adopt her, and it wasn't going to be easy. There were a lot of things to go through and it was all usually stuff that I did for other families yet here I was sitting at the dining room table in the house going through all the paperwork.

Faith was sleeping on the couch taking a nap and I was working from home, it seemed easier. As I was going through the information, I would need for the home visit my cellphone rang and I quickly answer it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey, I wanted to call you and let you know that I was looking into it and there are a few people available to do the interviews with your parents and your home visit in 2 weeks." Lindsay said and I got out my calendar.

"Wow, that soon...well the fact that I haven't even brought this up to my parents yet..." I trailed off.

"This might be the time to do so because they wanted me to put it in the books." Lindsay said and I groaned.

"Okay give me a time and date for my parent's interviews. Did they say anything about wanting to talk to Jake?" I asked.

"They said he is next on the list and Andy can be present while they question him since he is a minor." Lindsay said and I nodded writing it all down.

"Okay, well time to get everything ready..." I trailed off nervous.

"You got this Mel, don't be nervous. You and Andy are amazing parents to Jake and Faith seems so happy with you guys." Lindsay said and I smiled at the sleeping girl on my couch.

"She really is. We have to go get Jake from school and she wants to wait outside the car for him. I tried to inform her we are supposed to stay in the car, but she told me she is getting out. I text Jake and told him we wouldn't be in the pickup line, we would be park in the parking lot." I explained and Lindsay laughed.

"So those two are thick as thieves?" Lindsay asked.

"Oh yeah, you wouldn't even know she isn't his real sister." I said.

"Well, that's good, his interview should go great then." Lindsay said.

"Yeah, it should." I said. I heard the front door open and saw Andy walk in. I looked confused at him as he took off his suit jacket. "I'll call you back Lindsay." I said and hung up.

Andy walked over to me, leaned down and gave me a passionate kiss.

"Well hello to you." I said.

"I had an early day in court so I thought I would come home early and spend time with you and Faith before we went to get Jake and go out to dinner." Andy said and I smiled. I pointed to the couch and Andy saw Faith sleeping. "Good, I was worried she wouldn't go down for a nap today." Andy said and I nodded.

"I know, last night was a hard one and then today I put on a movie she asked for, but it put her right to sleep so I think we found the nap movie." I explained and Andy chuckled.

"Well, I mean I can go get Jake by myself..." Andy said.

"No, we have to park when we go because she wants to wait outside of the car for Jake." I explained and Andy laughed.

"Oh, Jake will love that." Andy said and I nodded. "Since we seem to have some alone time..." Andy waggled his eyebrows, and I moaned as he leaned back down and passionately kissed me while helping me stand up. He pulled me close to him and I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he started to slowly move us towards the stairs.

"Andy!" The little voice exclaimed seeing him home and went running to him. We quickly broke apart, once she reached Andy, he picked her up.

"Hey Faithy girl. How was your day?" Andy asked.

"Mel, made me bunny pancakes this morning!" Faith said excitedly. Andy looked at me and I smiled.

"Jake always loved your bunny pancakes, in secret I think he still does." Andy said and I laughed as I started packing up all the paperwork on the table as Andy walked with Faith over to the couch. I watched Andy with Faith, and he was amazing with her.

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We went to get Jake from school and parked in the parking lot to wait for him. He spotted us and started walking to the car with Sarah beside him.

"JAKEY!" Faith yelled excitedly and Jake smiled as they ran towards each other, and he picked her up and hugged her. Faith then leaned over from Jake's arms and hugged Sarah.

"Hey Sarah." I said as I leaned on the car.

"Hey Mel, my mom and dad can't come and get me, and I was wondering..." Sarah trailed off.

"Your mom already called, and we are going to take you to dinner with us and then we are taking you home." I said and she smiled.

"You really don't have to take me to dinner." Sarah tucked hair behind her ear a little shy.

"You get in the car and go to dinner with us." I said in a funny stern voice, and she laughed.

"Okay, you twisted my arm." She laughed as she and Jake headed to the backseat. Jake got Faith hooked into her booster seat and then he and Sarah got in.

We went to a local pizza joint that I knew we all loved, and Faith got excited as well.

"I used to come here all the time!" Faith said was excited.

"Well good because we love it here and come all the time." I said as we got out of the car.

We got into the restaurant and were sitting in a booth. Jake and Sarah got up to go talk with some friends from school and Faith was sitting on Andy's lap. I sighed and looked at Faith, Andy could read my mind and we knew it was time.

"So, Faith, Andy and I wanted to talk to you about something." I said and she looked up at me from her coloring place mate.

"Did you find me a new mommy and daddy?" She asked hopeful.

"Well, what would you think if Andy and I were your new mommy and daddy?" I asked and she looked between the two of us.

"Really?" She asked, I couldn't read her expression.

"Yeah, we are getting everything set up and going through all the steps we have to." Andy explained.

"But Faith we really love having you with us. Andy and I love you and I know Jakey does too. Would it be okay if everything happens, and we become your new family?" I asked.

Faith looked between us and over at Jake where he was sitting with some friends and then back at us.

"I WOULD LOVE IT!" Faith exclaimed and we smiled at her. Andy kissed her cheek, and I blew her a kiss.

My heart was about to leap out of my chest because now that we told her this, I knew we had to make sure everything went perfectly.