Paws

Stand

(I don't have internet right now but my phone has a hotspot function. It eats my data, so I wrote this offline and am just gonna toss it up here then turn off my internet again. Sorry I won't be able to get to comments till another day most likely.)

Richard-

To our surprise, several days went by before we were contacted again by Sam's parents. Well, not literally his parents, but their lawyers. They were all bloodsucking leeches though, so either way. Unwanted. They intended to set up a meeting with us sometime soon, and considering we needed to keep the pregnancy quiet for as long as possible, I decided to schedule one for the next day since Sam wasn't show much yet. He also wasn't getting very sick after his general morning bout of throwing up, so I figured that around one o'clock would work. As long as he didn't eat.

Unfortunately, when I had made that little plan, I hadn't actually been looking forward to the meeting. Yet, now we were sitting behind my desk, Sam in the seat I'd pulled up beside me as his parent's two lawyers began unloading papers onto the desk.

"We have some papers for Sam to read over and sign about the care Coda is currently receiving." The man said, of whose name I've already forgotten. Oops. Not.

Grabbing the papers, I skimmed over several. They were mostly common sense, though there were a few parts written in smaller lettering, of course, that seemed to be worded as if they could be used as a loophole. Setting the papers down, I pushed them back across the desk.

"There are several sentences in there that I disapprove of. Rewrite it, removing all of the small print, and we'll consider signing it." I said, my eyes narrowing in obvious distrust and annoyance. I had work to do and even though I had scheduled this meeting during my lunch hour, food and work were far more important than these idiots.

Unfortunately, they want Coda and if I ignore them, there's a good chance that they'll get him. I thought to myself.

Hearing a grumble from Sam a moment later, I glanced sideways at him, raising a brow.

Something on your mind? I asked, hoping that he didn't need to throw up or go bathroom.

I was reading up on custody issues on the computer. He thinks to me, making me nod.

I remember. You were reading about it for several days.

He nodded, ignoring the odd looks we were getting from the lawyers, who had evidently been talking to us.

I'm eighteen. You're in your thirties.

I nodded, feeling a little aged at his random statement. At least I looked like I was twenty five! Or at least twenty eight. Maybe. I'm just built a little extra fluffy! I'm a bear, rawr!

Pay attention. It's hard for me to focus on the connection right now. Sam growled into my mind, making me stop my self-rant.

Sorry. I thought, pursing my lips.

Well, I'm eighteen. And as long as there is no visible issues with Coda and a checkup, which we just happened to get, is performed and shows no issues, which it didn't... I think we actually have complete legal jurisdiction over Coda. Child Services might need to come by, but I think that my parents might know that it is that easy. They are probably just trying to scare us into thinking we may have to give him up with these lawyers and their pressuring.

My eyes widened at his words. They made sense. He was of legal age to make his own decisions and Coda had just gotten vetted. He got everything we hadn't thought about till right then, and also had passed all of his exams. Sure he had a few worms, but the vet said that dogs pick them up easily and gave us medicine for them.