The Best Years

26

Calum parked Holland's Escalade near the front door of the Children's Center and turned off the ignition. He exited his seat and quickly moved around to the other side of the car to assist Holland in getting out before he focused his attention on Knox's carrier. When all three of them were out, Chloe not with them because of school, they made their way through the front doors of the orphanage where they were greeted by a grim looking Elise.

"Hey guys, let's go talk in my office." She said, forcing a smile as she turned away from them and led them down the hall.

Calum felt sick, like all the air in his lungs had been knocked out but he put on a brave face for his family and gripped tightly to the handle of Knox's carrier as he followed her down the hall, Holland walking right beside him.

They took seats across from Elise's desk while she closed the door and then took a seat across from them. Her eyes focused on the wall behind them instead of them directly and Holland shot Calum a pleading look hoping to meet his reassuring eyes but instead finding scared ones she was sure mirrored her own.

Something was wrong, and not knowing what that something was, was torturous.

"Spit it out. What's wrong?" Calum said firmly after another passing moment of silence.

"Sorry, I was just trying to figure out the best way to broach what's going on."

Calum gave a quick nod, encouraging the woman to continue.

"So the other day I wasn't worried about the article because typically we only worry about names and such getting out when we have relatives or others who could wish to seek them out and cause harm—"

"Oh my God, does someone want to hurt Chloe?" Holland rushed out horrified.

"No. No, Chloe is safe from that particular situation in this case we have a different issue." Elise clarified.

"Okay, what is it?" Calum practically demanded.

"I guess the tabloid that ran the article has a pretty far reach and found its way into the hands of someone who knows Chloe. Someone with the potential to adopt her."

The sound of a pin dropping would have been loud in the silent office.

"But–but we're the someone's with the potential to adopt her." Holland said sullenly.

"In the state of California the goal of the foster care system is to reunite children with family."

"We are her family now! You told us she didn't have any." Calum said frustrated, the vein in his neck prominent.

"I know Calum, I can see you're both visibly upset but the state has to cover its ass here. Linda Aull, a Great Aunt they didn't have documentation for, has stepped forward and wants to take Chloe in. She should have been contacted three years ago when Chloe was placed here but she wasn't and that is the state's fault."

"Well, she hasn't looked for Chloe in three years, why didn't she wonder what happened to her before? Why only now after the article?"

"She said she didn't know Chloe existed. She was estranged from Chloe's parents because of their addictions and didn't know they had a child."

"So she's never even met Chloe?" Calum asked incredulously.

"Uh–no" Elise said, glancing down at her hands as she twisted them, obviously uncomfortable with the situation.

"So they're gonna take Clo away from us? From the only real family and home she's ever had, just because this lady is sort of a blood relative that after three years just shows up out of the blue? Are they even really sure she is related to Chloe?"

"They've done all the same checks on her as they did on you guys and she has paperwork to prove her relation. By the state's laws she gets, for lack of a better term, "first dibs," on Chloe."

"And what about us, huh?" Calum spat, all of his manners thrown out the window as his anger reared its ugly red face. "We're the ones who spent the past eight months getting to know her, the last three with her in our home. She calls us her mom and dad for fucks sake–"

"Cal.." Holland says, reaching up and wrapping her hand around his elbow.

His chest rose and fell erratically as he tried to calm himself down.

"She's ours, Elise. She's our fucking kid, you can't just let them take her away from us like this."

"Okay, so this is what I wanted to get to. You guys do have some rights because you're right, you are her family and have been for almost a year."

"So what do we do?" Holland asked, sitting up, finally feeling something other than numb since Elise started talking.

"This is all going to end up having to go before a judge. With Chloe's age they will for sure take into account her opinion of where she wants to live. Chloe will, at minimum, have to spend a night or two with Linda for a home visit and see what it would be like to live with her. Expect that visit to come sooner rather than later, but given how long you guys have known Chloe and how much she loves you, I think the judge will side with you guys on this one."

"And if the judge doesn't?" Calum asked.

Elise pursed her lips and let out a defeated sigh. "We'll fight that battle when we get to it."

"When would we be looking at this happening? We promised Chloe she was with us forever and now we need to prepare her for this. What should we tell her?" Holland asked, trying to focus her mind enough to think of the things they would have to do to prepare not only Chloe but themselves for the shit show their lives were about to become.

Knox began to whine from his carrier on the floor and she used the toe of her shoe to rock him until he quieted.

"Just tell her that a lady related to her has come forward and she is going to go there for a sleepover."

"And what if she doesn't want to go?"

"She'll have to. It'll be court mandated that she at least give the Aunt a chance. You guys will have a minimum of twelve hours of notice before the visit and I will come and get Chloe from your care and escort her to Linda. After the time frame given by the judge, I'll bring her back to you and you'll have her until the hearing to decide where she will go."

Holland and Calum both sat frozen like statues in their chairs, the information overload they'd been given overwhelming to say the least.

"Ill still get the adoption papers from you. The judge will like to see that you guys are serious about taking her in and that siding against the Aunt won't mean she stays in the system."

Calum slid the papers they'd brought across the table.

"Do you guys have any questions?"

Holland felt that she probably should but she was too stunned to come up with anything so she shook her head, reaching blindly until Calum's hand was firmly in hers as they stood and walked back to the car. Their whole world looking a bit like a disaster zone.

An: so, was it what you expected?

What do you think Aunt Linda will be like?

What will Chloe have to say?

Let me know!
Ily,
Sav 🖤