Taylors P.o.V.
December 2016
It was almost 8pm when I was back home and the first thing I did was call my mom.
"Hey mom." I said as soon as she picked up.
"Hey Honey." She answered.
"Mom. I need to tell you something."
"Taylor, hun whats going on?" My mom asked me.
"Yesterday I meet a little girl. She is four years old and absolutely adorable."
"Where did you meet her honey? You didn't tell me you had a meet and greet yesterday."
"I didn't. I was walking home from the studio. I saw her on Brooklyn Bridge. She was all alone in the cold. She wasn't even wearing a proper jacket. When I found here she was absolutely freezing." I took deep breath to call myself down.
"Oh god did you call her parents?" My mom sounded as shocked as I was when I found her.
"No she said she doesn't have any. So I called the orphanage she lives in. They didn't pick up so I left them a message that I would take her with me."
"What do you mean they didn't pick up?" Just from how her tone changed I knew she was as irritated about that as I had been yesterday. When I had called, it wasn't even that late around eight pm, maybe a little later.
"They didn't pick up mom. So I took her home. She took a bath and we ate a dinner together, before I brought her to bed. She was so scared that so would hurt her. And she didn't even want to take the food at first cause she was scared."
I could her my mom take multiple breaths. "What do you mean? She was scared that you'd hurt her? Why would she be scared of you?"
"I don't know mom. She just was and she had bruises on her back. Not that many so I don't know if she maybe just fell down or something, but I kind of think she gets hurt." I heard her taking another breath.
"Anyways I brought her back this evening. But I spend the day with her. Mom she's so smart. We read together and she can read so well. And she loves cats and baking."
I could hear her chuckle on the other line.
"Sounds like a mini you."
"Yeah she is." I smiled when I said that.
"And mom she's so pretty. She's got beautiful light blonde hair and those big blue eyes." I could hear my mom laugh on the other side of the phone.
"She sounds adorable. Why are you telling me all this?"
I sighed and leaned back on the couch I was sitting.
"I don't think the people in the Orphanage are treating her right. When I brought her back she was asleep so I brought her to her bed. Mom she sleeps in the cold attic and she doesn't have a real bed or mattress or blanket."
Now that I reflected on it I felt even worse. This sweet, innocent, little girl deserved a better home.
I could hear my mom taking a few deep breaths. Definitely to calm her down and not get as emotionaly invested as I was.
"I don't know how you are supposed to react this properly. Maybe you should call the police or CPS to get her away from there." She said after clearing her thoughts.
"But then she'll bounce from care home to care home."
"Honey she's in care. There's not much you can do about it." I could her my mom sounding as sad as I felt.
"Mom I think I want to adopt her." There was silence on the other side.
"If that's what you want to do do it. You know that your dad and I will always support you and I'd really like a grandchild."
I smiled at this. Ever since I was little my mom had been so supportive. No matter what I did she was there for me.
"Thank you mom. I'll call my Publicist and my lawyer to meet me in the morning and tell them what's going on."
"Okay honey. I'm proud of you and I love you."
"Love you too mom."
I hang up and sighed. It wasn't to late so I could call them now. Quick I dialed the number of my publicist.
"Hey" "Taylor what's going on. It's late." I rolled my eyes knowing that she wouldn't go to bed for a while.
"I need you and my lawyer to come over tomorrow in the morning."
"Okay. I'll call her but why?" "Uhm I'll tell you the details tomorrow. But I might want to adopt a child." I could hear that she was trying to regulate her breath.
"A child?" She asked. "Yeah. I'll explain the details tomorrow. Just come over please and be open minded." I said eventhough I knew that it wouldn't be very easy to convince them. After we hung up I ate a bit, took a shower and went to bed.
My phone went off and I started to look for it.It was not even 8am.
"Hey Taylor here." I answered the ringing device. "Taylor. I just wanted to tell you that'll come over around 10am." I heard my publicists voice.
"Kay." I mumbled sitting up. "Thank you." I just heard a bye and then the line went dead.I got up, started to get dressed and do my hair.
Back in the kitchen I fed the two cats while the coffee was running trough the machine. After the first few sips of coffee I felt a little more awake. So I started making myself something to eat.
Just some fruit and oatmeal.
I finished and cleaned up. It was almost 10am so they should be here soon.
I started to boil some water to make tea for us when I heard my bell go off.
Behind the door stood my lawyer and my publicist.
"Come on in." I said to the two women.
They gave me a smile and followed me towards the kitchen.
"I was making tea. Do you want some?" They both nodded and after all of us set down they looked at me expectingly.
"Uhm I'll tell you the full story but please don't interrupt me." I said and the nodded.
"I was walking home from the studio two days ago, when I found an adorable four year old alone, dressed way to thin for this weather, on Brooklyn Bridge. I tried calling the orphanage she lives in but nobody picked up so I left them a message and took her with me. We ate dinner and went to bed. She was really scared of getting hurt and some bruises on her back, I don't know how she got them though. Then yesterday we spent most of the day together. We read together, she's really smart, before I brought her back home. She fell asleep on the way to the place she stays at. So I carried her inside. I was allowed to bring her to her bed. She sleeps in the cold and dirty attic. She doesn't even have a bed or blankets or something else to keep herself warm."
I stopped and took some deep breaths. Eventhough I left out the most important parts it was still a long story.
"Well I think we should call CPS and the police." My publicist said.
"Then she'll bounce around in foster care. I want to adopt her." I said looking both of them in the eye.
My lawyer was the first to answer. "If that's what you want I'll help you but you need to 100% sure that that is what you want. As this a life time commitment." I nodded.
"I know, but I really want Emilie in my life. She's so smart, adorable, pretty and I know that we can be a family."
She nodded and both of us looked at the publicist.
"Well in the end you're gonna do it anyway." She said with a small smile.
"But let's think this through real quick. You adopt her and she lives with you. So either she travels the world constantly with you or you give up the career you build for yourself. Do you think this lifestyle is the best for the kid?"
"It's not normal. But I can give her everything she needs and I can take care of her. I know that I can and I can't leave her there, knowing I could've given her a safe home.Either you're with me or not, cause I gotta do it. I'm sorry but I'm gonna do it." She nodded.
"Okay then I guess we need to drive to the Orphanage." I smiled at both of them and all three of us started to go downstairs to the car they came with.
When we reached the Orphanage I was first to go inside.
"Hey I'm here to talk Ms. Higgins" I said and one of the girls ran away getting the woman.
"Ms. Swift what are you doing here again?" "Could we maybe take this to your office?" My lawyer quickly cut in and Ms.Higgins nodded.
The office looked nice. It was warm and had clean and expensive looking furniture. Just thinking that this woman had everything she wanted here and Emilie was freezing in the attic made me mad.
"I want to file for adoption." I said and she looked up.
"Which child?" She just asked.
"Emilie." He face changed. She looked like she had taken a bite out of a lemon.
"I don't think she'll go with you. She's a very misbehaved a child. She cries a lot and she never does her chores." I gave her a weird look. I knew that Emilie wasn't like this.
"I want her." I said and now she looked mad. "You should maybe just choose another kid. Mary-Lou, you met her yesterday, she's a very good kid."
"I think she made clear that she wants to adopt Emilie." My lawyer said.
"You can't adopt her."
"If you're not going to let us file for custody, then we'll call the police."
"For what? Keeping you from making a mistake?"
"You can't hold a child back from getting adopted and I wonder what they'd find in your books." My lawyer said and I gave her an impressed look. She was good at playing this game.
The owner of this place looked slightly scared. She pulled out a file and some papers before she left the room.
I looked at the papers and realized those were the adoption papers so I quickly I started to file them in.
"And done." I said after I signed on the last page.
"Just for your information. The process might take awhile. Usually around two to three weeks, but normally you're allowed to spend time with her during this time period." My lawyer said and I nodded.
I was looking at the file. It was Emilies.
She was given up after birth from her parents. They didn't even give her a name so the people in another Orphanage named her Emilie.
"You think I can go see her now?" I asked and I got a shrug in response.
"I'll go ask." I said and left the room quickly. Ms. Higgins was talking to another woman.
"Can I go see Emilie?" She just nodded looking distressed.
I reached the wooden door to the attic and followed the stairs into the dark. Upstairs I turned on the light.
There she was.
"Hey sweet girl." I said and her head turned towards me.
"Taylor." She said and have me a smile.
"Where does the light come from?" She asked and I smiled slightly. Eventhough it broke my heart knowing that she usually sat in the dark.
"You see that string. When you pull on it you turn on the light."
"Really?" I nodded and went over to her. The attic was still as cold as yesterday. Emilie had curled herself up in my scarf but I could see her shaking slightly.
I opened my arms for her and she scooted towards me but stayed on the floor. "Can I pick you up?" She nodded and I was quick to do so. I held her close to my chest and now that I was holding her I felt how cold she was.
"You're so warm." She mumbled and looking down I saw that she was closing her eyes curling herself up in my arms.
"Lets go." I said and went downstairs with her.
In the foyer the two women I had come with were waiting for me. "This is Emilie." I said introducing them to the girl in my arms. They gave her a smile or wave.
"Ms. Higgins can I take her with me for the day?" The woman nodded before walking to her office.
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