Molly sits with Daisy and Henley at the breakfast table before they have to go to school. Last night was so great that she didn't want it to end. Pam and Daniel took them bowling, which was hilarious and fun, and then they all went for a family meal at an Italian restaurant that was filled with other families.
Molly didn't feel out of place or triggered, for the first time in four years Molly felt like she was somewhere she belonged. Even Lily ditched her phone for most of the evening and joined in with the conversations. The six of them just clicked in a way they never have before. It makes Molly appreciate every moment with them more which is why she has decided not to go out with Lauren tonight. She would rather be here on her final night, she would rather eat dinner with Pam, Daniel and the kids and then read Daisy her last bedtime story. As much as it's breaking her heart, Molly is trying to remain positive with a technique that Alan taught her. It's a risky game of imagination by picturing yourself taking control of the uncontrollable, but it works.
"How would you feel about going to the park after school?" Molly asks them. "We could get hotdogs."
"Hotdogs!" Henley squeals. "Yes please."
"I'd like that," Daisy says as she stirs her cereal.
"Is that okay?" Molly asks Pam. She isn't listening, she's too fixated on her phone in the corner of the kitchen. "Pam?"
"Sorry, what?" she says. "Yeah, sure. Course it is."
Molly leaves the table and walks over to her. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, uh, your social worker's coming over at two." Pam rubs her eye and sighs. "We might not get back in time. Do you think you could talk to her until we get here?"
"Why? Where are you going?"
"To. . . get my hair done." She grins widely. "Daniel is working but he'll be here. We'll both be here. You'll be okay until then?"
"I guess," Molly says. "Are you sure everything's-?"
"Come on, kids! We need to get a move on or you'll be late. Say bye to Molly."
"Bye, Molly," they say together, waving as they exit the kitchen.
"Oh, can you tidy the house a little bit for the visit?" Pam calls from the other side of the lounge. "The vacuum's under the stairs. Thanks!"
"Sure," Molly mutters. "Bye."
The house is suddenly quiet, and empty. Molly gets to work on the chores, starting with the vacuuming. She tidies away most of Henley's toys into boxes in the lounge and picks up pieces of lego from all around the flooring of the entire downstairs. She doesn't stop there. She bleaches the bathrooms, dusts the ceiling, sanitizers the kitchen counters and then washes the windows. She puts a pile of washing into the machine and mops the floor. There's a moment in the middle of her exhaustion when her hand reaches down to pat Shiloh's head. It's only when she meets empty air that she realizes he's gone.
Molly finds it strange having a full morning without a therapy session. She misses her morning walks with Alan already. She misses the way he told her stories of his past in a way she could relate to, the way he was patient with her even when she cowered away from his questions.
After her chores are done she takes a shower and gets changed into a white sweater with black jeans. She brushes out her bouncy curls and ties her hair into a ponytail. She stares at the clock, it's almost two. Just as she's walking down the stairs the doorbell rings. She opens the door, unsure of how to greet Abigail.
"Hey, Molly," she says.
"Hi. Come in."
Molly leads her into the lounge but Abigail lingers, glancing around the walls, ceiling and inspecting the doors. She jots some things down on a piece of paper.
"Where are your guardians?" Abigail asks.
"They'll be here soon," Molly says.
"They left you alone?"
"Yeah." Molly stares at her blankly. "I'm seventeen."
"I know that, I just mean that you only got released from hospital yesterday. They shouldn't be leaving you alone in the house so soon into your recovery." She shakes her head and writes something down.
"Well you want to send me to New York tomorrow, so. . ."
Abigail smiles. "Have you packed?"
"No, not yet."
"Jay and Michelle can't wait to meet you," she says as she walks over to the doorway to the kitchen and peeks inside. "They're going to meet you at the airport. It'll be very late over there so you might have to bear with them if they seem a little groggy."
"I thought it was the city that never sleeps," Molly mumbles.
Abigail laughs hysterically. "I like that. You're funny. I know that this is going to be a hard transition but you'll soon get settled in New York just as quickly as you got settled here."
"You think I settled here quickly?"
"Well, you know what I mean." Abigail takes a seat and wriggles her bottom. She places the clipboard on her lap and observes the carpet. "I am sorry that this is happening and at such a delicate time, but it will get better, Molly. You're going to have lots of fun in New York. There's tons of fun things to do."
"Don't talk to me like I'm a child," Molly says resentfully. "I'm not a ten-year-old that wants to go on rides. You're taking me away from everyone that I care about. No one ever wanted me like Pam and Daniel want me. Do you have any idea what it feels like to be wanted? How special it is? How rare for people like me?"
"Michelle and Jay want you," she says. "If you just give them a chance then maybe you'll be surprised."
Molly rolls her eyes. "You're not listening to me."
"I'm just trying to make it better for you because tomorrow is happening. There's nothing you can say or do to change it."
"Why does it have to be tomorrow?" Molly demands as her voice begins to break. "Why not next Saturday or next month?"
"As I said on Wednesday, your life could be in danger. We're just acting upon advice given to us."
"Advice," Molly says. "Not orders. Is it the funding? Can you not afford to keep me here anymore?"
Abigail goes quiet and looks at her fingers. "This has nothing to do with money or what the state pays your foster parents. This is about finding you somewhere more suitable with better mental health care and where you have a better chance to live your life."
"And less expensive mental health care," Molly mutters. "Because you pay them extra for that don't you? For the therapy? I'm sorry that my life is such a wreck that I need treatment, okay? I'm sorry that I have no family to pay for those expenses and I'm sorry that me wanting to end my life was an inconvenience to your funds but don't tell me that I'll have a better chance of happiness there because that's bullshit."
Abigail opens her mouth to speak but then closes it. She's saved by the door which opens just in time for her to shake off the awkwardness. Molly folds her arms and turns away as Pam and Daniel enter the house.
"Hey, sorry we're late," Pam says as she enters. "Traffic was horrible."
"No problem," Abigail says. "Molly and I were just discussing tomorrow. Everything's still on schedule."
"Well, actually, there's been a change of plan."
"Who is-?"
"Samantha Park. It's a pleasure."
Molly turns her head. A very pretty brunette woman with tan skin is shaking Abigail's hand. Pam meets Molly's eyes and smiles, moving out of the way to reveal the other person in the hallway. Molly stares in confusion at Charlie. He gives her a small wave, and then a nod of confidence.
Samantha looks at Molly, smiling. "You must be Molly. It's nice to meet you."
"Sorry, but have I missed something?" Abigail says as she looks around the room.
"Samantha is the lawyer that we've hired to help us," Pam says. "And we're late because we've been at the courthouse."
"This is yours." Samantha passes Abigail a few papers stapled together. "It's a court order."
"That Molly can not be removed from the state until the adoption is finalized," Pam says.
Molly's heart races as she stands up. "What?"
"This can't be right," Abigail says as she skims through the pages. "You can't file for adoption without our approval."
"Actually, they can. They signed the paperwork this morning. All that's left. . . is for Molly to sign." Samantha leans down to the coffee table and leaves a piece of paper and a pen right in front of Molly's body.
"She's seventeen," Abigail says. "She can't be adopted."
Samantha shrugs. "She's not eighteen. Given her age and that her parents are deceased Molly's adoption can be pushed through in less than a month."
Molly stares down at the piece of paper. "What exactly am I signing?" she cries.
"To give your consent to start the adoption process," Pam says as she crosses the room slowly. Daniel stands on Molly's other side, and he puts his hand on her arm. "We wanted to tell you, to ask you, but we didn't even know if you'd still be here. You're a part of this family, Molly, and we don't—we won't—lose you. But it's your choice, too."
"You don't have to decide now," Daniel says. "But if you don't sign by tomorrow then the court order is invalid."
Molly looks at Charlie. His arms are folded and he's leaning against the doorway with a serious look on his face. The woman, who Molly assumes is his mother, stands beside him and seems to be observing them both closely. Did Charlie do this? How did he convince his mother to help? It doesn't matter. None of it matters. Molly knows what she has to do. Not just because it's her only chance of staying here but because in her heart she knows that this is right. She bends down and she picks up the pen and she signs the document. She takes a deep breath; she can't stop crying.
Pam and Daniel wrap their arms around her and Molly wonders if her parents are watching, if they can finally rest after so long of seeing her struggle.
"Well I guess I'll call Michelle and Jay," Abigail sighs. "Congratulations, Molly."
"Get the hell out of my house," Pam says, pointing to the door.
Abigail leaves quickly. Molly rejoices in the happiness of the news and her new life that will begin from this moment on.
"The house is so clean," Pam whispers. "Good job."
Molly laughs and then they all turn their attention to the small audience in the doorway. Samantha is wiping away her tears and Charlie is grinning.
"I don't know how we can ever thank you," Pam says. "Both of you. It'll never be enough."
"It was my pleasure," Samantha says. "Congratulations. We should get going."
"See you on the school run Monday?" Pam says.
"You got it," Samantha says. "Oh before I forget, it's Jaz's birthday tomorrow and we're having a small party."
"We are?" Charlie mumbles.
"Yeah, we are. We'd really love it if Daisy could make it. Well, if you all could make it."
"Just try and keep her away," Pam laughs.
"Great. Four-o'clock. I'll text you the address. See you then."
"Okay. See you then."
Samantha waves before opening the door, almost yanking Charlie through it. Molly looks through the window.
"You know, he was up half of the night helping his mum build your case," Pam says as she watches out the window with her.
"Really?" Molly whispers.
"She might have gotten us the court order but it couldn't have happened without him. And a little birdy told me he broke up with his girlfriend today."
"What do I do?" Molly says.
"Don't look at me," Daniel says. "I'm pretending not to listen."
"You're one of us now, a Mason. And we go after what we want." Molly doesn't know what she means, but Pam's eyes are losing control as she looks between Molly and Charlie. "Go!"
Molly smiles and runs towards the door. Charlie is about to get into the passenger side of his mother's bright red car which is parked at the bottom of their drive.
"Charlie, wait!" Molly shouts.
Charlie freezes and turns around. Molly swallows and she takes a step forward. Charlie starts walking towards her but then Molly is running. She can't help it, she can't control it, and she can't contain it. They meet somewhere in the middle and her hands slide around his shoulders as she lifts herself up to kiss him. He holds her by the waist, pulling her even closer to him as their desires explode. She hasn't kissed anyone in a long time and she doesn't even know if she's doing it right but what could be more right? His lips are perfect, they send her spiralling into a world of lunacy and delusional bliss. She is on top of the stars, she is diving head first into a hurricane and withstanding the powerful force of nature. Charlie pulls away suddenly but their foreheads are still touching. She can feel him smiling.
"What was that for?" he whispers.
"For saving my life twice," she says.
"You're welcome." He steps away, grinning at her as he backs up to the car. He bangs straight into it and then opens the car door.
Molly rubs her lip as she walks back to the house. She's in a daydream, her body is swaying and her mind is all fuzzy. What's happening to her? She looks at Pam and Daniel but she doesn't see them, they're just shadows of smiles. Her stomach is stinging beautifully, as though it's flipping too fast.
"Did I just do that?" Molly asks them.
They nod.
"I did that," Molly says, to herself. "Do you think I freaked him out?"
"I think you might have freaked his mother out," Daniel says. Pam slaps his shoulder.
"It was beautiful," Pam says. "You hungry?"
Molly doesn't answer, she just drifts upstairs aimlessly. Everything is spinning, everything is speeding right through her. Time, space, air. She drops down on her bed and she smiles up at the ceiling.
"I did that," she whispers.