Chapter 7

The next day Mimi, Joanne and Jake walked down the street, Mimi and Jake getting ready to eat a good lunch, while Joanne led them else where.

"So why didn't Maureen come?" Mimi asked Joanne, who was in her own world at the moment.

"Joanne!" Mimi shouted.

Joanne shook her head. "I'm sorry what?"

"Are you alright?" Mimi asked with confusion. "You seem a little tense."

Joanne nodded. "I'm fine."

"Okay…so why didn't Maureen come?"

"She didn't want to." Joanne simply answered.

Jake happily walked along the sidewalk next to the two, excited that he was spending time with Joanne, and now Mimi the person he developed a little crush on.

"Uh Mimi?" Jake quietly spoke.

Mimi looked down smiling brightly towards the younger boy. "Yes Jake."

Jake became a little shy at the moment, until a burst of encouragement hit him. "Can I hold your hand?"

Mimi's smile grew bigger as she reached down and took hold of his hand. "It would be my honor."

Joanne smiled at the interaction, her eyes then looked up to see the building she wanted to enter. "Um I just have to stop in there for a couple minutes, then we can do lunch."

"Okay, do you want us to wait outside?" Mimi asked.

Joanne shook her head. "Um I would actually prefer it if you two came in with me."

"Alright." Mimi said as her and Jake followed Joanne into the building.

"Aw Ms. Jefferson, you made it." Mr. Shworts said when he saw the lawyer.

Joanne smirked while shaking his hand.

Mr. Shworts then eyed Mimi and Jake who were holding hands behind her. "This must be the other two you've been talking about."

Mimi's ears perked up as she reached out her hand. "Joanne talks about me?"

"Of course she does." Mr. Shworts said while shaking the dancers hand firmly. "She said you'd make the perfect mother."

Mimi pulled back eyeing Joanne with totally confusion.

"Alright if you all would like to follow me, we will begin our small meeting." Mr. Shworts said as he began heading for his office.

"Meeting?" Mimi whispered while pulling Joanne back by her upper arm. "Can you tell me what's going on here?"

Joanne sighed her eyes scanning the room to avoid eye contact. "Please don't be mad."

"Joanne tell me what's going on."

"You two coming?" Mr. Shworts asked.

Joanne nodded towards him. Uh yeah we're just having a little discussion."

"Okay." He replied as he headed into his office.

"Joanne Jefferson if you don't tell me what the hell I'm doing here with you…" Mimi began in a firm voice.

"Okay, okay." Joanne said. "Just calm down." Joanne let out a breath before she began again. "I need you to pretend to be Maureen."

"What?" Mimi asked. "Why?"

"Because she doesn't…" Joanne eyed Jake who was still attached to Mimi's hand, so she leaned in closer so only Mimi would hear. "She doesn't want a kid, and if I brought her here she would just screw things up and I would never get Jake."

"So you're using me?" Mimi asked. "Joanne I can't believe you would do something like this."

"Mimi please." Joanne begged. "I want to keep Jake. His father sent him to me; he deserves a good home, who knows where he would end up if they found him another family. So if I take him in at least I'll know he will be safe."

"Does Maureen even know about this?"

Joanne shook her head.

"How are you going to tell her?"

"I haven't thought that far yet…"

"Joanne…you can't just spring a kid on her, it's not fair to Mo."

Joanne rolled her eyes. "I know, but I think over time she'll see. And when that time comes I'll tell her Jake is ours for good. Until then I'll just keep telling her they can't find him any families. So can you help me out with this? I'll make it up to you I swear…if you want to go back to school I'll pay for it, whatever you want. I just can't do it on my own, they want two caregivers."

Mimi sighed. "I don't like the sound of this…it's not like you to go behind Maureen's back, especially for something this big."

"I know." Joanne said. "But I really want this…please help me out. It just feels right!"

"If Maureen founds out I'm blaming it all on you." Mimi said as she looped arms with Joanne.

Joanne's face lit up. "So you're going to do it?"

Mimi only nodded as she headed for the office, right before they entered Mimi turned to Joanne. "But pookie…you still have to buy us lunch after."

Joanne smiled at the nickname. "I'll buy you anything you want Honeybear."

Once all three of them were seated Mr. Shworts took out some papers, his eyes then landed on Jake.

"So Jake, how would you like to have a new mommy?"

Jake nodded shyly as he climbed on Joanne's lap, resting his head against her chest.

"If you could pick anyone who would it be?"

Jake looked up towards Joanne giving him an answer without words. Mimi smiled, her heart melting at the sight, which let her mind ease a little about helping the lawyer out.

Mr. Shworts then eyed Mimi. "Would you like it if Maureen was one of your new moms too?"

Jake nodded, unaware that Mimi was "playing" Maureen, he was thinking of the real Maureen.

"Okay so I'm just going to ask you two a few more questions." Mr. Shworts said while eyeing Mimi and Joanne. "But I think I already made up my mind." He added with a toothy grin.

"Okay." Joanne breathed hoping Jake wouldn't say anything to ruin her plan.

Twenty minutes later all three of them walked out of the building, Joanne had a smile on her face as she picked up Jake and swung him around.

"Jake I just want to know if you understand what happened in there?" Joanne asked once she put Jake back on his feet.

Jake slowly looked up towards Joanne. "You're my new mom?"

Joanne nodded as she bent down. "Right."

Jake smiled at the answer as he launched forward into her arms. "You're way better then my real mom." He then pulled away and look up towards Mimi. "Is she my mom too?"

"No. Maureen and I are…but listen." Joanne began a little nervously. "Maureen doesn't really know about it yet, it will just be our little secret for awhile okay?"

Jake's face fell. "Maureen doesn't want to be my mom?"

"It's not that…we just have to give her time that's all." Joanne nodded.

Mimi smiled as she bent down, running a hand through his hair. "Before you know it, you'll have two of the best mommies in the world."

Jake smiled at the two of them; his mind then deserted the topic as his stomach began to rumble. "I'm hungry."

"Me too." Mimi said while standing up. "I know someone who owes us a lunch too." she added while winking towards Joanne.

Joanne smiled while grabbing Jakes hand. "Okay come on lets go eat."

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I'm not impressed with this chapter at all... I just wanted to get it out of the way...I know it probably wouldn't be that easy to adopt a kid...but its just a story right...