Here she is! Meet Ella...
Sharon and Andy were rushing. The drive to the baseball field had taken longer than it should. LA traffic and a field about as far away as San Diego, as Andy had complained, had them rushing. They weren't late, but they wanted to see Ella as soon as possible. Sharon slowed Andy when they arrived; he was ready to run across the field, looking for her, but she reminded him he didn't want to collapse before they met their daughter. Their daughter-it was really starting to sink in. Ella was theirs, legally, and tomorrow, their lives would forever be changed when she would come to live with them.
As the two started to walk across the baseball fields, they began searching for the right group. Lisa, Ella's foster mom, had said there would be a lot of games going on, but Ella's team name was the Unicorns. Andy had rolled his eyes at that.
"The Unicorns, really?" he'd told Sharon when they had gotten in the car at the courthouse. Sharon looked over at him, giddy and smiling, "Andy, she is five. That sounds like a perfectly normal name for a baseball team," as she chuckled.
Andy gave her a glare, "Yeah, that sounds ferocious. Great name," he rolled his eyes. "The Unicorns playing the Ladybugs-watch out," to which Sharon had started an all-out snort laugh. Her laugh was contagious because soon he was laughing too. Now, they were at the field in search of the ferocious Unicorn vs. Ladybug t-ball game.
"There," Sharon pointed, "I bet that's the game-red shirts vs. pink shirts," she grinned, as she now pulled Andy along. "Andy, didn't Nicole like things like unicorns?"
Andy gave Sharon a pointed look, "She may have, but I wasn't exactly the model parent then."
Sharon just nodded and patted his arm, "Well, looks like you have another chance. Could be worse-she could be a dancer," Sharon winked. "At least she seems to like something her dad likes," to which Andy grinned. He hadn't thought of it like that yet.
As they reached the correct field, they sat in the bleachers watching the little girls all warm up. They were all so darling, and while it was easy to eliminate half the girls just because they were wearing a red shirt, the problem became finding Ella amid the pink shirts. It sounded terrible to admit they were there to watch their daughter, but they didn't know which one she was. To compound the problem, all the little girls had on hats or batting helmets as they warmed, up, so they were frantically searching to no avail.
The continued to watch, chuckling as they saw little girls picking flowers, singing, dancing, and well, doing anything but warming up. Sharon had her eye on all the girls lined up to bat, and soon, she started chuckling.
"What?" Andy asked, his eyes had been searching over the girls on the field.
Sharon patted Andy's arm and pointed, "I think I found her," she grinned.
Andy looked to where she was pointing, "Where? Which one? Why are you sure-they all have hats on?"
Sharon narrowed down her search to point out the little girl currently warming up at the batting t. She had hit twice as they were watching, both times missing the t, and when she missed the ball for a third time, she swung the bat over her head and pounded it into the ground, almost like she was swinging an axe. She continued to do this, displaying her frustration. The coach quickly ran over, took the bat, and tried to calm her down. She crossed her arms and frowned at him, actually glared at him. During the interaction, Andy had stood in the bleachers to get a better look, and he now looked down at Sharon.
"Now, why do you say that's Ella-the one throwing a fit? Really? Like she couldn't be the sweet one over there picking flowers and giving them to the other team?" he gestured.
Sharon started laughing again as she stood, covering her mouth from laughing, "Oh, Andy, I'm sure that's Ella, the one throwing the fit-STILL. Look at her. Look at her stance," Sharon pointed.
Andy looked again and back at Sharon. He didn't see it, "Yeah?" he questioned.
Sharon looked Andy up and down twice and then nodded her eyes toward Ella. Andy looked at Ella and then back himself, getting frustrated, "Oh, you can't be serious? We have the same stance?" as he was currently standing there in the exact same stance Ella was displaying across the field.
Sure enough Andy had stood and crossed his arms in frustration, and as Sharon looked at both, it was very, very clear they'd found Ella, "Oh, Andy, she's got a temper like you," Sharon chuckled, "Look, she's still pouting she missed the ball." Andy, I'm sorry I'm laughing, but that look, that look there-she's all Flynn.
Andy looked again, and while he didn't like that Sharon was still laughing at his expense and at the notion that he and Ella may look a tad bit alike and act alike, he couldn't help but smile. Andy pulled Sharon into his side and kissed her head, "Well, the Sharon Effect works wonders for my temper, so I'm sure you can work your magic with another Flynn," he smiled.
Sharon smiled up at him, very, very happy, leaned up and kissed him, "I can't wait," she grinned, and the two sat back down to watch the warm up.
"Excuse me," they heard and turned, "Are you Mr. and Mrs. Flynn?" I'm Lisa, Ella's foster mom.
Sharon and Andy jumped up and after a chorus of hellos and thank you's for taking such good care of Ella, the three sat while the game started. They talked throughout the game, which was so helpful for Sharon and Andy.
"If you haven't noticed, Ella has a bit of a short fuse," Lisa smiled, "but a heart of gold."
Sharon chuckled, "That's how we spotted her, but that's nothing I can't handle. I know where she gets it from."
Lisa nodded, "We've enjoyed having her, and she loves baseball. This has been good for her. She's behind in her reading and writing. Apparently, she didn't have any sort of preschool before kindergarten. She's very bright, but right now, that's putting her behind."
Sharon and Andy nodded, taking in all the information about Ella, and Andy spoke up, "So, how many more games does the team have?"
"Three," Lisa added. "Ella was pretty shy before she started playing, but it's helped so much."
"Would it be okay if she finished playing all the games? We'll get her over here for them. If she's enjoyed it, I don't want to take that away. Sharon and I can work something out because it is opposite from where we live."
Lisa smiled, "That would be wonderful! I'm sure she'd like that. Now, we told her we had a surprise for her after the game. She knows she's going to live with her dad tomorrow; we just didn't tell her you were both coming tonight, so when the game is over, would you like to meet her?"
Sharon smiled at Andy, and he returned the smile, "Most definitely," he nodded, "We can't wait."
As soon as the game ended, Sharon and Andy moved quickly to get off the bleachers. They'd discussed a spot off the field to wait for Lisa to come over with Ella. It took a few minutes because they handed out snacks and all, but soon, their brown-eyed little girl was on her way over.
"Ella, there's someone here we want you to meet," Lisa nodded to Sharon and Andy. "Remember Dave and I told you that tomorrow you were going to leave our house and finally get to live with your dad?"
Ella, sucking down a juice box and stuffing animal crackers into her mouth, nodded, "Yup," she said, mouth full of food.
"Ella, this is Mr. and Mrs. Flynn, Andy and Sharon," Lisa explained to her.
Ella's eyes got big, "Flynn?" she said in almost a whisper looking at Lisa, "That's my new name."
Andy and Sharon grinned at her, and Andy leaned down so he was eye level with her, "Hi, Ella. My name is Andy Flynn. I'm a police officer," he started as he pulled out his badge to show her. I'm also your dad," he explained, which drew tears to Sharon's eyes. She waved her hand away to not let herself cry.
While most people would have focused on the "I'm your dad," part, Ella dove in with, "Do you have a gun?"
Andy looked up at Sharon, almost with a look of, "Is she serious?" and Sharon nodded to him, "I do," he smiled, moving his coat away, "See? It's really important to stay away from guns, though, unless you are a police officer," he pointed out. Ella smiled.
"You aren't wearing a uniform," she told him.
Andy grinned, "You're right. Some police officers like me don't wear a uniform. You know what's really silly, though?"
"What?" Ella asked, hopping on one foot.
Andy leaned in toward Ella and pointed up to Sharon, "Sharon, she's a police officer too. She's my boss, so that means she's in charge of me, bosses me around, and tells me what to do."
Ella looked between the two of them, "Nat uh," she said, not believing them.
"It's true," Andy said smiling at her, "Ask her?"
Ella, with her big brown eyes, looked up at Sharon, "Are you a police officer?"
Sharon grinned and was already pulling out her badge, "I am," she said as she leaned down, now next to Andy, "and you know what? My badge is bigger and shinier than your dad's is. That's because I'm his boss. I'm really special," she said, grinning at Andy, as he rolled his eyes at her.
"Can I see it?" Ella asked, putting her hand out.
"Of course, sweetie," she said, handing it over. "It's the prettiest badge I ever saw," she said innocently. Sharon clasped her heart, as she looked at Andy. He patted her arm; Sharon was a goner. Ella had done her in already. "Do you have a gun?"
Sharon nodded, "I do. I keep my gun in my purse because I'm a girl, but you know what-your dad really likes to protect the people he loves. He loves me, and he loves you, so he'll keep us both safe. I'll keep you safe too, but he's really, really good at it," she winked at Andy. They smiled at each other.
"Ella," Sharon started to ask, "can you tell me what is your favorite color?"
Ella made an icky face, "It's not pink. I hate these pink shirts and hats," she said as she flung off the hat onto the ground. Clearly, they were going to have to discuss appropriate reactions to situations.
Sharon chuckled, "Okay, well, that's good to know. Pink isn't my favorite color either. Tell you what-my favorite color is purple. Why don't you ask your dad here what his favorite color is, and then you can tell us yours?"
Ella nodded and turned to Andy, "What's your favorite color?"
"Easy," Andy said, "Purple. She," he pointed at Sharon, "loves purple, and so do I. Let me tell you a secret-I love purple because she looks so beautiful in it."
"I like purple too," Ella stated, "My other favorite color is green."
"Ahhh," Sharon said, "that's a good color. So, have you ever wanted to have a purple and green room?" she asked trying to get some information.
"Your eyes are green," she pointed at Sharon, "but I can't see them with those glasses."
Sharon smiled at Andy and took her glasses off, "Better?" she asked.
Ella grinned and nodded, "Yup. I'd like a purple and green room."
Andy put his hands out, "Well, you are in luck. We have a purple and green room, and it's all setup for a five-year-old girl. Would you like to come and live with us in the purple and green room?"
"Does it have a stuffed animal monkey in it?" she asked.
Sharon looked toward Lisa, not knowing if the room SHOULD or SHOULDN'T have a stuffed monkey. Lisa nodded, so Sharon looked at Ella, "Yes, I believe it does have a stuffed monkey. Do you like monkeys?"
"Yes!" Ella jumped, "Like George the monkey, Curious George."
"Ahh," Sharon and Andy said to each other as the turned back to Ella, "Well, we might be able to find some Curious George books too," Sharon said.
Ella frowned, "I can't read yet," she huffed.
"Oh, that's okay," Sharon smiled. "I'm really good at teaching kids how to read, and so is your dad. We've done it before."
Ella looked up, "You have?" They nodded. "Do you have other kids too?"
Andy held out his hand, "Five other kids. You make number six, and all five of your brothers and sisters are so excited to meet you. Now, you are the youngest, but that's pretty cool because you get three brothers and two sisters. So, you're pretty special because you make it even now-three boys and three girls. We're relieved. It could have been another boy," Andy said making a silly icky face.
Ella laughed. She had a sweet laugh. "You're old. Are you my grandpa?" she asked Andy.
Sharon gripped Andy's shoulder for fear of laughing. Andy gave her a "really" look before he spoke, "No, I'm not your grandpa, Ella. I'm your dad. I've got all this gray hair because Sharon makes me work so hard being a police officer," he said as he made a silly face at her.
"She's not old," Ella pointed to Sharon, "She doesn't have gray hair."
Andy leaned over and whispered loud enough for Sharon to hear, "Yes she does. She just puts color in it to make it pretty," and he winked at Ella. Ella looked at Sharon, and Sharon put bunny ears on Andy. Ella laughed at that.
Ella was quiet a minute before she spoke again, "I can't write Flynn yet," she admitted, getting quiet.
Sharon and Andy looked up at Lisa, who jumped in, "We told Ella she had a new last name, and we were practicing it after school. She's having trouble with the y."
Andy and Sharon nodded, as Ella spoke up, "F L Y- I can't remember the rest," she pouted.
Andy put his hand under her chin to bring it up, "Hey, it's okay. It's exciting to have a new name. I can help you spell it. It's my name too. It' N. You know, you should ask Sharon to help you with it. It's her new last name too. She just got it not that long ago."
"You did?" Ella perked up.
Sharon nodded, "I did, and you know what-I still mess it up sometimes. Sometimes, I still start to sign the wrong last name, so we'll help you with it."
"Ella," Lisa asked, "so, tomorrow after school, Dave and I are going to pack up your things so you can go live with them. Are you excited now about going to live with your dad and Sharon?"
Ella looked up at them, "Sharon, are you my mom now?" she asked.
Sharon smiled brightly at Ella, "Well, what do you want to call me?"
Ella thought a moment, "Well, they said my mom isn't coming back. She did bad things, and moms aren't supposed to be bad. I need a mom-a good mom, not a bad guy one. All the girls in my class have a mom, so can you be my mom?"
Sharon now did have tears in her eyes, and she felt Andy pat her back, "Of course, sweetie. You can call me whatever you want."
Ella looked up at Lisa, "Do I get to stay with them forever, or do I have to leave again?"
Lisa smiled, as she glanced at Andy and Sharon who were smiling, "You get to live with them forever, Ella."
Ella grinned, "Can I bring my bat? Baseball is my favorite."
Andy leaned back into Ella, "Baseball is my favorite too. We'll make sure you have a bat."
Ella lunged forward, taking them off guard, and she hugged Andy and Sharon together, "See you tomorrow," she said, pulled back and ran off. The meet-n-greet was apparently over.
Lisa grinned, "That's the best mood she's been in for awhile. I'll call you later tonight, okay?"
Sharon and Andy nodded, watching as Ella ran over to grab a bat and try swinging again. She missed every time, causing Sharon and Andy to stand there chuckling. They watched her until Dave and Lisa packed things up and waved as they left.
"So, Dad," Sharon teased, as she messed with his shirt, "I think we have a busy evening."
Andy raised his eyebrows, wondering what Sharon was thinking, "Enroll her in dance? She can't hit the ball to save her life!" he sighed.
Sharon chuckled as she continued to mess with his shirt, "Well, she just needs her dad to teach her. No, I was thinking we need a shopping spree at the mall. We've made a promise; now we need to deliver. We need to outfit a purple and green room and find a stuffed monkey by tomorrow afternoon."
