Jaden's new mommy part two
Seto was sitting in his office. It was just the morning after his little chat with Seth and Seto was sure that his son was still worried about his best friend. Seth was too much like him and had a hard time making good friends. To have found Jaden and actually getting along with him was like having found the most valuable treasure. He just hoped that Seth wouldn't one day start having the same feelings for the little kid as he had for his wild little puppy.
Seto feared that Jaden would always just see a friend in Seth and that it might hurt his son but he would worry about that when it was time, if it ever happens in the first place.
Seto looked at the time and left the office to drive to the school. He had to talk to a certain teacher and rather have that conversation in person than on a phone. First because there might be a lot of personal stuff to be discussed and second it might be helpful to have a word with Jaden as well. Before he decided anything behind his back. Seto knew first hand how hard it was when a child had lost his parents.
He had never been in a foster home, because no one would take him and Mokuba, so he wasn't sent from one home to the other either, but he met boys and girls in the orphanage that came back from one of their many foster homes. Either being too troublesome for the foster parents or because the family was having some change in their private life as it was called. Some of those children started to despise a possible family before ever meeting them.
On Halloween Jaden hadn't looked like he wasn't able of giving someone a chance anymore. He had still been hopeful for his foster parents to show up, even after all the disappointments he had been through. But unfortunately neither one had and no matter how much Jaden had tried to smile and look happy and enjoy the Halloween fair, Seto had seen him looking around the gym after a hopeful glace at the entrance. He had hoped till the end that they would come and let him show them around the gym and to the body of Frankenstein that the boys had talked about most of the day.
Joey had told him about it already when he had picked him up from work. He had driven the kids to the school, and picked up Jaden on the way, to meet the other four there and then left the kids with their godfathers to pick up Seto, who had to work a bit too long to make it on time and Joey thought that he could use that time to discuss some things with Seto as he called it in front of the children. But they had joined the kids like promised in the school gym, right after the trick and treating was over. Jaden's parents where supposed to be there too but they hadn't kept their promise, like Seto and Joey had.
Seto reached the school and walked inside to the secretary, informing her that he needed to talk to Miss Shamer, the science teacher of his son Seth.
Miss Shamer was called out and stood in front of him a little while later. Seto had made sure that the classes had just ended for the morning and that he wasn't interfering with any lessons.
"Nice to see you again." Seto greeted her friendly with a handshake "I would like to talk to you in private for a moment, if you have some time to spare?"
"Oh, it's good to see you too, Mr. Kaiba." She answered with a smile. Some teachers were intimidated by the rich father of two of the students, who had contributed a huge amount of money to their school library, while his also rich husband had given enough money to the school to have the whole playground re-done, which was just about in time. The old rusty climbing thing was about to break down and couldn't be called anything other than a thing. It had been there when Jojo Shamer was a child herself and probably built at the time of her grandparents the way it had looked.
But unlike most teachers Jojo liked the couple and the kids very much and didn't find this man intimidating at all. "I always have time for you Mr. Kaiba. But I have to say that I'm surprised to see you. But why don't you follow me to my office, then you can tell me why you came to see me personally." She led him towards her office and hoped that her assistants would cope with everything while she was gone. She wasn't too worried, they had learned a lot, but the month was nearly over and Jojo still had to make sure that the monkey unkas of Seth and Joe-Joe could stay as her assistants. Maybe she could drop the subject at the right time and Seto Kaiba might make another little contribution. It wasn't like it would hurt him to lose a little money and it would also be to the benefit of his kids. And she could try to find out what secrets they had. It was just too strange the way they looked alike. Especially the talk about an alter ego or a former spirit, like it was said with those other two look alike uncles of the siblings. The godfathers, who she had met on the Halloween fair.
Once they were in her office Jojo offered Seto one of the chairs across from her desk and sat down on her own. "Now Mr. Kaiba, what can I do for you?"
"I came here today because my son Seth is greatly troubled with a situation regarding his closest friend Jaden." Seto started to say. "And I hope to find a solution that will be at least acceptable for everyone involved and ensures that Jaden can stay in my son´s class."
Jojo was happy and hoped that the couple had decided to adopt Jaden as well, or at least become his foster parents until he would find a permanent home. Jojo was sure that those two wouldn't send him away on a wimp like some people did. It was beyond her why some people were allowed to have a foster child, considering how many children were just moved from one family to the next, never finding any stability in their life. A child wasn't a toy that you could buy from a garage sale and sell again in the next.
"And how can I help you with that?" She asked. There was no reason to talk to her if they wanted to take the boy in. They would have to go to social services and Jojo was certain that Seto Kaiba knew that as well as she did.
"Because Seth suggested the perfect parent for him and I need to find out if that person is up to the task before I use my money and power to make an adoption possible." Seto said.
Jojo watched him and wasn't sure if she should be happy or sad. She was glad for Jaden that he might find a set of parents for himself and just hoped it wouldn't be that crazy evil Bakura. She didn't even want to imagine what he might do with the mind of a poor innocent child like Jaden. She even worried that Joe-Joe was allowed to be around him, considering what she had heard him say. But she was also sad because she wished to be able to adopt Jaden herself but hadn't found the right father yet. If Jaden got adopted, adopting him herself would be impossible forever. But Jaden's well- being came first and it wasn't fair to let the child wait because of her. And so she would have to help whatever plan Mr. Kaiba had, no matter how much it would sadden her. As long as she could see Jaden smile, she would be sort of happy too.
"And who are those parents and how can I help with that?" She asked, not showing her sadness.
"I said a parent." Seto said, "Not parents, because as far as I know you would be a single mother, wouldn't you?"
Seto had to smile at the shocked but also happy and slightly hopeful face the teacher got within a second. It was clear that she wanted to be Jaden's mother, Seth had been right with that like always. But the happiness disappeared again just before she said: "But that isn't possible. Even you couldn't adopt Seth and Joe-Joe without marrying Joey."
"So I guess one of the children told you how I came to my lovely husband?" Seto said with a grin. "I have to say that I did something rather treacherous. I probably could have used my power and wealth to adopt them. Actually I have no doubt that I could have done it. But I refused to try because it was the perfect excuse to force Joey to live with me for a while."
Jojo stared at him in shock. She hadn't thought he would go that far but at least it had worked out and who knows how this story would have ended if Seto had adopted the siblings on his own, letting Joey run free and live in his own place and move away like he had originally planned. "I see." She said, "And now you're here to see if I would want you to use said wealth and power to help me adopt Jaden on my own. Correct?"
"Correct." Seto said. "And the way you reacted I assume that you'd very much like the thought of becoming Jaden's mother."
"Yes, I would actually." Jojo said smiling. "I had hoped for a while that I would find a guy that would adopt him with me but so far without any success. I actually dumped a guy, because he refused to adopt a child when I asked him after dating him for a while. He was completely opposed adoptions, saying those kids were all rotten and I couldn't live with a guy that would dare to even think something foolish like that. I mean Seth and Joe-Joe were adopted and they're two of the sweetest kids I ever had the fortune to teach."
Jojo Shamer saw a proud smile spreading on the man's face. "They really are something, aren't they?" He said, sounding as proud as he looked. "But Seth is a lot like me, even though he is only adopted and it isn't easy for him to make friends. He isn't like other children. Which is why I really want to make it possible for him to stay in touch with Jaden as easily as possible. He is very fond of the young boy and I believe that Jaden's lively nature is definitely a big advantage to Seth."
" I agree that Jaden's lively nature is a great benefit to Seth." Jojo said, "But Seth is a great benefit to Jaden too. Seth has a hand to make Jaden listen to classes and explain some parts that Jaden hadn't understood before. Jaden enjoys school much more when Seth is in the same class as he is and hates the few classes where they aren't together."
Jojo was surprised to see a bit of a troubled look on the man's face. "Either way," he said, "I assume then that you won't be opposed to accompanying me and some of my lawyers to social services and see what we can do?"
"Of course, I can't wait to do that." Jojo said excited. She had wanted to become Jaden's mother ever since she saw the young boy and would do almost anything to make it happen.
"I suggest that we have a little talk with Jaden first then, just to let him know about our plans." Seto said, "I know a little about children that are without a parent of their own and believe that planning behind his back might be upsetting to the boy."
"Of course, I´ll get him here." Jojo said and walked out of her office to find the little boy.
To her big surprise he was climbing around on the playground and had a book in his hand when she found him. For a second she was nearly shocked since Jaden usually eyed books like he believed them to be a creation of the devil. Made just to torture poor school kids and stop them from playing. But then she noticed that the book clearly belonged to Seth, who stood below and looked up at Jaden without a book in his own hand, which was just as unusual as it was for Jaden to have one.
"Come on Seth." Jaden said teasingly. "If you want that book you'll have to climb up and get it."
"I can always ask dad to get me a new copy." Seth said.
"But this one is signed." Jaden said, "It must be special. Oh come on, just climb up and play with me, you little spoil sport."
"I can get the new one signed too." Seth said. "Dad and I know Noir personally and I'm sure she'll send me a new one if dad or I ask her."
"I thought your dad is Blue…" Jaden started to say.
"Oh fine, just forget it." Seth said and started to climb. He had told Jaden his biggest secret, without even asking for his dads consent. He trusted Jaden and wanted him to know his secret. Now he regretted it, since Jaden simply never thought about what he said before he opened his mouth.
To his luck, Jojo wasn't sure what this was about but it looked like Seth wasn't climbing up to get the book, he rather did it to stop Jaden from finishing what he started to say and she wandered what it was Jaden had been about to say.
"Jaden." She called. "Give Seth his book back and come with me to my office, please."
"It wasn't me, Miss Jojo. I swear." Jaden said.
"And what is it, that you weren't?" Jojo asked, wondering if it was already a reflex of his to respond like that or if he had done something that he needed to deny.
"Don't know." Jaden said. "But aren't you going to talk to me about something I might have done?"
"No, I have something else." Jojo said, "A big surprise but you'll have to come down to my office with me to find out what it is."
"I love surprises." Jaden said and jumped down from where he was with a smile. Nearly giving Jojo a heart attack due to the height he was jumping down from but he rolled off on the ground and stood right back up with a smile.
"May I have my book, please?" Seth asked politely, already standing next to Jaden. He had started to climb right back down when Jojo had called Jaden the first time around and didn't have a long way because he was hardly on it.
"Man, you're way too polite. But fine, here's your stupid book, but you'll play with me later and leave the book or I'll burn it, got it?" Jaden said and hugged the other. Seth gave a sigh but nodded right after.
"Okay." Jaden said and looked at his favorite teacher. "We can go."
"Finally." She said with a smile and led the way to her office.
Once they entered Jaden looked surprised at Mr. Kaiba and asked, "Miss Jojo, you mixed something up, I'm not his kid, you should have called Mr. super brain Seth."
"Hello Jaden," Mr. Kaiba said politely and ignored Jaden's rudeness towards his teacher.
"Yeah sure, hi." Jaden said before asking his teacher why she called him in when Seth's old man was there.
"I'm here to talk to you about a request of Seth." Seto said. "So she didn't mix anything up."
"His what?" Jaden asked, looking confused.
"Seth had asked me to help Miss Shamer to get to adopt you." Seto said and saw the boys´ face fall apart.
"NO!" Jaden screamed and started to cry. "You can't do that, anyone but her, please don't do that to me." Seto saw the teacher looking at the boy in shock while tears ran down Jaden's face.
"Why not?" Seto asked and looked at the child. Jojo wondered the same thing and was hurt by the strong reaction Jaden showed. She always thought he liked her and she liked him too. She thought he'd be happy to hear this news and not be opposed to it.
"I don't want her to be my Mum, she'll just get fed up with me too." Jaden said, still with tears running down his face. "She's the only grown up to ever care about me, please don't make her get fed up with me and send me away too." The boy pleaded.
Seto just watched as the teacher picked up the boy and chided, "Don't be silly Jaden. I would never get fed up with you. I love you way too much for that."
"Really?" The boy asked still a bit doubtful.
"Jaden?" Seto asked the child with a little smile. "Do you think that Joey and I would ever send Seth and Joe-Joe away?"
"No." He whispered. "But you can't get a baby. And she could get a baby if she finds a guy. And if she doesn't find one because of me she'll get annoyed too."
"You're silly." Jojo said, "I would never do that. You said yourself, I care about you and you're right with that. You're more special and important to me than any guy could ever be."
Jaden slowly calmed down and looked up at the teacher.
"This is different, Jaden." Seto said, "She won't be your foster mom, who took some child because it was convenient to her and she didn't have anything else to do without caring who that child is. A foster mother doesn't have a real responsibility, because child services are still officially in charge of any major decision. Miss Jojo wants you and not just some child and she wants to adopt you, which makes it permanent and not just while it suites her. She takes all the responsibilities, because she wants you and no one else. And on top of it, she knows you. She knows that you're not as smart as Seth and are constantly late for school from what I heard. She already knows you and still didn't get 'fed up' with you. She won't send you away ever."
Jaden looked at her and asked: "You really won't send me away?"
"I promise." Jojo said and hugged him. "I don't want to lose you. I will never let you go. Not even when you're all grown up and have a girlfriend. You'll have to talk her into moving in with you and your old and annoying mommy, because I won't let you go easily, got it? I might even buy some snakes and spiders and all the stuff that most girls hate just to keep them all away from my special little boy."
Jaden laughed and smiled. "That won't work for a girl like Joe-Joe though." before hugging her, "I love you. But can you adopt me? I thought you couldn't without a guy. Do you have one that won't want me to go?"
"That's why I'm here." Seto said praying that the part about 'a girl like Joe-Joe' wasn't spoken because he might like her. Firstly because Seto didn't want to think about any guys being with his precious little girl for at least another 10 years. And secondly because if Seth really would start liking Jaden like Seto liked Joey, then it would kill him if Jaden would prefer his little sister. But he pushed that thoughts to the back of his head and looked them up tight. This wasn't the time nor the place to think about it, especially since all three might become something more akin to siblings than anything else. And so Seto pretended like nothing was out of order when he said: "With a bit of money and power, and I happen to have plenty of both, everything is possible."
"I can't promise that it works." Jojo said, unwilling to let the boy get too disappointed if it didn't work out. "But no matter what, I'll always be there for you, I promise. And I'll never give up to get you."
Jaden nodded again silently. "And now go and play again. I just wanted you to know that we're working on it. I didn't want to do that behind your back." Seto said with a little smile.
"Thank you." Jaden said and left the room to run to Seth and thank him for his help. He really was the best friend he could hope for. While moving from home to home he had never had a friend for long and none who would do so much for him. Foster kids stick together but Jaden had never stayed in touch with anyone for long enough to have a real friend. He had never been able to do so since he always was moved from one place to the next. And other kids always had a bunch of friends when he came into their class as the new one. They usually didn't look at him twice.
On that afternoon Seto and Joey both went to social services with Jojo Shamer. Seto had talked to Joey about this matter but unfortunately Joey didn't even seem to think about why he hadn't done this to get Seth and Joe-Joe, meaning that Seto didn't even get the punishment he had hoped for, which didn't mean that they hadn't had a great night together anyway. Now the two of them had two main strategies to get an exception for this one case at least.
Jojo was glad to have them there and have their aid. They talked for hours to a few different people. Seto's lawyer talked over and over about the law that people had to be treated equally, no matter what religion or gender and that it could be considered a violation of that law if they were looking down on single parents. And that not giving a single permission to adopt could be seen as a statement that single parents weren't good parents. That alone already worried the people from child services because it could get him into great trouble if Seto dared to sue them for discrimination of single parents. And considering his top class lawyers he´d probably even win that law suit.
But Joey and Seto also said that if Miss Shamer adopts Jaden, their families could support each other. Seto and Joey both said that they would be more than willing to mind Jaden whenever her work would make it impossible for her to mind Jaden, which shouldn't be too often since she was working mostly during school hours and that she could help by being a female role model for their daughter Joe-Joe. And talk to her about things she might not like to discuss with a father. Jojo knew that Joe-Joe had other aunts that could do that but was glad that both man seemed to trust her with that as well and used this to help her now. Especially since this meant, as Joey and Seto also pointed out to child services, that they also would try to be some sort of male role model for Jaden.
The discussion took ages but in the end she was permitted to become Jaden's mother and Jojo was sure that it would soon be possible for all singles to adopt in this state. They seemed to have gotten a fright from Seto's threats of suing them for discrimination using the 20 lawyers that Seto Kaiba had brought along. Jojo only hoped that Jaden would be fine with it and could trust her to not send him away. But even if he couldn't trust her right from the start, Jojo was set on proving the boy that he could trust her. She would earn his trust no matter how.
Once it was all over, Seto and Joey drove home and on the way there Joey finally asked Seto: "By the way, why didn't you try to pull something like that to get Seth and Joe-Joe?"
"It was easier to talk you into marrying me." Seto said with a smile and added honestly, "And I liked that better. I wanted you too, not just the kids."
Joey smiled at him and said, "You're still a sneaky little bastard, aren't you?" Seto looked at him for a moment and was glad to see him smiling nevertheless.
"Are you mad?" Seto asked just to make sure that he was already forgiven.
"No." Joey said, "I'm happy. I wouldn't be here with you and my family if ya hadn't done that. And I wouldn't have married ya for any kid in the world if I hadn't loved ya."
"Really?" Seto asked. "I thought you would have done everything for those two rascals."
"Maybe." Joey said, "But I don't think I would have gone that far. I agreed because I loved you and wanted to be with you, at least for a little while. I mean I would have done a lot for the kids but I wouldn't have married a guy I don't like in the first place. It would only cause trouble then and that wouldn't have been good for the kids either."
"That means you used our innocent little kids to marry me?" Seto asked making his voice sound like he was outraged.
"Yeah." Joey said with a happy smile "Just like you did my smart and devious husband. And I bet ya just sound this outraged so ya can 'punish' me, right?"
Seto chuckled and said: "Seth is smarter than me."
"Why?" Joey asked upset, wondering why in the world Seto talked about their son when he hinted at sex.
"Because he hoped and didn't fear. And he's right. I hope too." Seto said remembering his chat with Seth about Joey and Joe-Joe being the centre of their world and that without them everything would be darker.
"I don't get it." Joey said upset.
"I know." Seto said with an evil smile. "That's because it's a secret between me and your son."
"You're mean." Joey said and looked away.
"You think?" Seto asked in a whisper right into Joey's ear "Then how about you stop pouting and start punishing me for being mean."