Missy took Daniel's hand too. She saw there was only one chair and wondered who would sit where.
"Sit." Agatha commanded as she went behind her desk.
Daniel looked around with Missy and he allowed her to sit in the chair and he would stand behind her.
Missy looked at Agatha. "I know it's surprising, but we want to adopt Molly together." she says quietly.
"You two?" Agatha blinked at them.
"Yes, we wish for Molly to be our daughter." Daniel repeated the explanation.
Agatha wasn't sure what to say. "Oh, I dunno... She's a little troublemaker... She's always eavesdroppin'..."
"I was like that too..." Missy remembers with a smile.
"Well... She could be a lot of trouble for ya, Rooster, she's not like the perfect little angel your baby sister was back in the day." Agatha smirked.
"I'm sure I can handle her better than I did you..." Daniel rolled his hazel eyes at her.
"And I already love 'er like a mom... Plus we have an idea to help with the others." Missy says.
"Oh, what's that?" Agatha asked, amused.
Daniel smiled at Missy, glad she asked that question. This was really going to blow her mind and possibly even boost adoptions in this old place that barely got attention. Annie was very lucky to have been discovered by Warbucks, even if he wanted a boy at first.
"Well, we plan to build a playground for the girls, and it may get others to visit and adopt the girls." Missy says.
"You know, like swings, slides, little spinny rides." Daniel added in.
Agatha's face lost sarcasm and insulting body language. "Huh... That's not a bad idea."
Missy nodded. "I want to do it for you and the girls..." she says.
"Does it cost much?" Agatha looked hard at them.
"If it's a charity thing, it shouldn't." Daniel explained.
Missy nodded. "But either way, it will not cost you much at all." she smiles.
"Well, I like the sound of that... I need to keep my money intact, I don't trust no bank." Agatha said to them softly, warming up to the idea.
"So you'll allow it?" Daniel asked.
Missy took Agatha's hand smiling. "The only cost for you would be to not turn away others from using it too." she says.
"Alright..." Agatha smiled softly and sweetly. She seemed to had been changing too.
Missy smiled sweetly. She squeezed her hand gently.
"It'll take a while, but this place could use some brightening up." Daniel said.
"Thank you, Rooster and Missy." Agatha beamed, feeling bright now. She could also see Molly would now be in good hands with her brother after this private discussion together and would allow him to become Molly's adoptive father.
Missy smiled happily.
"Call me Daniel, Rooster is old news..." the man told his sister.
"Okay, Daniel..." Agatha said, though that name was weird to her. Even if they were siblings, she wasn't used to calling him by his real name. She was even the first one to call him Rooster because he sounded like a chicken before his voice broke.
Missy hugged the woman gently. She then sat back and her head rested against Rooster as he was stood behind her. Agatha smiled at Missy, then scanned through her file cabinet to get Molly's personal records for Missy and Daniel to look after. There was also her birth certificate and adoption papers, but it was quite dusty due to how long Molly had been staying with her and the other girls. Daniel's eyes widened at the file, but he said nothing. Missy looked a little sad at how dusty it was. But she was happy to be adopting Molly.
"Molly's been here a long time... It was almost like what happened with your and Annie's folks, Missy." Agatha told the elder Bennett girl as she opened up Molly's personal record like a school record.
"Poor dear, she'll be happier in no time." Daniel soothed.
Missy looked at the record. "I'm glad we can give her a home." she says.
"I don't wanna sound like a softy like a marshmallow, but..." Agatha sounded deeply sincere. Had she not drank anything today that had alcohol in it? "I'm worried she's been getting bullied a lot by the other girls..."
"I assume if there's any bullying to her, it'd be from that Pepper girl..." Daniel suggested, knowing how that girl seemed to be the toughest of the bunch.
Missy looked worried about the bullying statement. How could anyone bully another a lot?
"Might've been just her... Pepper's always been a sour apple of the bunch," Agatha shrugged. "Molly's the youngest one, so she's really sensitive. I advise you be extra careful with her. She hates being picked up from people she doesn't know."
Daniel nodded, he remembered how scared the girl seemed when he picked her up to lock her in the closet so he and Lily could 'hurt' Annie.
Missy nodded. "We'll keep an eye on her." she promises.
"We ain't gonna let no one hurt her again." Daniel added.
"Good... Maybe she'd be happier with you lot..." Agatha said softly, and took out the papers and a pen for them to sign their names to officially make little Molly Gisondi into their child and make her to Molly Gisondi-Bennett-Warbucks-Hannigan.
Missy signed her name first as she was the first to wanting to adopt Molly. Daniel took the pen, then signed his name.
"Very good, is there anything you need to know about the child that I should share with you if she doesn't tell you first hand?" Agatha asked politely.
Missy shook her head. She smiled though. She planned to ask Agatha a question once they moved onto a slightly different topic. She was ecstatic that Molly was theirs now.
Agatha handed the papers back after stamping them. "She's all yours."
Daniel beamed and took the paper with equal excitement.
Missy hugged Agatha. "I do have a different question for you." she says, slowly. A smile spreading across her face.
"Yes?" Agatha asked, closing her file cabinet as she saw it was still open.
"What would you say to being a godmother... 'Aunty' Agatha?" She asks, having to use the woman's first name without asking to emphasize a point.
Agatha turned to her in surprise. "M-M-Me? A g-g-godmother?"
"A godmother is-" Daniel started.
"I know what a godmother is, Rooster!" Agatha snapped at him, thought it wasn't as bad as it would be if she had a drink today, but she actually hadn't touched her stash, even over night like she thought she would. She smiled delighted at Missy though. "Why me? Someone else you want already keel over?" she whispered the question.
Missy smiled softly and shook her head. "You're my first choice." she informs the woman.
"Oh, I'm not all that special... What's the occasion?" Agatha asked, sounding flattered as Daniel left the office to share the news with Molly and the others.
"You might be the aunty to my child too, but you looked after me an' made sure I got a good education... I'd be honored for ya to be a godmother of the baby." Missy says smiling.
"Oh, Missy... Alright, I'll do it." Agatha smiled fondly to Missy, feeling motherly toward her and seemed to have been a much better person today than she had ever been. She may have been a little grumpy with work at times, but she really did love her girls deep down.
Missy hugged the woman gently.
Agatha embraced her in the hug and patted her back. "Now, go live Happily Ever After with Rooster and if he breaks your heart, I'll drop kick the teeth out of his mouth."
Missy chuckled a little. "I'll hold ya to that." she winks. She then stood up.
Agatha chuckled and allowed Missy to leave the office. "Thanks for stopping by and take very good care of Molly."
Missy smiled. "We will." she promises.
Agatha smiled and sent her off. Missy went to see where Daniel and the girls were.
Molly was in the shared bedroom she had with the other six, five since Annie lived with Oliver now, and packing her bags. "I'll miss you all so much."
"We'll miss you too..." Kate said softly.
Tessie nodded in agreement.
"Maybe now we can finally sleep through the night without screamin' and cryin'." July snorted.
"Ya can come to visit loads." Annie says to them.
Pepper was being her usual self but a bit more distant and distracted.
"I actually kinda remember my real mom... But I don't wanna say anything to hurt Missy's feelings." Molly said as she was struggling to get her suitcase packed.
Daniel saw this and sat on it for the girl, but tried not to flatten it and squish the bed.
"I'm sure she won't mind." Goldie added in.
"Mind what?" Missy asks as she came in, giggling at Daniel sitting on the suitcase.
The girls and Daniel looked to Missy.
Molly blinked and had a small frowning smile. "About my real mama... I kinda remember her... I don't wanna hurt yer feelings by talkin' 'bout her... Sometimes when I have a nightmare, I want her to come for me, but I just wake up knowin' she won't..."
Missy gave a soft, sad smile. She went over and picked Molly up, sitting down with her on her lap. "You can talk about her if ya want sweetie..." she soothes.
"But you're my mama now..." Molly argued lightly. "I don't wanna make ya feel bad..."
Missy kissed her cheek "Just because I'm ya mama now don't mean ya can't speak about her... You won't make me feel bad darlin'." she soothes.
"Promise?" Molly smiled at her a little.
"Promise..." Missy repeats.
"Ya can talk 'bout her if ya want, it might be good for ya." Daniel also encouraged this.
"Okay... I really do miss her, but, I'm sure she'd be happier if I were with you and Mr. Chicken," Molly smiled to her new mother. "I'll be in a real new home that I've always dreamed of. My home is apart of who I am."
"What a great lesson." Daniel smiled at the girl's maturity.
Missy smiled softly. She was going to tease Daniel later though.
"Why do ya keep callin' my Daddy 'Mr. Chicken'?" Goldie asked the younger girl.
"Cuz you all do!" Molly defended.
"It's Rooster." Daniel explained, laughing at her little misnaming confusion.
Missy leaned in to whisper just loud enough for them to hear too. "I actually prefer 'Mr. Chicken'." she whispers to Molly.
Annie giggled. Molly giggled a bit with the others. Daniel rolled his eyes, but had an amused smile.
"Just don't wake them up early in the mornin' with your crowin', Daddy." Goldie playfully advised.
Missy looked confused at that. "Crowing?" She asks.
Annie looked at him too. Daniel looked at them sheepishly, glaring at Goldie a bit, but not threatening this time.
"Daddy crows when he gets excited, I guess that's why they call him Rooster." Goldie explained what she knew for those who didn't.
Missy looked at him and blushed at where her mind went. She gave a small cough and hid her face in Molly's hair. Daniel blushed back, looking away from Missy. Molly smiled, excited for her new family, but sad to leave her friends. At least her new adoptive parents were actually close with Goldie and Agatha. Hopefully she would be able to visit again soon, even if the other girls were often annoyed by her having nightmares and wanting her mother to come for her.
Missy cleared her throat, blush under control. "We should go now if you're ready... we'll visit loads" she promises the young girl.
Molly nodded softly.
As the group went outside, the girls stood outside to say good-bye to their dearly departed friend. Goldie held Annie's hand as they watched too. This was very emotional whenever one of the girls would be adopted and go, but there haven't been much adoptions, only today and when Annie went to stay with Oliver for the first time before 'Ralph and Shirley Mudge' came for her.
Annie held Goldie's hand. Missy allowed Molly to say her goodbyes. She watched with a soft smile. Molly hugged everyone and said she would miss them. Even Pepper. Pepper looked more annoyed, but allowed her to hug her. She was being tough. Missy handed him a had a very emotional hug with Annie. "Thanks for bein' like a big sister ta me, Annie..." she said softly.
Daniel watched too, and was notably sniffling. He wiped one of his eyes.
"Daddy, are ya cryin'?" Goldie looked to him.
"No!" Daniel yelled, then his voice cracked. "Daddy just has somethin' in his eye..."
Annie hugged Molly. "You're staying with Daddy a while, aren't ya?" She smiles.
Daniel took it and started to dab his eyes and sniffle. He never thought he'd get so emotional over something like this.
"Yeah, this is a special hug just for ya!" Molly beamed.
Goldie smirked at her father and watched the girls go about, still outside. Annie smiled softly. Missy patted his arm gently. She was barely touching him, still embarrassed over her thoughts earlier. Even Agatha seemed touched by the scene. She put the blinds down over her windows though and went to a corner as she found a filled bottle of alcoholic poison. She was about to drink it, but she was self-aware of how happy she seemed and that she was a better person.
She wasn't that mean of a drunk, but she often hurt and punished the girls for no reasons. She then threw away the bottle and wiped her eyes, wondering what would go on for the rest of the day. Missy rubbed her stomach gently. Molly was very proud to find out where she finally belonged. She wondered what glorious future awaited her with Daniel Hannigan and Missy as her new parents and what would become of her friends.
Seven months later Missy had given birth to a healthy baby boy named Francis Oliver Warbucks-Hannigan. They had decided on just a two tiered last name. She had also married Daniel as the law was made. Annie was a doting aunty and had helped with making the playground. Goldie was surprised she was able to earn a little sister and now a baby brother, just as Molly was surprised about having the baby around. She felt very lucky. It was more bright and cheerful around, even if times were rough for some people, but maybe a little bundle of girlish joy would make them feel better. The girls also wore better clothes instead of looking like they actually lived on the streets and wore colorful dresses of their taste.
One night Daniel and Missy were gone to finish painting some of the rooms for the girls. Francis was crying. Normally Goldie would have taken care of Francis acting as a good babysitter with her time with Agatha and the little girls, but she was on the telephone with Drake's nephew about a movie they saw. Molly decided to give the teenager her time with her 'boyfriend' and take care of little Francis herself.
She followed the source of the cry and went to her baby brother. "Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong...?" she asked in the most gentle voice she could, trying to soothe his crying the best she could at her young age.
Francis sobbed and cried his fists up in the air to reach for Molly.
Molly cooed and took Francis in her arms. "Oh, you poor thing... Are you hungry? Wet?"
Francis settled a little once she picked him up and talked to him.
"How about a story?" Molly offered, climbing into Missy's rocking chair that was by his crib.
Francis sniffled, but looked curious and cutely up at her. Molly hummed in thought, thinking of a story to tell her baby brother. Francis grabbed a lock of her hair gently. Molly smiled, then thought of something. She told him the story based on what she heard on Annie and Goldie spending a week at the Warbucks mansion for the first time and made it sound like a fantastical fairy tale about his 'aunty' and big sister. She may have been a little girl, but she had a big imagination. Francis was absorbed by her storytelling.
"And they got live happily ever-" Molly was about to finish the story, but saw the baby had fallen asleep in her arms. She then smiled and gently put him back inside, tucking him in and giving him a new teddy bear to keep him company for his sleepy evening. "And they got to live happily ever after... The End..." Molly whispered, then turned out the light to let her baby brother sleep.