Another chapter for you readers. Enjoy.
Chapter Twenty-five:
They are all back home from the hospital. Mr. Dumas just needed stitches on his head from the attack from Edge.
"You got lucky this time, hunny." Mrs. Dumas hugs him tight. "Please don't scare me like this again." She snuggles into his chest.
"I won't scare you again, although if your safety is in danger I will fight back. Nothing will hurt you when I am there." He acts tough.
"That is the only situation where I allow it. Won't be happy with it, but I will allow it." She pouts.
"Thank you. I love you, sweetie." He pecks her.
"I love you too, baby." She pecks him.
"You deserve that." Jeff whispers to Lita. "I am the one who will give it to you."
Next Day:
Lita gets her house ready for Child Services to arrive. She is both mentally and physically ready for this. She is determined to prove that she is worthy to adopt Joan. Jeff is in his own house to also get ready for his interview and evaluation. After making sure his future in-laws are okay, he went to his house to prepare. Since the interview was post-pone, Jeff had enough time to arrange his furniture that have delivered the same day.
Lita puts the pitcher of water down just as the doorbell rings. "Here we go." She walks to the door to open it after letting out a breath. The same two workers from yesterday appear at the door. "Hello." She greets.
"Hello Amy Dumas, may we come in?" The female worker greets back.
"Yes, you may." She fully opens the door to let them in. Next, she guides them to the living room. "Would you two care for something to drink?"
"Water please." The female worker replies. As Lita pours her some water, the Child Services workers sit down facing the window while she sits across from them. "Amy, there have been changes towards your application. After yesterday, our boss has changed why we are here."
Lita gulps nervously. "What would that be exactly?" She inquires.
"We are still concern on the information given to us, however with the situation yesterday, our boss has approved your application to adopt Joan. You are still on probation for as long as we see fit. You making your family your number one priority shows us that you will care for you Joan no matter what." They deliver the wonderful news.
Lita is speechless. She can't really believe that this is happening. She is one step closer to adopting Joan.
"Amy, are you okay?" They notice that she hasn't said or moved since they announce the news.
"Yes, sorry I'm just grateful for this news. Thank you for relocking over my application and information." She appreciates.
"We were going to approve it sooner, but the information we received derailed it. There will be conditions. One, there will be weekly check-ins to see how Joan is accepting this transition. Two, there will be no alcohol or drugs inside the house. This also includes under the influence. Three, no one dangerous people are allowed inside the home or around Joan. Since the person-" The male worker reads the conditions.
"His name is Edge." Lita interrupts.
"Since Edge lied to us and inject himself into his situation. He will have 200 meters restraining orders to make sure she is safe. Now, does anyone besides your parents and your boyfriend come visit you often?"
"Maybe Michelle and some of the children might visit to play with Joan. Besides that, I don't know anyone else." Lita replies not knowing anyone else who would visit her.
"If you think of anyone please let us know. Now the final condition is that there will not sexual acts with your boyfriend. You can kiss, but no heavy make-out sessions. Also, no inappropriate touching will be allowed either. If you break these conditions, you might lose your application and can't file again until after a year or not at all. Do you understand the conditions?"
"Yes I do." She understands.
"Please sign the contract that covers what I have announced to you." The make person hands her the paper and a pen. Lita signs the contract after reading it over. "Thank you. We will see you in a week from now."
"So Jane can live with me today?" She wonders.
"It will start tomorrow. You will pick her up from the shelter and she will live you then."
"Thank you for approving my application." She extends her hand.
"You are welcome. We will see you soon." They each shake her hand.
As soon as they leave, she texts Jeff the good news. "Baby, they have accepted my application." She puts a smiley emoticon.
"That is great, baby. We are one step closer to having them be our children."
"Yup, I hope you do great at your interview and evaluation."
"Me too baby, there is a knock on the door. I will see you later, hopefully with good news."
"Good luck see you later." She sends him a kissy face emoticon.
Jeff opens the door to see two different people than Lita's. This gets him more nervous. "Hello."
"Hello, we are your neighbours. We just want to greet you to the neighbourhood." The woman offers him a pie.
"Oh thank you. I am sorry I don't have anything for you." He is embarrassed that he doesn't have a gift to give.
"It is not necessary. We just want to welcome you to the neighbourhood." The man informs him. "We will see you around."
"Yes you will. Thank you again for the pie." He appreciates.
"No problem." The walk back to their house.
Jeff closes the door and sighs that greeting calms him down a bit. Just as he puts the pie on the counter, the doorbell rings again. He takes a deep breath to prepare himself as he opens the door. This time it is Edge at the door. "Edge, what are you doing here?"
"I am here for my promise. I told Lita I would trash your house and I am going to live up to my word." He forcibly walks in.
"You will not trash my place." Jeff stands his ground.
"We will see about that." He takes a baseball bat from outside. "You see if you don't let me I will make sure you won't stop me." He swings the bat around.
"You will have to get through me. It won't be as easy this time." He warns.
"We will see about that." Edge swings to miss Jeff. He swings again to miss him once again. On his third swing, cops enter Jeff's home.
"Drop your weapon." One of the officer orders Edge, who just smirks. "I said drop the weapon." Edge turns around, but gets a cheap shot to Jeff's ribs. This causes the officers to force him to the ground. "When I said drop your weapon, you do." They lift them him up and head out.
"Hello, we are from Child Services." The same people Lita had greet.
"Hello." He greets nervously with him holding his side. "I am sorry about the previous situation." He apologizes.
"You don't need to be. We called them just in case he was here to trash the place." The male worker explains.
"Thank you for that."
"You are welcome. Shall we start this interview and evaluation?"
"Yes, please take a seat. Do you two care for something to drink?"
"Water please." They both reply this time.
Jeff pours them two glasses of water as they examine the place. "I haven't been here for a long while as you can see." He brings the two cups of water to them.
"Yes, I am sure you will make it more homey as time passes." He nods his head. "Okay, first we will ask you some questions and then examine your living arrangements. Our boss will be listening through the phone. After everything is done, we will discuss and then call you with the final result."
"Sounds good, where do we start?" He sits down on a love seat.
"We will start with your support system; your family." Jeff gulps about talking about his brother, Matt.
Later on:
Jeff knocks on Lita's door. The whole process took two hours. They thoroughly examine the house before leaving. They tell him that they will call when they made their decision.
Lita opens the door to see Jeff there with a puzzle lock. "Oh no, it didn't go well." She covers her mouth.
"Lita, can we pick up Joan and Johnny form the shelter?" He requests with a small smile.
"Can you tell me what happen first?" Lita asks trying to stay calm.
"We will talk about that later. I want to spend time with my girl and out two children." He pecks her lips.
"Jeff, just tell me if we have to find another alternative. I won't be mad at you. We can just talk to my parents or Michelle to find another way." She tells him.
"Lita, my girl, we will talk about this later. I want to treat you and them to a celebration lunch. You are going to adopt Joan." He guides her to the car.
"I want to celebrate together. I want to announce to both of them that we are going to adopt them."
"We will when I get the okay we will celebrate." He smiles.
"Wait, you are waiting for a phone call." She uncovers the hints.
"I don't know what you are talking about." He grins.
"You had me going. I thought you didn't do well." She punches him in the arm.
"I don't know yet." He rubs his arm. "I want to hang out with my girl, Joan, and Johnny just in case I don't get the approval."
"No, no sad vibes. We are only sending good, happy vibes so they will call with good news. Come on we are going to have fun." They get inside to go to the shelter.
"Michelle, did you get a call from either Amy, Jeff, or Child Services." Joan asks. They have been impatiently waiting for the result of their interviews and evaluation in the TV room.
"No Joan I haven't. Maybe they want to tell you in person. They want to have the right words to tell you." She tries to explain the long wait for the result.
"It is bad news, isn't it? Whatever the person told them ruined everything." She tears up.
"How do you know about that?" She is surprise that she knows about that situation.
"I heard Amy's voice in your office. I overheard you talk about someone reveal some information to Child Services." She reveals on how she knows.
"Oh Joan." She hugs her. "I don't know what to say. We just have to wait for them." She rubs her hair.
"Michelle, what happen to Joan? Why is she upset?" Lita asks behind them.
"Amy!" She runs to her for another comforting hug.
"What's wrong?" She rubs her back.
"She thinks you two didn't pass the interview and evaluation." Johnny informs them.
"Oh-" She looks at Jeff. "How about we go out for lunch? We can hang out and enjoy this wonderful day. It can be just like we are a family." She hints.
"No way." Johnny runs to them as he quickly uncovers her hint.
"I don't know why you are so excited about?" Lita states.
"Let's go." Johnny drags Jeff to the car.
Lita carries Joan as she grins with happiness to her. "Do you mind, Michelle?"
"Nope, take your time." She smiles that it is good news just like she hoped.
They are at an ice cream shop. Joan and Johnny are on their second scoop of ice cream. "You know they will be hyper later. Michelle will get be angry at us for them being up so late." Lita acknowledges.
"It is a good day let them be." Jeff just watch them savour their scoops.
"Is it? Did you get the call?"
"Not yet, but I feel it coming soon." They are exciting a banana split.
"Okay, let's go to the zoo or maybe we can go to the dog shelter." She offers to see them eyes go wide.
"I guess that is a yes for the zoo." She teases.
"No, Amy I want to go see the dogs." Joan whines.
"There are dogs at the zoo." She teases again.
"No, Jeff I want to see the dogs at the shelter; we both do." Johnny also whines.
"Oh, why didn't you say so in the first place?" He chuckles. "When you are done eating will go? That doesn't give you permission to shove all of it in your mouth." He notices that, that idea popped into their mind.
After half an hour, they both finish their ice cream. "We are done with our ice cream; can we go?" They both smile has they wipe their mouths.
"Of course." The children yell in excitement as they laugh.
As they head out the door, Jeff receives a phone call. "Hello." He greets in a happy tone.
"Hello Jeff, this is Child Services."
Jeff mouths Child Services to Lita and walks further away from them. "Joan and Johnny, how about we play a game? Jeff needs to talk to someone." Lita requests so they don't overhear his conversation.
"Okay, can we play inside the car?"
"Yes." She accepts the suggestion. Johnny looks towards at Jeff for a moment then follows them. As they laugh inside the car to wait for Jeff to finish, he comes in after an hour.
"Hey guys, what are you playing?" He plays it neutral to not give anything away.
"It is funny and fun you should join." Joan offers.
"You know I will join. So, how do you play?" He joins them.
"Everything okay?" Lita mouths. Jeff just looks at her.
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