"Alfie, she's beautiful." Iris gushed as soon as they left the building.

"She is, isn't she. She looks a little bit like Jedda and a bit like Mom." He was starting to feel the past two weeks rushing up at him, he was exhausted. It had been a big few days and they had a few more ahead of them. "Do you mind if we don't talk about it for a bit."

Okay, sure." Iris didn't understand why and asked him.

"I'm just trying to process it all Bug. Don't worry." He sighed. "I think I am just going to go back to the apartment and then go for a run. Clear my head."

"But you are okay right?"

"I'm okay. Just a bit…you know freaked. It feels a bit real now, I need to get my head around that."

It had been suggested that they get a three bedroom apartment while they were here because at some stage they were hoping to have Addy with them and it would show the Department of Child Protection that they knew what they were doing and were prepared to take care of Addy properly. Often, in these situations the interested parties would get a hotel room and not think about what would happen when they had a child overnight.

While Alfie was out running Iris called Colton. She missed him, she missed sleeping beside him. They had spent enough time apart already. One night she could do, two at most but they had been away a week now and it was going to be another week at least. She woke him up. "Hey, Wombat." He muttered groggily. "This is sweet."

"I woke you?"

"Ummm…yeah. It's three am." He didn't sit up or even turn on a light. "Love of my life, reason for living what can I do for you?"

"Talk to me."

"I am talking. How was today? Today was the day right? How did it go?"

"Really well, she's beautiful Colt. She's a lovely little thing, so pretty and sweet."

"How did Alfie go?"

"Good I think."

"You think?"

"Yeah, he's just be a little off since we left, he's gone for a run." Iris was sitting crossed legged on her bed, she had been in the lounge room but Alfie had left the file on the table and she just wanted to read it but he hadn't really looked at it yet and it wouldn't be fair to him to go through it before he had. It was driving her nuts so it was best to remove herself from temptation.

"Baby, you know Alfie better than most, he needs time to think about things. I am sure he's fine."

"There is a file on the table with all stuff about Addy, he hasn't looked at it. It would be bad to read it wouldn't it?"

"Yes. You know it Iris. Just give him time." Colton knew how impatient she was for this to happen. She wanted to fly in scoop her up and bring her home so they could love her. The fact that Addy was about the same age as Iris was when she had her whole life ripped out from under her had cut Iris a little too close to the bone. She wanted to fix things for her niece and her brother.

"I know, I know. She's so cute. I just want to steal her."

"And that scares me."

"Why?"

"Because I can see you harassing me when you get back to procreate with you."

"And that would be bad how? You don't want to procreate with me?" Iris had insisted they talked like nothing had changed.

"Yes, yes I do. Just want a bit more practice first."

"Now?"

"Um, no." Iris laughed at his response. He could be such a prude sometimes. He'd get all embarrassed about phone sex but always enjoyed it when Iris got him to loosen up. They had no choice when Iris was living in Albany and Colton had certainly not been shy then. "Not the sort of practice I meant."

"Anyway, we have a meeting with the Child Psychologist tomorrow, I guess that's freaking him out a little. Could be make or break or so he thinks. Addy really seemed to like him though, she was happy to play and talk to him and apparently she loves animals. We are going to see her in the park in the morning so they can play a little bit first before the meeting. I think they are telling Addy that he's her Dad tomorrow."

"It sounds really good Bug."

By the time Alfie got back from his run Iris was starting to cook dinner. He headed straight for the shower before grabbing a beer and sitting down at the table and opening the file. Iris was desperate to talk to him but she let him read it in peace. "Am I crazy?" He closed the cover. "Thinking I can do this?"

"Do what?"

"Be her Dad?"

"Alfie, you are her Dad. What options are there? What happens to her if you don't?"

"I don't know." He waved his arms around indicating that this place is her home, this is where she belonged. "This is all she has known; she doesn't know me."

"So what? I don't remember anything before Mom and Dad died, she won't remember you not being around before now. What's done is done. Let's not look back. Right now, this where we are at." Iris knew he was just trying to come to terms with everything. "Yesterday is done Alfie, tomorrow is what matters now."

"I know. Fuck. I don't want to fuck it up."

"That's why you have me here." He was glad she came. Iris had talked him off a lot of ledges lately. "You are not going to fuck it up."

He handed her the file, winking at her telling her he knew she'd be desperate to read it and fill in the gossips back home. He was letting her handle them which was a weight off his shoulders. He did want to keep them informed but the relentlessness of Lola and Mae sometimes got too much for him. He didn't tell her about the letter though, Iris had seen him look at the envelope and put it to the side and he took it into his room.

Iris could hear him pacing around half the night. He was stressing out, finally he stopped and slept until she woke him at half eight. They were meeting Liz and Addy at 10am in King's Park so they could spend an hour or so together before the afternoon appointments. Alfie didn't want to be late.

"Do you want me to push you on the swing?" Alfie crouched down and said good morning to Addy and was relieved that she seemed happy to see him again. She had waved at them as when they arrived.

"Yes." She took off towards the swing with Alfie in hot pursuit while Iris stayed and had a chat to Liz.

"How was he yesterday? That was a big day for both of them?"

"He was good, he is a little smitten with her, we both are." Iris was watching them on the swing and they could hear Addy yelling at him to push her quicker. "He spent a lot of time reading the file, trying to learn everything he could. He's always been a bit of a crammer."

"Addy liked him, she talked about him a little at home. She loved that he liked giraffes, she was excited by that."

Alfie would be happy to know that. "He does like giraffes."

"He seems lovely and very sweet."

"He is, but I am biased."

"Oh I don't know." Liz laughed. "I have seen plenty of siblings that can barely stand each other over the years."

Iris couldn't imagine it but Colton had certainly opened her eyes a little to how not all families were as happy as they were with each other. "I guess we had no choice. It felt like it was always the four of us against the world."

"Perhaps that is a good thing for Addy, you can empathise with her."

"My heart hurts for her, but she's still got a Dad right?"

"Does he want to be her Dad or just her Father."

"He wants to be her Dad, he is her Dad." Iris constantly felt like they were both being judged and of course they were. "He was a Dad the moment the lawyer called him. He's taken care of me his whole life, he will be an amazing Dad to Addy." Iris could never quite explain it. "You could never say we were lucky to lose our Mom and Dad when we were so young but we were lucky that we had each other and an amazing family around us. Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts. I feel the same way about Addy, losing her Mom is horrible, but I take solace in the fact that she has Alfie, and all of us."

"That's a lovely thing to say." Liz had been watching them. Alfie was being so attentive and making her laugh. "He seems comfortable around her?"

"He is great with kids, Sam and Poppy love him. Billy is too young to care but he can always get him to smile. He's the one person Billy will smile for, even if he's in the middle of a screaming match, he loves his Uncle Alfie." Iris watched them for a bit. "He's always working with kids at the zoo and he loves it. More than adults sometimes I think."

Alfie was a bundle of nerves by the time he had spoken to the Psychologist. When she told him they were going to bring Addy in now his palms were sweaty and he rubbed them nervously on his jeans. "Hi Addy." He waved at her and she looked happy to see someone she knew in the room. Alfie had asked Iris to stay, he wanted her moral support and he would need her if things went pear shaped but apart from saying hello to Addy, Iris stayed quiet.

The Psychologist watched them interact for a while. Addy was telling him about her lunch. "I had chips."

"Did you? I love chips, did you save me some?"

"No, in my belly now." She giggled and leant on his leg. "It's big now."

"Your belly?"

"Yes." Leaning back she rubbed her belly. "All full."

Lauren, the Pyschologist asked Addy if she wanted to do a puzzle together while Alfie watched on and Iris was not sure if anyone else noticed how nervous he was. Lauren was building Addy's trust before she dropped the bombshell and the anticipation was killing them.

"Addy, sweetheart. You know Mummy died, do you remember that?"

"Yes."

"That means she can't come home again."

"Yes."

"Okay." They played for a few more minutes. "You know that we all start off with a Mummy and Daddy?"

"Daddy go away."

"He was, but when Mummy died we called him and he came to see you."

"Yeah?" Her eyes lit up and she looked excited.

Lauren pointed to Alfie. "Alfie, he came to see you because he is your Daddy."

"Wow." Her eyes widened and he was glad that she didn't look terrified or cry and scream hysterically.

"Is that okay?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to spend some time with Alfie?"

"Yes, he like 'raffes too."

Lauren beckoned Alfie to join in and take over talking to her. All of a sudden he didn't know what to say and that was an unusual feeling for Alfie, he always had something to say, welcomed or not. "We could go see the giraffes. Would you like that?"

"Yes."

While Addy seemed to forget all about Alfie being her Daddy he found it strange to hear it said out loud. Lauren reminded him that it may take her a while to remember and right now she still just knew him as Alfie. He was happy for her to call him Alfie if that's all she remembered but when anyone else asked her something or to say goodbye or when they were talking to her about him they should call him her Dad, just so she could start making that link. So when Liz and Addy were leaving she was asked to say goodbye to her Daddy. "Bye." She waved and blew him a kiss. Iris loved the look on his face. He was more in love with her today than he was yesterday.

"So Daddy." Iris teased him. "How cute was that?"

"Cute."

"You love her already don't you?"

"Bug, I loved her the moment I knew she was mine, before I even met her."

"I think it went well today. She doesn't seem bothered by it?" Iris knew how nervous he was, he was worried she'd hate him or hate the fact that suddenly he was her Dad. It was a crazy mess.

They had promised to call the family tonight to fill them in on the progress. Although Iris talked to Colton every day, the rest of them were desperate to find out what was going on and Iris was messaging Lola and Mae with updates but they wanted to talk to Alfie.

Iris made sure he was ready for the crazy before they dialled in. Just before they got on the computer Alfie's phone beeped with a message. It was from Liz and it was a short video of Addy all dressed ready for bed in her Pyjamas, apparently she wanted to say goodnight. The video was of Addy blowing a kiss to the camera, 'night, night Alfie.' He thought it was beautiful and it got to him and he was still a little emotional when Lola and Mae got online.

"I'm going to send you something." He forwarded the message and they loved it.

"Alfie, she's precious. I can't wait to meet her." Lola blubbered. She insisted it was being a new mom that was making her teary but that was just Lola, she was a walking bag of emotion. He didn't know what Mae's reason was, she crying too.

He filled them in on how things were going and that they were coming over tomorrow afternoon. "I think it's without Liz, her foster mom. It will be with DCP so they can see how she goes without someone she knows close by; we are both really excited." They were looking forward to it. Things were moving quite quickly and he got the impression that they wanted this sorted sooner rather than later. That was okay by him but the biggest hurdle was still yet to come. He needed to convince the Family Law Court that taking Addy out of the country and back to America was the best thing for her. He had a family who was waiting to love her and help her grow up.

They had a great afternoon. Petra, from DCP just sat back and let Alfie and Iris interact with her. They took her swimming in the hotel pool and Addy loved it. She spent far too long jumping off the step for Alfie to catch her. "Catch me Alfie." She chanted before he leapt off into his arms. She hung onto his back while he swam and squealed when he threw her up in the air and caught her before she went under. He remembered how much they loved swimming when they lived here. You didn't do it as much back home but they had a pool in their backyard in Australia and they loved it especially Iris, who was a little water baby. Addy apparently loved swimming and it showed and she didn't want to get out of the pool. It tired her out though and she fell asleep on the couch in Alfie's lap.

He chatted to Petra while she slept, about his family back home, his upbringing and his work. He was passionate about what he did and it showed, it was something that he had inherited from his Dad and he was determined to make him proud. He hoped they were both proud of him now. "My Dad loved his job and sharing it with us, he was busy but always included us in everything. He did what he thought was best for us, that's why he bought us here to Australia for a while, not only for his career but he wanted us to experience life in a different country."

Alfie was constantly touching her, playing with her hair, rubbing her back and hands. He remembered his Mom doing that and he also remembered MiMi doing it to comfort him when he was sad. "My Mom's parents looked after us after they died and continued to make sure we were bought up how Mom and Dad wanted. I've always wanted to be a ZooKeeper like he was, well not always, I was going to be a cop when I was little but soon changed my mind when he died and it's been my focus since then. My Dad did all that and was an amazing Dad for the short time I had him, I want to be like him."

"Alfie, I think you are doing so well. Look at Addy, she trusts you." He looked down at the little girl with her head on his chest. He never wanted to let her go. He hadn't asked her to sit with him, he sat down and she bought a book over for him to read. Initially she stood beside him and leant on his legs but she then climbed into his lap and they read a few books before she fell asleep.

"I won't let her down. I didn't know about her for three years, I wish I had but I will make it up to her."

"Culturally I think you acknowledge how important it is for Indigenous children to be bought up with some understanding of their heritage. The Stolen Generation has changed the way we deal with Indigenous children and ensuring their backgrounds are not whitewashed. Have you thought about that? That question will come up at the hearing."

"I have. I was always fascinated by Jedda's cultural background, she taught me a lot and we did a lot of work with local indigenous elders and groups when I worked at the zoo. Right from the start, when my Dad was setting up this place it was always included and we spent a lot of time with the elders learning about their history, their stories and way of life. I was still close to some of them and have talked to them already on how to make sure Addy learns about that part of her life and what we can do, just as I want her to learn about my life too. I certainly want her to remember her mother, like Iris has never forgotten our parents, I think that is really important for her."

Petra assured him that ultimately Addy's welfare would always be the centre of any decision that was made. What was best for her was all that mattered and in most circumstances being with family was the best thing for the child and something they always strived to achieve, as long as that family was stable and loving. Alfie obviously ticked all those boxes and she felt that this was more a formality than anything. Not that she would tell him that and give him false hope, a lot depended on the judge on the day.

Addy was excited to see Liz again and happy to go home with her which worried Alfie a little, he was worried she would tell them that she didn't want to stay with him. It was all consuming and Iris convinced him it was okay to just forget about it for one night and go out and catch up with friends, he'd worked here for five years and everyone wanted to catch up with him. Alfie was looking forward to just taking a moment and finding the time to breathe. Despite Alfie begging Iris to come with him she declined, she wanted to stay in, talk to Colt and get an early night. It had been intense for her as well and she had been living in Alfie's pocket for more than a week, riding all the bumps with him, a few hours away from him would do them both the world of good.

He did introduce her to Sheldon when he stopped by to pick Alfie up. "Jesus Alfie, mate you need to stop bringing your hot sisters to this country." Sheldon muttered on the way down to the car. "It should be illegal."

"Umm, it's my sister Dude and Iris has a guy back home."

"Of course she does. Hey, how's Mae?"

"Good man, really good. Her little girl Poppy is as cute as a button and as crazy as her mother."

"What brings you back?" Alfie hadn't told Sheldon why he was here, he just contacted him and said he was back for a week or two and wanted to catch up and didn't have a lot of free time.

"We'll need a beer first."

He wasn't drunk when he got home, he'd been pretty strict about that. He didn't want anything to fuck this up and having a hangover wouldn't have been a smart move. DCP could drop in at any time to check up on him. The last thing he needed was them to turn up in the morning and he had a hangover.

Iris didn't hear him come in but it was late when Alfie woke her up. He handed her the letter; he had read it so many times and it was burning a hole in him and it had been sitting on his bed when he came in and it played on his mind. "I can't carry this alone anymore." He told her, his voice was shaking. "It's from Jedda."

Alfie sat on the edge of the bed while Iris read it.

Alfie,

Thank you for my greatest gift and for giving me the only light in my life. For three years the light was on.

Our daughter, Adelaide filled me with hope for so long and I tried so hard to be everything she needed and wanted and to show her the beauty in the world.

Even when my world was always dark.

I always told her about her Daddy, how much he loved what he did and his family and that's why he was so far away. I told her that you would love her, if only you'd stayed.

I started to realise that one day soon she would want to know about you and why you weren't in her life. I never wanted her to think you didn't want her and I worried that she would hate me for keeping her away from you, her father.

The thought of Adelaide hating me was more that I could handle. That darkness got blacker.

Please take care of my darling Adelaide, she's all the very best parts of you, I hope she's the best parts of me too.

I always looked back on that time in my life that you were in as some of my happiest, at the time I didn't think I deserved it and I know we were never going to be forever but Adelaide is forever. I know you will love her and take care of her, I saw how much family meant to you. Afterall that's why you left and I couldn't stop you, I couldn't make you stay, I couldn't keep you away from them.

Tell Adelaide that I loved her, I loved her smile, her cheeky laugh, her heart, her hugs and kisses. I will miss them the most. The first time she hugs you will break you in the best possible way. She was my everything and I never wanted to hurt her so I had to go before she was hurt by me.

I remember you telling me that your sister doesn't remember your parents, so Adelaide won't remember how much I hurt her by leaving her. That's why it has to be now.

My family don't know her, they know about her but never wanted to be in her life. I didn't want them in her life either, our daughter deserved better than to be dragged into the mire of my past. Please don't let them destroy Adelaide like they destroyed me.

Love her Alfie.

You are a good man and will be the father she needs and deserves. You have the one thing I could never give her, a loving family. You have a family that you would give up everything for, Adelaide can be part of that and she will thrive being surrounded by that love. I did my best but I don't know if it was enough, I always felt she wanted more.

Thank you for being part of my life, the best part of my life, thank you for Adelaide and I'll be watching her grow and have a beautiful life because of you, I'll see her from a place that no longer causes me pain.

Jedda.

Iris didn't know what to say, Alfie was so utterly broken. She reached for his hand. "I promise you Alfie, we will make sure you have everything you need to make Jedda's dreams for Adelaide come true. Everything."

"I wish I'd known."

"I know."

"Please don't think that I told Jedda that your suffering was less than mine because you didn't have Mom and Dad for as long as we did. I might have said it was perhaps different but I never want you to think that I think you had it easy. Maybe it is harder for you because you don't have those memories." He was rambling. "I don't know."

Iris shuffled forward and put her hand on his cheek to stop him. "Alfie, don't. We all had a different path, a different feeling but it didn't mean we all don't hurt."

"I wish they were here right now; they'd know what to do."

"You know what to do Alfie, you are doing it. You are being Adelaide's Dad, that's what they'd want, that's what you want, that's what Adelaide needs." Iris made him look at her. "You are what Adelaide needs. We can't change the past, any of it, but we can and we will be her future."

"Thank you for coming with me. I couldn't do this by myself. I feel so alone right now and you are the only thing that is holding me together."

"No I am not." Iris smiled at her brother. "Your beautiful incredible little daughter is together with the spirit and heart that you were born with."

She had no idea if it helped him but Iris hoped he wouldn't turn back. He lay on her bed for a while and talked to her about their Mom and Dad until he eventually left her to sleep. He wasn't sleeping much at the moment which concerned Iris a little. When Alfie was stressed her suffered a little from insomnia. She worried that he would hit a wall.

They had a day without seeing Addy and it drove Alfie mad. He was snippy and grumpy. They had some legal things to sort out and an appointment with Immigration and the US Embassy. It was exhausting and he worried about not seeing Addy. Liz let him talk to her briefly on the phone, she didn't really say much and Liz did send him some videos of her playing and his usual goodnight video.

Iris growled at him. "Go away Alfred?" It was barely six am and Alfie was up. He bought Iris in a coffee to get her moving.

"What?" He scoffed. "Just trying to be nice."

"Nice, it's fucking dawn. I don't need a coffee at dawn. Relax."

"Grumpy bitch." Of course he was up early, he barely slept, he'd already been for a run to burn off nervous energy and he wanted someone to talk too, so he woke Iris up like he had done a hundred times before. "Talk to me."

"No, go away. Call Lola or Mae or Colton, I don't care. Just leave me in peace."

"Iris Adelaide Ruzek Hollister." He opened the blinds in her room, flooding it with light. "Get up, it's a glorious day."

"Are you high?"

"On life yes."

"Go for a run for the love of god."

"Already done that." He was bouncing around her room like Tigger, tugging at the sheets on her bed before he flopped down heavily beside her. Iris sighed, she wasn't going back to sleep, he'd made that obvious.

They were spending the day with alone with Addy and they were taking her to the zoo. She was being dropped off at 830am. It was the first time they had been left alone with her and Alfie couldn't wait. Iris was excited too, she just was able to sleep through her excitement.

"You aren't leaving are you?"

"Nope." He pinched one of her pillows and propped himself up on the headboard and reached for the coffee he bought for her. "Do you think she'll like it?"

"No, she'll hate it, she's never talked about any animal, Liz wrote in her book that she was terrified of the zoo. She will hate it." Iris scowled at him and then whinged that he had taken her coffee. "You are seriously doing my fucking head in already."

Addy had been so excited about the Zoo that she had told Liz as soon as she came to pick her up the when they'd had the DCP visit. When she sent him his goodnight message she told him again 'We go Zoo. I sleep now. 'Night Night Alfie.'

"Are you going to be a bitch all day."

"Not if you give me coffee now you have woken up." Iris snatched his pillow back just as her phone beeped beside her bed with a message.

"The Stallion?"

"Yes. Do you want to stay and listen?"

"To you having phone sex, no thank you." Alfie scooted from the bed. "I'll get your coffee, say Hi to Colt."

Alfie left them to it, he did bring her in a coffee and disappeared pretty quickly. He couldn't thank Iris enough for coming with him but he knew she was missing Colton. He was doing them a solid taking care of Adam for them, Gus was certainly helping as were the girls but Adam had refused to leave his own house to stay with any of them so Colton was doing a fair chunk and they could only imagine the stories Adam was telling and the grief he was giving him.

"We see 'Raffes today Alfie?" Addy barely got out of the car before she was asking him about the giraffes.

"Yes, they are waiting for us." He had called the Zoo yesterday and told them they were coming up early before it opened. The privilege of being a prior employee and the son of the man who established the place. Sam Hollister's legacy lived on. Alfie had struggled with that when he first arrived, he was desperate to establish himself as more than the son of Sam Hollister and he worked hard to get to where he was now.

Iris wasn't sure who was more excited. The 3-year old or her adult brother.

Addy sang all the way to the Zoo, badly and most of her words were skewed or missing but it was cute. She had become quite the chatterbox over the past few days, the more she got comfortable with them the more she came out of her shell. They were used to this with Sam, he never stopped talking or singing. Addy grabbed Alfie's hand as soon as they arrived, she knew she wasn't allowed to walk across roads or in parking lots without holding an adult's hand and right now Alfie was her adult.

He was totally smitten with her and every time Iris caught his eye she loved how happy he looked. It was like he found his north star. It wasn't to say he was drifting through life but he wasn't ready to settle down. According to Adam he was very much like his Uncle, loose and single and always ready to mingle. This would bring him to a grinding halt and he didn't seem to care one iota, it was like he'd been waiting for this. If Gus had been waiting for Rhiannon to rein him in, then Alfie had been reined in by a three year old.

They visited the giraffe's first and seeing them up close as they did surprised Addy. "Wow." She muttered and then preceded to claw her way up Alfie's leg when the big girl got way too close. She buried her head in his shoulder when a huge giraffe tongue came towards her. She was a lot more confident from the safe arms of Alfie and did end up giving her a few carrots and giggled when the large black tongue licked her arm.

"Did you like that?" Alfie asked her as they moved on from the giraffes. He was still carrying her and loved the feeling of her arms around his neck. She was reeling him in minute by minute.

"Yes. They big."

"They are very tall. You were so brave."

"And big tongue."

"She liked you. She was giving you kisses."

They were treated like royalty, even once the gates opened to the public. Very few people remembered their Dad, but most people remembered Alfie or were soon told who they were. Even Iris was feted a little. Hamish Vizard came to meet them and spent a bit of time with Iris while Alfie was showing Addy around the Australian Animals. He showed her some of the plans for the Zoo when her Dad was just starting it up and how they had evolved over the years.

Iris slipped away quietly at one stage and Alfie knew she'd gone to sit under their tree and left her to it. Iris didn't do it as much as Lola and Mae but every now and then they would find out that she had been to the Zoo and had some quiet time 'with' their parents, she never talked about it and rarely went when she knew her brother was working. Coming all the way here and not spending some time with them wasn't an option. She took at photo of the tree and sent it to Lola and Mae, they would want to see how big and beautiful it was.

Alfie made his way to the cultural centre where he met up with a few of the elders he had worked with in the past and they sat down and showed him some ways to help Addy understand her Indigenous background. They gave him some books to read for himself and his family and some books for Addy. He also was given some traditional good luck charms and an Indigenous dot painting that was painted specifically for him. 'A man and his child.' Alfie loved it and Walter, the elder of the group agreed to write a character reference for Alfie should he need it during Addy's custody hearing. He was more than happy to be Alfie's mentor as he helped Adelaide grow up with her indigenous heritage and without her mother.

"Kaya Maaman. You are a good man Alfie and you will raise a beautiful strong Nap." Walter rested his head on Alfie's forehead and Alfie closed his eyes and let the moment happen. He held onto Addy while Walter wished her good travels.

"Bug, Bug, Bug." Addy charged towards her Aunt. "…'kats liked me." He had taken her to see the meerkats and they were very friendly and scrambled over her and made her laugh hysterically and he felt bad dragging her away. "They tickle."

"Did they? Did Daddy help you?"

"Alfie hold me."

"We see 'lephants now. You come too?"

They saw the elephants and the Lions before stopping for lunch and Addy was buzzing, she barely sat still long enough to eat anything.

Iris took her to the gift shop and bought her a companion; she got her animal. Iris explained to Addy how they all had one, that she had a wombat and her Daddy had a giraffe and Addy chose an Echidna. She had loved visiting the Australian Animals and the Echidna was busy searching for ants and Addy was fascinated by it.

Alfie watched them, Iris had wanted to do it and even if Addy didn't understand how much of a big deal it was, it meant she was part of their mob now it meant a lot to him that Iris insisted on getting it for her. She didn't let it go all afternoon.

By the time they got back to the car Addy was shattered and Alfie carried her and Iris was amazed at how he seemed to have just slipped into his role as her Daddy like putting on a jacket.

The way Addy hugged him when Liz came to pick her up was adorable. "Bye Alfie." He didn't want to let her go, he would have kept her if he could. The next step was to have her overnight and he couldn't wait. Even though she had just left he got his usual goodnight message before she went to bed, along with a kiss. Liz told him that Addy was so happy and talked all the way home and told them all about the zoo at dinner and everything Alfie did with her. Liz also sent him a photo of her sound asleep with her Echidna.

He sat and looked through all the photos he took today and sent some to his family. His favourite was a selfie with Addy and a giraffe, she was hugging him tightly around his neck and smiling. She looked like Polly, it was the first thing he noticed when he saw the photo and Iris had said the same.

Sending it to Lola she replied. "Oh my god Alfie, it's Mom."

They treasured every single one of the photos and the nightly messages he got from Addy, he was in love with her and his entire family was too.