His phone was going insane so he turned it off knowing full well it was going to infuriate people. Iris warned him this was going to happen. "I will deal with it when I am ready." He had told her snippily. "Just do as I ask, please."
So she did, she turned off her phone too. If they couldn't get Alfie, they'd try Iris that much they knew. He should never have told them about today. She'd sent one message to Adam letting them know they were just 'catching our breath, it's been a busy day. We'll talk to you tonight. Love you Pops.'
Even Adam had had enough of them by the time Alfie and Iris finally called them. He had told them to shut up, they were annoying him with all their chatter about what was going on and why they hadn't heard from either of them today. They were bitching and sniping at each other and he couldn't stand it.
"Hey, how's you all going?" Iris dialled in and was the first person they saw.
"Good. Where the hell have you been all day?" Adam was grumpy. "Where's Alfred?"
"Hello to you too Pops. I miss you."
"Yes, what? Hello Iris." Adam was suitably chastised and annoyed. "Where's Alfred?" He repeated.
"He's coming. Calm your farm." Nothing annoyed Adam more than being told to calm his farm and they did it all the time.
Alfie suddenly appeared. "Sorry, Hi, how is everyone? Having a good day?"
"No." Mae was completely annoyed that they had their phones off most of the day. She grilled Colton the moment she walked through the door to see if he had heard from Iris, which he hadn't but he was pretty sure Mae didn't believe him and he was surprised that she didn't demand to check his phone.
"Alfred." Adam barked. "They are seriously pissing me off and I blame you."
"Great. I've got someone who wants to say hello." He beckoned off screen. "Addy come say hello." Alfie had deliberately kept Addy away from the daily skype calls, he didn't want to stress her out or introduce her to too many people, people she may never meet until he knew what was happening. Mae had asked to meet her but all he ever sent was the video's that he received from her every night and plenty of photos but he refused to introduce them to Addy.
She was shy all of a sudden and still clutching her echidna as she took Alfie's hand and came and stood in front to the computer, between her Daddy's legs and leant back against him as far away from the screen as she could get. Alfie whispered in her ear and she waved at the camera. "We were a bit busy today organising a few things, like a passport and the like so we can all come home."
"Oh my god." Lola squealed and Addy jumped a little and turned away from the screen and burrowed into Alfie. "You did it."
"Yes we did. We are really excited to be bringing this little bucket of sunshine home with us." Alfie helped her up into his lap. She half watched the camera and half watched Iris, she looked a little overwhelmed. "I'm really happy and Addy is a bit excited and a little bit nervous."
"Who's that Alfie?" She pointed to the screen and asked her Daddy. She had yet to call him Daddy, she knew he was her Dad because everyone kept telling her that but she still called him Alfie and he didn't mind at this stage, he just wanted her to like him and feel safe and happy. She'd been through so much lately.
"That's our family. I tell you what, I'll say their names and they will wave at you okay?"
She nodded and he started with Adam. "That's my Pops. You can call him Pops too if you like, he really likes that. He's very excited to meet you."
He then went through the rest of them, Lola, Mae, Gus and the kids. "I like babies." She whispered to him when he pointed out Billy.
"We'll see Billy soon." Iris rubbed her back as they chatted to the family and Addy didn't say anything to them but she did ask Alfie a few questions about everyone and when she will get to meet the baby.
Alfie promised to call them back once Addy was in bed. He didn't want her to hear all the questions about the custody hearing and arrangements. It was a big day for her already and there were tears when she realised that Liz wasn't coming back for her tomorrow. She had spent a couple of nights with Alfie and Iris but Liz always came back so this was new for her. They were prepared for Addy to be a little upset and she did like being with them, she talked about Alfie all the time according to Liz but it was another big change for her in a very short space of time.
Iris tried to let Alfie spend most of the time with Addy but she liked Iris too and would often chat away to her non-stop and he had found her in Iris's bedroom sitting up on the bed with her engaged in some in-depth conversation that Iris didn't really understand. He'd took them in some afternoon tea which they shared on the bed because it just looked too damn cute. "Do you want a coffee?" He asked Iris.
"Yes please."
"Me too." Addy chirped.
"You can't have coffee; you are too little. It's not for little girls."
"I like it." She insisted and Alfie and Iris both doubted her but they were starting to work her out a little. She was a pleaser, she liked to make people happy and liked to be involved in everything. Pretty much like Sam she also had a bit of FOMO going on.
"I doubt it, I don't even like it." Alfie didn't know what else to say. Iris did let her taste her coffee when Alfie bought it in.
"Yucky, yucky." She wiped her tongue in disgust and Alfie handed her a glass of water instead.
"Right, so you don't like coffee?"
"No, it's yucky."
After Alfie had read her four books and talked to her about what they were going to do tomorrow he stayed with her until she was asleep. "Will Liz come tomorrow?"
"No, we will see Liz before we go on the plane though. Should we buy her a present to say thank you for taking good care of you until Daddy could get here?" It had been decided it would be better if Liz didn't come see Addy for a few days. They had about a week before they could leave and arranged to meet Liz the day before they left so that Addy could say goodbye but up until then it was in her best interests to let her get used to being with her Dad.
"Yes." Addy seemed happy with that and snuggled down with her Echidna.
Alfie leant over and kissed her forehead. "Daddy loves you Adelaide. I'm so happy you are here with me."
"Night, night Alfie."
He had been so happy and overwhelmed at the same time when the judge decided, without much fuss that Alfie was granted full and sole custody of Adelaide Ingram Hollister. Jedda's family had tried to feebly make a claim to her but Jedda had expressly stated in her Will that Adelaide should be with her father and they were of no fixed address, where known to police for a multitude of reasons and already had three children made ward of the state under their care.
Jedda had written a statement to be read out if need be. It wasn't needed but the Judge had been made aware of it and took it into account.
Nobody in their right mind was going to let a three year old girl live with them when she had a perfectly stable and willing biological father. The argument that he had nothing to do with her for the first three years of her life didn't stack up either, he didn't know he had a daughter and they had never seen her either. As soon as he did know he was there, doing whatever he needed to do to prove that he was the best person to take care of his daughter. His promise to respect her cultural heritage and Walter's letter and offer to guide Alfie also aided him and shut down another of their arguments.
The State made no objection and he had passed all their examinations and background checks and the judge could see no reason not to hand her over to her father and made no restrictions on her being taken out of the country to live with him. The only thing Jedda had asked for was that she be taught about her indigenous heritage and about her mother and Alfie was determined to do it.
Alfie and Iris called them back, thankfully they had calmed down a little and they talked them through the day and the relief he felt. Although Adam had snatched it, they had driven him mad with the sudden explosion of ideas and planning for Addy's room. He was annoyed they'd be traipsing through his house make a noise and mess.
When the Judge swiftly told them that 'on the matter of Adelaide Ingram Hollister I grant full and sole custody to her biological father, Alfred Phillip Ruzek Hollister of Chicago, Illinois, USA. I place no restrictions on her father and custodian with regards to her place of residence, be it in Australia nor the United States of America. Mr Hollister, you are free to take care of your daughter, Adelaide. Congratulations.' Alfie exhaled; he hadn't realised that he'd been holding his breath. They were in court for all of five minutes.
He had buried his face in his hands briefly, it was such a relief. He had no idea what he would have done had it not gone his way. He would have fought for her, he knew that much, he'd have spent his last dime and would fight tooth and nail but he was relieved it wasn't going to come to that. Iris rubbed his back and leant on his shoulder. He couldn't remember what she said but he appreciated that she was beside him. He couldn't thank her enough for every single thing she had done for him. She went into bat for him on so many occasions to ensure that his little girl came home with him.
Addy was waiting in another room during the court hearing. The judge had talked to her although it didn't have much to do with his decision, he just wanted to put a human face to this case. For a little girl who had been through a rough time it was nice to see that she was happy and had someone willing to love her. He'd seen it all before, parents whose last thought was their child, fathers who couldn't even come from the next suburb to fight for their child let alone from another country.
Alfie and Iris were keen to go and see Addy and tell her. Once all the paperwork was signed Alfie was the person that made all the decisions about his daughter and that felt like such a relief but also a little daunting. "Hi Addy." Alfie crouched down next to the table where she was happily doing some drawing. "Guess what? You get to come home with Daddy."
"And Bug?"
"And Bug too." He laughed. "I'm so happy, we get to see each other every day. How does that sound?"
"Good." She stopped what she was doing and looked up at Alfie. "I live at your house."
"Yes, that's exciting isn't it?"
"Yes." She looked at Iris. "With Bug?"
Alfie nodded. He didn't mind that Addy was attached to Iris as well. As long as she felt safe, he didn't care. "With Bug."
It had been a busy few hours, there was paperwork that needed to be collected, a passport that needed to be sourced, which they managed to get it expedited and Addy's bags needed to be sent over.
Lola and Mae had grand plans for their homecoming. "Can you just rein it in a little? She is a little nervous about the flight, leaving her home and meeting new people. I am trying to make it as easy as I can for her. She's just a scared little girl." Alfie begged them. He didn't want streamers, balloons and a herd of people at the airport.
He did agree to let them set up her room. He had asked her what colour she wanted the walls painted and she asked for yellow. It was her favourite colour but he wanted her to pick some things out herself and he had also organised that everything that she had at her Mum's place, which had already been packed away be shipped to Chicago. He was hoping that would help her settle in. She had few of her favourite things with her but it was still an enormous change for such a little girl.
"She needs a double bed." Alfie promised to send them a list of things to get for Addy including some warm clothes because she didn't have anything suitable. "Addy has always slept in a double bed. She really struggled at her foster home and thrashed about a lot and fell out a few times because she wasn't used to a small bed. Right now she is like a starfish in the middle of the bed. Can you organise that?" He was pretty sure that she'd soon have more clothes than she could possibly ever wear and the world's biggest most elaborate bedroom known to man.
"Hey Alfie, relax, we've got you." Mae reminded him when he started rattling things off. Mae already had a list and had started scouring the internet for ideas.
"So?" Iris curled her feet up under her once they had finished talking to the family. "Congratulations Daddy."
"Big day Bug." Alfie looked tired, he had bags under his eyes and she knew that he probably wasn't going to sleep much tonight either. It had been emotionally and physically exhausting and he was worried about how Addy was going to sleep. So far when she had stayed he'd been up to her several times during the night. He was learning on his feet and running on the fumes.
"I am so happy for you, so happy. I don't know how you feel but I can see how happy and relieved you are." Iris gushed. "This is so amazing Alfie, she's so amazing."
"Never in a million years did I think that this is where my life would take me. A single Dad, me Alfie Hollister, the life and soul of any party now gets to go home every day to a little girl and I am looking forward to it. Weird huh?" They had organised Addy's care, it was a requirement that they could show how he would manage her care. Aside from taking three months sabbatical from work he would then need to rely on his family to help out. Rhiannon was more than happy to have her a couple of days a week, she had cut back to two days a week recently and had plenty of time on her hands. Mae only worked four days a week and would have her one day with Poppy as company and they were deciding whether to put her in some kind of group day care for one day just so she could socialise with other children. Alfie's shifts were a little erratic so some weeks he would be able to have her and Iris could look after her when he was on at late shift or the odd occasion he had to stay overnight.
Addy was used to being cared for overnight by Tara when her mother worked nightshifts but they didn't know how she would handle all these new people. It was an enormous amount of upheaval for Adelaide; she had a new family, new house and a new country. He did think about moving into his apartment with her, if the State decided that living with his grandfather and sister and partner wasn't suitable but they were happy with his support network. It was way more than Jedda seemed to have in place from what they could tell.
"Very weird. I thought that would be me." Iris bought him back from wherever his mind had wandered off too. Alfie looked at her strangely. "Not the single parent thing, but I thought I'd procreate before you did." Iris always called it that because that's what Colton called it. It was a weird quirk of his that Iris had picked up. "Now we have all this shit going on." She pointed to her own stomach. "You know we try not to think about what might or might not happen one day."
"You know what Bug; I think it will."
"I hope so Alfie. I want to see Colton happy like you are." Alfie showed her that things don't always work out like you planned, stuff can go sideways but that didn't mean you didn't like it, embrace it and be happy.
He jumped up and grabbed something from his room. "Hey Bug, thank you." He handed her a small blue box. "From me."
"Alfie you didn't need to buy me anything." Iris squeezed his hand. "This is what we do."
"I just had no idea how to thank you for everything. I couldn't have done it without you, you've talked me down from so many ledges, you've encouraged me and not once did you look like you were disappointed in me."
"Why would I be disappointed in you?"
"She's three and I never knew she existed."
"I would have been disappointed if you weren't here right now."
"Thank you." He kissed Iris's cheek. "Thank you for helping me be a Dad to my daughter, thank you for believing in me and thank you for loving her."
It would always be something special between them. She loved that all these years later those little charms said more than words.
Iris cried when she opened the box and saw the little silver train.