Chapter 6: Adoption
"We'll be back later this afternoon. Be good for your Aunt and Uncle!" Bandit called from the car, beeping the horn lightly as he and Chilli pulled away.
"We will!" Bluey and Bingo called from the front yard, waving as their parents drove off.
It was a short drive from Brisbane to Ipswich, the two quiet in a sort of nervous anticipation the entire time. Eventually the Sat-Nav told them to make a final turn and they arrived at their destination. It was a large rectangular building, likely from the middle of the twentieth century. It was two stories tall, with brick on every side and modest windows-most of which were covered in bright colored curtains and children's drawings. It had a good sized front lawn, and sat in the middle of a block of a mostly residential street. There were a few small shops at the far end, and a large park on the other. It was a quiet neighborhood, but one that was safe from the bustle of the city a few miles away. Bandit shut off the engine and the two walked from the car up the front walk, arriving at the front door. Emblazed on the green paint were the words, "Ipswich Home for Children".
Chilli turned toward her husband, nervously placing her hand in his. "Ready?"
Bandit looked at her, "Ready." He nodded and pressed the call button, leading to a buzz before a voice spoke out.
"Hello, how can I help you?" A female dog asked over the intercom.
"Hi, we're the Heelers. We have an appointment today." He said.
"Of course, please come in." A click was heard as the door unlocked. Bandit pulled it open and ushered Chilli in before entering himself.
A corgi sat up from her chair at a desk in the lobby and walked over. "Hello! It's nice to meet you both, my name is Sara. I think we spoke on the phone when you made your appointment."
"Yes, that's right!" Chilli smiled.
"It's always nice to put some names to faces. So you're Chilli, and you're Bandit." She pointed at the two.
"That's correct." Bandit nodded.
"Well, it's lovely to meet you both!" She smiled. "You mentioned on the phone that you were looking to adopt a boy, as you have two girls at the moment."
"That's right." Bandit said. "We love our girls, and we'd love for the chance to expand our family further."
"My last pregnancy wasn't exactly easy, and there wouldn't be any guarantee that this one would be easier." Chilli stated.
"And with us already being a bit older to be parents again the old fashioned way…" Bandit began before Chilli gave him a side eye, "Well, at least with me being old to be a father again that way." Chilli nodded approvingly. "We thought it would make sense to consider adoption."
"We've always wanted the chance to have a boy, and this way we can have one and help a child in need." Chilli concluded. "We've already looked at some of the online stories."
"Well, I'm glad to hear some of your story. Why don't you follow me to our playroom where we can talk a bit further?" She buzzed open a door beside her and led the couple down a hallway. As they walked past they glimpsed a number of rooms with simple beds and dressers and desks. They were all clean and in good order, with cheery colors on the walls. It looked like a pleasant enough place, but it certainly was sterile compared to a proper child's bedroom. Sara stopped at a door at the end of the hall and opened it, gesturing for the two to enter.
"This is our playroom. We conduct all of our interviews and potential matches here. It's also a space for our children to engage in play and express themselves creatively. At the moment they're at the park with some of our other staff members, so we have the room to ourselves." Sara spoke as she motioned to the room around them. After a moment for the two to look at the space she continued, gesturing form them to sit at a table in the middle of the room. "Were there any children you were interested in? Earlier you mentioned you'd looked at some of the profiles online."
"Yes, we were thinking about Russell." Chilli smiled, holding Bandit's hand as the two sat across from Sara at the table.
Sara sat quietly a moment, a slight look crossing her face before she continued. "Now, you do know about Russell's condition, correct?"
"Yeah, we saw that he is medically classified as mute and communicates through sign language as a result." Bandit stated. "And that there were some additional stipulations. It didn't say what online."
She nodded, "Yes, prior to adoption you would need to demonstrate at least a moderate ability to communicate basic concepts in sign language and would be enrolled in classes to continue your study of it for at least two years following his placement in your home for all family members, including your daughters."
"Of course, we understand, it makes sense to be able to communicate with him his way." Chilli said. "It'd be like expecting a pup who only speaks Spanish to suddenly speak English and not helping them at all along the way." She paused, "Well, not exactly, but you know…"
"We get it, it can be difficult to adjust to a new environment in the best of situations, we'd definitely be willing to do that." Bandit added.
Sara nodded a small smile at the corner of her lips. "You're actually the first family that heard the news and wasn't upset."
The two frowned slightly, unsure of why someone would be upset at the news, but before either could ask Sara spoke again.
"The children are due to return from the park soon, if you'd like you can meet Russell soon."
"Wait, today?" Bandit asked, surprised. "We didn't think we'd be able to meet him already…" He quickly fretted, looking at Chilli.
"We'd love to." Chilli smiled.
***MH***
A chocolate lab wearing a green lanyard glanced at his phone, Sara had just texted him.
Sara: Russell has a potential couple visiting. They seem like a good fit. Let him know he can stop by the playroom after you get back from the park.
Marley punched in a response.
Marley: We're on our way back now. Neil and I are corralling the kids down the block as we speak.
Marley turned and paused a moment, waiting for Russell to appear in the stream of children. When he did the caretaker tapped his shoulder. Russell glanced up and smiled.
Hi Marley! What's up? He signed.
Marley smiled, There's some people who want to meet you in the playroom!
The pup's tail started wagging as a grin grew on his face. It froze a moment before he frowned and tucked his tail between his legs. Do they know about me? He paused, kicking a pebble with his foot as he looked down a moment. That I'm broken?
Russell, you are NOT broken. Marley signed, frowning. Who told you that?
That's what the last people said. I heard them. They said they didn't want a 'broken kid who couldn't talk'. Russell continued looking down as he walked beside Marley back to the home.
Marley signed at Russell's eye-line. Well, forget them. They were jerks anyway. Marley nodded. These people do know, and they want to see you because they heard you're an awesome kid who just so happens to not be able to talk.
Russell looked up, Really?
Really. Marley confirmed.
Do you think they'll like me?
Probably! After all, you're my favorite.
Russell rolled his eyes, You say that to everyone!
So, it's true, you're all my favorites!
Russell smiled. Thanks Marley.
***MH***
It was about ten minutes later when Sara re-entered the room with a small pup barely peeking out from behind her legs. She gently stepped over to the side to reveal Russell. He's a five year old German Shepherd mix. They don't know mixed with what exactly, as he was given up for adoption anonymously at age 2 after his birth parents decided they didn't want to deal with a mute child. He waved a small hand, his ears tucked back as he nervously stood by the door.
Bandit and Chilli immediately smiled. Bandit smiled as he stood up, then knelt to the boy's level. He placed a hand on his forehead and did a small salute before tapping his chest and using two finger to tap the side of his paw. "Alright, I think this was it…" He muttered as he placed two fingers like a mustache, then pulled them quickly across to a closed fist.
Russell blinked.
Chilli followed suit, copying the first few signs before finishing with the f hand shape shook downward twice.
Russell's tail waged excitedly as he turned to Sara. They said hello! They know sign language?
Not a lot, but they want to learn. Sara replied. Did you get their names okay?
Russell nodded, He's Bandit, and she's Chili, right?
C-H-I-L-L-I Sara spelled, But she uses that sign because it sounds the same when said. She paused, Why don't you say hello?
Okay! Russell turned to the two, tail wagging profusely. Hello! My name is R-U-S-S-E-L-L. He fingerspelled his name. Do you know any other signs?
Bandit interpreted the movements, but was unsure of how to respond, he looked at Chilli. She responded.
Know… few. Learning. She pointed at the two of them, unsure of how to sign 'we'.
Russell signed to Sara something. "Russell can read and write a little-he's around a second grade level. He asked if you wanted to talk that way. He can still hear fine, but prefers to not have a translator for everything, he wants to be able to fully communicate on his own one day and doesn't like relying on others when he doesn't have to."
Bandit and Chilli both nodded. Yes. Bandit signed.
Soon after the two were sitting at the table across from Sara and Russell, passing back and forth a notebook. Sara occasionally writing words that Russell didn't know how to spell, but the pup generally insisting on attempting to do as much of it on his own as he could. Given his fairly legible handwriting, it wasn't too bad.
"Russell, what do you like to do?" Chilli wrote.
"I like to play football, and I like to draw." He paused before adding, "I also like playing games using my…" Sara supplied the final word, "…imagination."
Bandit smiled, "Our daughters love playing games like that!"
"You have daughters?"
"Yes, we have two. Bluey is eight and Bingo is six." Chilli wrote.
"I've never had any brothers or sisters." Russell paused a moment, "Well, that I know of…"
"What are they like?"
"Bluey likes playing games with lots of dress up." Bandit started.
"And Bingo likes games where she gets to pretend to be someone else." Chilli concluded.
The conversation continued with further discussion of the girls and Russell's interests, including his favorite subject at school (science), what he liked to draw (dinosaurs), and what position he played in football (I'm the goalie!). Eventually the conversation turned to talking more about Bandit and Chilli, he asked about their family more and then their jobs. He was impressed.
"I love dinosaurs! Do you get to dig them up all the time?"
"Not all the time, but sometimes I do." Bandit paused, "But I can show you some that I found at the museum I work at."
Russell's tail wagged happily, he then wrote a second message and passed the paper to Chilli. "Do you get to carry a gun?"
"Yes, it's part of my job to keep people safe." She replied.
"Cool!"
By the end of it it's clear that it's a perfect fit.
"Well Russell, it's time for you to have your afternoon lessons. I think we have to say goodbye to Bandit and Chilli."
Russell frowned, But I like talking to them!
I know, and I know they like talking to you, but you have schoolwork to do.
Okay… He signed reluctantly.
Russell reticently stood up to leave. Sara gently guided him toward the door. He paused and looked up, quickly signing something. She smiled and nodded. He grinned and ran back to the table, hugging Bandit and Chilli. He pointed to the paper with their writing on it. He then pointed to himself.
"Yeah mate, you can have it." Bandit smiled.
Russell grinned ear to ear, thrilled to have with him some part of them for the time being. He hugged them a second time, then was ushered out the door by Sara. After she made sure he was on his way to his classes upstairs she shut the door.
"You certainly made a good impression." She said, returning to the table. "I don't think I've seen him that happy in a long time."
Chilli and Bandit smiled amongst themselves. "He's an amazing kid. We love him." Bandit said.
"I wish we could take him home right now, honestly." Chilli said excitedly. "But we know we can't…" She cleared her throat.
Sara allowed a smile to creep across her face, "Well, the next step would be for him to meet your daughters. If that goes well we'd then begin the formal adoption process, which would take a minimum of six months given the necessary classes to complete, paperwork, approvals, home visits, and proof of competency for ASL."
"Absolutely. When can we do it?" Bandit said eagerly.
***MH***
"We did tell them we were thinking about a new brother, but we didn't say he might not be a baby. Do you think the girls will like him?" Bandit asked.
"They're gonna love him." Chilli said, tapping the dash elatedly as she looked out the window. "Bluey and Bingo love everyone, and Russell is so sweet. He's intelligent and nice, and I have a feeling he's going to end up a very handsome young man some day."
Bandit smirked, "Well, if all goes well I guess that means the girls are back to sharing a room?"
"Oh, no! I am not dealing with that again!" Chilli declared. "We'll move your office downstairs and he can have it."
"You know how much stuff I have in there?!"
"Exactly why you need to go through it and move it downstairs, we have room."
Bandit groaned, "Fine!"
"It'll be worth it…" Chilli booped his nose, causing the blue heeler to crack a small grin despite his grumpiness at the prospect of moving his office's many contents.
***Author's Note***
Hello everyone! This chapter is a preview of the upcoming sequel to this series. Next chapter will be our last here, with Austin's first birthday. After that we will be starting our series "Parenting" that will focus on Chilli and Bandit with their new son, as well as the other Heeler and Cattles and their children as they grow through various phases in their lives. If you liked this, feel free to check out my other works "Society" and my collab with Kodiwolf "Project New Era". I appreciate all reviews, but they are not necessary! Thanks again for reading!
