Love token
A/N: Thank you very much for your wonderful reviews! I have an update now:) :) :) Yeah, Cole needs a good family to foster his daughter, as you know, he's dying. But Phoebe certainly won't let it happen.
Part 7
Peter paused a few seconds and continued.
"I've got some families applied to adopt Phoebe, and Mr. Turner has chosen you for this meeting."
"You must've read our file then." Mr. Lake said "I'm a cardiologist, I make good money, and can support my family including Phoebe very well. My wife doesn't work, she takes all her time to look after the family, and we believe my only son, Thomas, will be a good brother and friend to Phoebe."
"I appreciate it." Cole nodded "That's one of the reasons I decided to meet you."
"Well, we have a large house with garden. Phoebe'll have her own room, and we'll provide her a good life and support her in her study as much as she wishes." Mrs. Lake said.
"No, I don't mean that." Cole shook his head "I've made my testament leaving my daughter the whole of my money. It should be enough for all of her needs. All I want is she'll have a happy and decent family."
"We'll be her family. We promise no discrimination between Thomas and Phoebe, if we adopt her." Mr. Lake assured.
"I myself want to see that. I'd like to invite you to my house, and visit yours so that we'll get to know to each other, and see if you and Phoebe get along well." Cole suggested.
"Sounds good." Mr. and Mrs. Lake agreed.
"Could I ask you a personal question?" Cole asked.
"Yes. Please!" Mr. Lake smiled.
"Do you believe in love?"
The couple knitted their brows a little, being perplexed.
"I just want my daughter to be grown up believing in the magic of love based on how you built your happy family, and correspondingly she'll open her heart for love." Cole explained.
"Oh," Mr. Lake grabbed his wife's hand "No worries. We love each other very much, and we believe that's why people attach to each other."
"We're sorry you can't raise Phoebe yourself. But you may rest assured we'll do it very well." Mrs. Lake added, sincerely feeling sympathy for Cole.
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Phoebe held a bunch of flowers in her hand walking to Jack's room in the hospital. He had been there almost a week, still lying unconsciously on his bed. The doctor said he might be a coma for the rest of his life, Phoebe thought it might partly be her fault. Had she talked to him, he wouldn't have been so fretful and careless that morning. She paused to look at her motionless fiance before opening the door. The room was so quiet, Jack would start his player to liven the place with some music if he could. Phoebe put her flowers in a vase and sat down near his bed.
She had accepted his proposal last year, in the age of 33. She'd loved him, and satisfied with her decision. Little Phoebe showing up reminded her that people didn't love in the same way in the other times. She'd been willing to leave everything, and take any risks once for love. Then love was never so much intense after that… because she had got older, and her heart wasn't wholly intact as in the past…
Phoebe even didn't know if she would love Cole in the same way, if she would love him again… She didn't plan to do this though, she even didn't plan to see him. But he had come back to her mind when her engagement with Jack appearing conflicts. Their old flame and their old memories showed her Jack definitely wasn't her right man, something she had subconsciously known.
Love was a feeling, and feeling needed no plan to come, Cole coming back cheered her heart up, and saddened it at the same time…
"I'm here, Jack!" Phoebe said softly "We both know we've to talk. Wake up! I'm sure you've a lot to talk to me."
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Friday night,
Cole and his daughter walked in a restaurant together. When she heard him tell the waiter they needed a table for two, she was surprised, and happy. The Lakes had always been with them this week, little Phoebe had no idea since when her father became close friend to that family, they spent the evenings together everyday, and it seemed she was usually the main character of their conversations, they asked her a lot, talked to her a lot, as if they're trying to win her heart. However, their son, Thomas, wasn't very fond of her, he wore a disdainful look all the time.
"Where are they?" little Phoebe asked after the waitress had got their orders and walked away.
Cole was confused a few moments, then smiled "Oh, you're used to them. It's animated having them around."
Little Phoebe didn't respond to his comment, they had occupied the time she's supposed to be talking to her mother on the phone. She felt missing her mother badly, she had told Phoebe about the Lakes by some messages they'd exchanged to each other during the week.
"How do you think bout them?" Cole asked.
"They're ok." She asnwered.
"Ok? Can you use a different word?"
"Good."
"Good!" Cole smiled. He's glad she liked them. They seemed to be a suitable family, his daughter wasn't going to be desolate after his death.
After dinner, Cole bought some new toys for little Phoebe before they went home.
"Do you want to show your new toys to Tom? You two can play together this weekend." He said, closing the door.
"They'll be here tomorrow?"
"No. They've invited you to visit them at their house. Would you like to come around?"
"NO!" little Phoebe dropped all the toys and ran to her room, then shutted the door behind her. She's thinking of going to see her mother tomorrow, and didn't want anything to put it off.
Cole followed his daughter, trying to persuade her.
"I bet you'll like their house, they have a large garden, and a really biiig swimming pool."
"NOOO!"
"C'mon, sweetie! Don't decline their kindness!" Cole induced.
"I don't like it." Little Phoebe became sulky.
"Ok, do me this favour!"
"Then you've to return me one." She bargained.
"What's it?" He asked warily.
"I want two free nights."
Cole observed her face, knowing she's highly hoping he would agree.
"Have your mother known you following her?" he suddenly asked.
"No." Little Phoebe answered in a tiny voice.
"I'll check it." Cole said firmly "Now we should pack up for you."
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Phoebe was so disappointed knowing her daughter couldn't see her this weekend, because Cole wanted her to stay with the Lakes. Phoebe guessed he needed time and space with his new girlfriend again, and she got more disappointed.
"Baby. Call your dad every hour to tell him what you doing. I think he would be glad." Phoebe sent her daughter the message.
"Enjoy your time, Cole!" she muttered to herself.
"I'm not giving up on us, Phoebe!" the breeze whistled.
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Everything was fine to little Phoebe. Mrs. Lake cooked lots of her favorite dishes, and Mr. Lake showed her they had prepared a beautiful room for her in their house. She didn't forget to call her father occasionally, and let her mother know he didn't get mad at all. Until the evening. The couple leave the kids playing alone.
"I want the clock in your room." Thomas said.
"Go get it." Little Phoebe replied indifferently.
"And the phone, the picture, and the pillow." He added.
"What's the matter? All are yours." She shrugged.
"You'll tell my parents that. Then you can get my old ones." Thomas ordered.
"You tell them yourself. I'm leaving tomorrow." Little Phoebe snapped.
"But you'll be back. You should learn to listen to me. Coz I'm their own child."
"You're mad."
"My parents have adopted you!" Thomas raised his voice "You live in my house, you must obey me."
"Stop nonsense!" little Phoebe retorted.
"Your father's given you to my parents. What a poor girl! You didn't know anything." the 9 year old boy looked at her scornfully.
Little Phoebe ran out with her tears falling down.
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"Mommy!"
Phoebe turned around and got astonished seeing her teary daughter.
"What's up, baby?"
"My dad's given me to them! He wants to abandon me!" the girl cried bitterly.
Phoebe found lucky that none of her sisters were home at the moment.
"Who told you that?" she asked in a quiver voice. It's so hard to believe Cole could give up his daughter.
"Tom, their own son." The girl whined.
Phoebe startled, a kid wouldn't lie such a thing. And as far as she knew, Cole didn't like making friends, he's used to be solitary, it must have a reason he came in contact with the Lakes. His wanting to give little Phoebe to them might explain why he asked her to see them everyday. However, what could be able to udge him to do that? Anybody? Any force? Perhaps his new girlfriend? No, Cole wouldn't. So what? She knew she couldn't find the answer herself. Her daughter subsided her cry eventually.
"Baby, you want to live with me?"
"Yes." Little Phoebe tightened her arms.
"We go see your dad now."
A/N: Review me to inspire me, please! It's so difficult to write what Cole and Phoebe will talk to each other.
