-1Kendall entered the lounge area of the casino and looked around for Zach and Ursula. It had been six weeks since Ursula had been released from the hospital and Kendall already couldn't imagine being without her. Zach was working on purchasing a house on the lake, or maybe a penthouse in the city. Kendall only wanted 4 bedrooms and didn't care what form they came in.
Ursula had not made the adjustment completely trouble free though. She would have nightmares every single night and wake up screaming and crying. Usually, either she or Zach would go into the spare room and sleep with her, or simply bring Ursula into the bed with them. They did a lot of the latter.
Soon, they just got to the point where they didn't even bother putting Ursula in the spare room. Nothing worked, stuffed toys, nightlights, lullaby's playing softly… Every single night she would wake up frightened. She was back in the suitcase again.
When she was in the bed with them, they found she would reach for one of them and then she was able to calm herself down without waking them. Kendall noticed this when she happened to be awake one night and felt as Ursula jerked awake, breathing rapidly, and then reaching out in the dark, she found Kendall's arm, then threw her own arm around Kendall's large belly and went back to sleep.
They had been sending Ursula to a shrink twice a week and it did not seem to help matters at all, it only seemed to help to make the doctor's pockets fatter. They had found one shrink who swore by a method called "rebirthing." When Zach and Kendall saw a video of how it was done, they couldn't get Ursula away fast enough. That therapy session ended with a trip to Toys R Us and dinner at Chuck E Cheese.
Smiling to herself, she turned around to the bar and ordered a ginger ale. Jack had started the wheels turning to make Ursula legally hers and Zach's child. For the moment, they were only her guardians. Soon they would be parents to not only one child, but two.
She sipped the ginger ale with the cherries in the bottom as she walked closer to where Zach and Ursula were, when Edie stopped her, to ask how she was doing. They made small talk, discussing how Zach has become all Ursula all the time. How he seemed happier lately. Edie said it was because of her, the baby on the way, and Ursula: he had a family.
Edie mentioned to Kendall that Ethan had come by, that he found it ironic that Zach wanted to be a father to a child that wasn't even his, but he didn't want to be a father to him. Edith told Kendall about the whole conversation since she just happened to be in Zach's office taking notes.
She spoke about how she just could not wrap her mind around how jealous Ethan sounded to her, jealous of a five-year-old and a baby that wasn't even born yet. She said that she would have thought he would want to try and join in Zach's life now, just to get to have a relationship with his baby brother or sister. Then Edie got a call and had to take it. Excusing herself, she left Kendall standing alone in the lounge area.
Ursula waved at Kendall as Kendall watched Zach carry her over to a group of business men, showing her off. He seemed to be enjoying the daddy role better than even she would have ever thought. He had fallen in love with Ursula just as she had the first time she saw her.
Kendall started to become attached to all the little moments with her. When Kendall would put her makeup on, Ursula insisted on kissing Kendall's lips when she was done so that she could get the lipstick on her own lips. She thought is was sweet the way she insisted on having perfume on like Kendall's. It completely tickled her, the way Ursula would fuss at Simone and Dani when they would take things from her, like the basket of lip gloss, or samples of the fusion perfume, and once even Simone's sequined purse, and they would be naïve enough to argue back at her…
Erica would be very proud of Ursula, a true diva in the making.
When Zach and Ursula would sit in bed each morning while Zach taught her English, she enjoyed eavesdropping on them. She had read that children Ursula's age picked up things such as language quickly at her age. It was amazing to her. She had learned colors and the names of objects. She certainly liked to say "cookie," and eat them too. She learned what potty meant really fast. She also learned how to say "Dance, dance revolution" "righteous," and "sweet," thanks to Reggie.
Lily had made dinner and wanted everyone to come over. Zach sent flowers for Lily, apologizing for not being able to make it. Kendall went, and took Ursula with her. Jack had only told Erica about Kendall and Zach wanting to adopt her, they had never actually met her until that night.
She had dressed Ursula in a set of denim overalls with a pink and white gingham shirt with a hair bow to match, and a pair of white Keds on her feet with little "Zoë" heads on the laces. Ursula was proud of the "Zoë" heads on her shoes.
Erica had gushed all over Ursula when they came, making her cringe and cling to Kendall. Erica was clearly happy for Kendall for doing something so noble for this child that she had just met. Jack was passive as usual and so was Lilly. But Reggie was the one who got Ursula's full and undivided attention. He had come in, said hi to her, and quickly scooped her up, gave her a juice box, some cheese crackers, and took her to his room to play "Dance, Dance Revolution." They had stayed until it was time to eat dinner and even took dessert to his room. Lilly declined joining them since Ursula kept jumping up and down, screaming and squealing so loudly that it made her head hurt.
Greenlee had gone to Jack and Erica's also, still trying to extend an olive branch. Kendall was aware that she was trying to make amends. Even though she had done so in her own twisted way, but Kendall wasn't going to let her apologize so easily.
Greenlee sat in the chair next to Kendall at the dinner table as everyone made idle small talk. There was really nothing that needed to be said. Desperate for interesting conversation, Greenlee bought up Zach and how Ursula came to be in Pine Valley, mentioning how Ursula's father was dead, how everyone had been looking for her, and how she turned up in a suitcase. Everyone got quiet. Kendall closed her eyes and willed herself not to scream or cry in front of Ursula. She looked up, glad that she sat playing with her peas and potatoes while she quietly sang "Over the Rainbow," and not understanding what had just been said. There was so much tension between Kendall and Greenlee at that moment, it made everyone else uncomfortable. Erica piped in quickly commenting on how Ursula knew all the words to one of her favorite songs, asking Kendall who taught her, and Reggie and Jack jumped in and agreeing.
Kendall turned and simply glared at Greenlee. Then she quietly whispered that however Ursula got there, it was certainly none of her business.
------
Kendall waved back at Ursula from across the room, and watched as Zach sat her on the edge of the piano as Misha began to play, and people started to gather around. She started playing "Over the Rainbow." Kendall walked a little closer, seeing how Ursula looked frightened, as she looked around noticing all the people watching and smiling at her, and then Zach got her to look at him.
Kendall could see his lips moving as he quietly spoke to Ursula while she played with his tie. Kendall watched his eyebrows raise and he opened his mouth as if he were going to sing when she heard Ursula's baby-like flow through the room.
Kendall thought when she would hear Zach and Ursula singing that song every evening as he put her to bed, she would get tired of hearing it. But now, it had become her favorite song, only if Ursula sang it.
Kendall started to walk toward Zach and Ursula again when Jackson stopped her, needing to speak to her about and urgent matter. Kendall led him over to the bar and took a seat while he opened a large manila envelope, dumping the contents on to the top of the bar.
"Your petition for adoption was denied," Jackson said to Kendall. Those were words she never expected to hear. She looked up, and across the room, she and Jackson watched as Ursula sang," If happy little bluebirds fly-- Beyond the rainbow-- Why, oh why can't I?" and Zach quickly picked her up, kissing her all over her face as she giggled and hugged him back, and onlookers smiled and applauded.
"Jack, I can't tell him that," Kendall said grabbing his arm, "I won't. He loves her so much, and so do I."
"There we will file an appeal, but-," Jackson said.
"What's the problem Jack?" Kendall asked, "If it's money, or, or-"
"It's the Brazilian government. In a nutshell, your past histories are too sketchy, very questionable for their liking. I can work that out, clear things up. But-" Jack pulled out a paper with all sorts of marks all over it, "They say that her mother has demanded to have her back."
"Her mother is dead!" Kendall said glancing toward Zach and Ursula then back at Jack.
"You and Zach are going to need more help than I can give you with this matter Kendall."
"Fine, we'll hire an attorney who specializes in these sorts of cases-"
"Kendall, they want Ursula back in Brazil now."
"No, I won't have it," Kendall said putting her hands on her hips, "Whoever that woman is, she is lying, get a DNA test, I don't care!"
"Kendall, their representatives called this morning. I filed an injunction as soon as I got off the phone with them-"
"She is mine, Jack," Kendall insisted, "That woman, whoever she is, she can't have her!"
"Well, you should know that they are already here, in Pine Valley… to take Ursula back to Brazil today, if they show up-"
Kendall shook her head, and she and Jack looked up in time to see officers approach Zach. Three of them had to hold Zach as a woman pried Ursula out of his arms, while she desperately tried to cling to him with everything she had. The patrons watched in horror as Zach yelled for them to bring her back, and the three men forcefully held onto him. Everyone watched helplessly as Ursula was carried away, screaming and crying.