"Makayla, it's time for bed," Kim tells her daughter.
"But Kim," Makayla complains.
"The sooner you go to bed, the sooner the adoption is."
"It's really happening?"
"Yes, but you need to go to bed. I don't want you sleeping through it."
"Okay," Makayla gives in, grabbing her stuffed platypus.
"I'll be in in a minute to tuck you in," Kim tells her daughter as she turns off the television.
"Cozy?" Kim asks as she makes sure the blankets are wrapped tightly around her. Makayla nods. "And your platypus?"
Makayla shows Kim her platypus.
"Okay, good night," Kim kisses her forehead.
"Is Adam going to be there?" Makayla asks.
"Yes, Adam will be there," Kim answers. "And Uncle Kev and Uncle Jay, and Aunt Hailey," she adds.
"Why isn't Adam here now?"
"He had to work late, but he promises he'll be there for your adoption," Kim answers, knowing that Makayla has had anxiety about Adam and herself disappearing on her since her biological father's brother came out of the woodwork and tried to get full custody of her.
"Okay," Makayla responds.
"Love you," Kim shuts off the bedside lamp.
"Goodnight," Makayla responds before Kim leaves her room.
Kim goes back out to the living room and turns on the news, waiting for Adam to come home.
Finishing up paperwork. Should be home soon. Adam texts her fifteen minutes later.
Okay, be safe. She responds.
Adam arrives home to find the light on in the living room still, so he goes over to see if Kim just forgot to turn off the light. Surprised to find Kim asleep on the couch, "Kim. Darlin'," he calls, wanting to just pick her up and carry her to bed, but knowing that they aren't in that place anymore.
"Huh?" Kim blinks owlishly.
"You fell asleep on the couch," Adam tells her.
"Sorry, I was trying to wait up for you."
"You should go to bed. Mak has a big day tomorrow and she needs her mom to be one hundred percent there."
"I will be."
"I know you will, Darlin'. How did she go down?"
"Okay. Asked where you were."
"I hate that Morris did this to her," Adam comments.
"We'll get her through this," Kim reminds him.
"I know. It just sucks that he only had time to petition for custody because of that six-month waiting period. And then the courts were backed up" he sighs. "We should go to bed," Adam tells her while gently pulling Kim up from the couch. "And I'm making her a special breakfast tomorrow.
As promised, Adam gets up early the next morning to make Makayla a special breakfast. When Adam is halfway through making breakfast, Kim comes out of her room from the noise that Adam is making.
"Morning, Darlin," Adam greets.
"Morning," Kim echoes.
"You want to get Mak?" he looks to her.
"No, you can. I can watch the food."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I think she'll be happy if you wake her since you couldn't be here before she went to bed last night.
"Okay," he agrees, not needing much persuasion.
He walks to Makayla's room and softly knocks. When he doesn't hear an answer, he slowly opens the door and peeks in to see she is still sound asleep.
Making his way to her bed he sits down on the edge and rubs her back to rouse her, "Mak, time to get up."
Makayla stirs some.
"Mak, today's the day," he whispers.
"Adam?" Makayla asks sleepily.
"Yeah, it's me," Adam answers his pseudo-daughter who wraps her arms around him.
"You're here," she mumbles into his neck.
"Of course, I am. Come on, Kim is watching the food."
Makayla follows Adam out to their small kitchen where Kim is flipping the pancakes. "Kim," Makayla greets hugging her waist.
"Hey, Bear," Kim hugs Makayla back. "Are you ready for today?"
"Yeah," Makayla answers. "I'm really going to be a Burgess?"
"Yup. Nothing can take you away from us now," Kim answers.
"Eat," Adam orders, placing some pancakes on her plate.
"Real pancakes?" Makayla asks shocked, used to frozen microwave pancakes or the ones in the bottle that you add water to and shake.
"Yup. It's a special day, so Adam got up early to make them, just for you," Kim tells her.
"Thank you," Makayla hugs Adam around his middle.
"You're welcome, Mak. Now eat while they're still warm."
"And keep the syrup in the vicinity of the pancakes," Kim reminds her daughter.
Makayla nods in agreement.
Forty-five minutes later, the three are now dressed in nice clothes and ready to leave for the courthouse. Makayla wearing a new dress that Kim got her for the special occasion, Adam a grey suit and blue tie that he let Makayla pick out, and Kim wore dress pants and a nice dress shirt.
The family of three leave their apartment and make the twenty-minute journey to the courthouse. The journey there is filled with excitement and some nerves.
When they arrive at the courthouse, they are greeted by Jay, Hailey, Kevin, and Trudy in the parking lot.
"Thanks for coming guys," Kim goes to hug her best friend.
"Wouldn't miss it, Burgess," Kevin responds.
"What are you doing here Sarge?" she looks to Trudy, shocked.
"You really thought I would miss this?" Platt answers her question with a question. "Randall would be here too but he had a shift."
The six adults continue their small talk for a few minutes before Kim ushers them into the courthouse. Adam and Kim both take one of Makayla's hands.
In the courtroom, the modern family of three sit at the table, and Kevin, Jay, Hailey, and Trudy sit in the first row of chairs behind them.
A few minutes after they arrive, Makayla's social worker and a lawyer walk into the room, joining Adam, Kim, and Makayla. It is not long after that that the judge- Ivan Matthews- walks in, causing everyone to stand.
"Please be seated," Judge Matthews tells them. "We are here today for the adoption of Makayla Ward to Kimberly Burgess."
"Yes," answers the lawyer. "I have all of the paperwork here," she hands it over.
Judge Matthews scans the paperwork quickly, "The forms seem to be in order. Kim do you have a custodian chosen in the event that you are unable to care for Makayla?"
"Yes, your honor," she answers quickly. "Adam Ruzek is custodian," she answers, quickly looking over to him.
"Okay, everything seems to be in order. I just have a few questions for you three before I make things official," he tells the small family.
At the word official, Kim smiles at Makayla and gently squeezes her hand. Adam has his own reaction of placing his hand on Makayla's shoulder.
"Kim, would you like to adopt Makayla into your family? To treat her and be there for her as if she were your natural-born child?"
"Yes, I do, your honor," Kim answers, smiling proudly at Makayla.
Judge Matthews looks to Adam, "Adam, do you understand the responsibilities of being custodian, need the need ever arise?"
"Yes, your honor," Adam answers confidently.
Finally, Judge Matthews looks to Makayla, "Makayla, do you want Kim to be your mom?"
"Yes," she answers excitedly, looking at Kim.
"Then in the authority invested in me," Judge Matthews declares while signing his name on the adoption certificate, "in the state of Illinois, I pronounce you a family. You are now Makayla Ward Burgess. Congratulations," he smiles to the untraditional family.
Kim pulls Makayla into a hug and they are then pulled into a hug by Adam. Kevin, Hailey, Jay, and Trudy all clap quietly, knowing they can't get too loud in the courtroom.
"Do you want to take a picture with the Judge?" the officer in the back of the room asks.
"Yes," Kim smiles, happy tears running down her face. She and Makayla stand up and she leads her to the Judge's seat where he is now standing. Kim stands on the left of Judge Matthews with Makayla in front of her, her hands on her daughter's shoulders, they all smile towards the camera.
The next picture that is taken is with Adam. He stands on her left, and Makayla is now between the two of them.
The final picture is with everyone. Trudy stands between Kim and Judge Matthews; Kevin stands on the other side of Judge Matthews and Jay and Hailey on Kevin's other side with Hailey in the middle.
Once again standing outside of the courthouse, the group makes plans to go to Kim's place after work to properly celebrate. Kim and Adam who have taken the day off for the adoption, have decided to take Makayla out for lunch while the rest of them need to go back to the 21st.
"Are you happy?" Kim asks Makayla while they are waiting for their food to come.
"Yes. Does this mean I can call you Mama Kim now?" she asks shyly.
"If that's what you want to call me," she replies to which Makayla nods.
"So, when are you getting her new birth certificate?" Adam asks Kim and Makayla draws on the back of her placemat with the crayons that the waitress brought for her.
"It should be anywhere between two weeks and four months depending on the courts," Kim answers. "But it doesn't matter; she's ours now- nothing can take her away from us."
That night, intelligence plus Trudy show up at Kim's where they have a cake that says Happy Adoption Day Makayla. Everyone chats happily, enjoying each other's company; proud of Kim and how much progress Makayla has made- shocked at the new name Kim holds.
But what they are most happy about, is how their work family is starting to grow again.
"The world may not change if you adopt a child, but for that child their world will change." — Unknown
A/N: Thanks for reading. I've been wanting to do this one for a while. The fact that the last time the new birth certificate was shown and it still needed to be signed by the judge and hasn't made a passing phrase since, makes me nervous. I am still on the minority that believes Kim still hasn't been able to Adopt Makayla yet. And this "uncle" is another hurdler before she can.
I was hoping to get the cover art at the same time, but I doubt I will finish it today. Keep an eye out on my Twitter and Tumblr for it, I'm excited for it.
In a lot of states, a foster child needs to live with their foster parents for a certain amount of time before they can be adopted. In Illinois, it is six months. I follow a family on YouTube who have fostered and adopted many times and they have stated that the child gets a lawyer appointed by the state. They advocate for the child and deal with things such as name changes (sometimes a child may want to change their name [first or middle], or sometimes changing the name is in the best interest safety of the child. They channels are called CRazy Middles and Crazy Pieces"
