Perry was able to acquit Linda Osborne. After, he and Della had made a decision. They knew the woman was having difficulty being around Peggy. "You'd what?" the woman asked in shock.
"We'd like to adopt Peggy," Della said.
"You could still see her, but she'd have parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins," Perry said.
"Well, you'd have to ask her. I'm not her legal guardian or anything."
The couple walked back into the living room with Linda behind them. Perry crouched down in front of Peggy who was sitting on the sofa. Della sat next to her, "Peggy," Perry said, "how would you like to join our family?"
The little girl looked up at Della, "really?"
Della's eyes watered, but she smiled and nodded. "We have to tell you something before you decide. You see, we're having another baby."
"You're having another baby? Why would you want to take me when you'll have so many kids already?"
"Peggy, we want you because we fell in love with you the moment we met you. After Nicky and I had visited you that first time, he even knew that I was already thinking about taking you home."
"You're sure?" she asked the couple.
"We wouldn't ask you if we weren't," Perry said.
Peggy threw her arms around Perry, "oh, yes, I'd love to go home with you." The little girl hugged Della.
"Peggy, why don't you get your things together?" Linda suggested, "you can go with them now if you'd like."
"I'll file for emergency custody and then we'll begin the adoption process," Perry said. He'd ask Paul to bring the paperwork to the Jeffers' home. He and Della filled them out. Perry took the forms to the courthouse while Della helped Peggy pack up. Once Perry returned, they had custody and an adoption hearing.
Peggy was very nervous when they pulled up to the Mason home. Perry and Della each took one of her hands and walked her into the house. Nicky saw the three and smiled, "told you so," he said to Della, "welcome home, sis," he smiled at Peggy. The little girl ran to hug him.
"Where are your sisters?" Della asked.
"Playroom with Jenny," while Nicky was old enough to watch his sisters, his parents wanted him to focus on his schoolwork. Besides, they all loved Jenny.
Perry and Della took Peggy to the playroom. Jenny stood and walked over with Maggie in her arms, "this must be the Peggy I've heard so much about," she smiled.
"Hi," Peggy said.
"Peggy, this is Jenny. She watches the younger children for us while we're at work," Perry said.
"Will she be watching me too?"
"Yes," Della said.
Jenny looked at the girl, "I know it's a lot. A new place, new people, but we'll have lots of fun."
"Is that Maggie?" Peggy asked as she pointed to the baby.
"Yes, that's your sister, Maggie," Della said. She pointed to her one-year-old, "that's Vivi," then she pointed to the two-year-old, "and that's Maureen."
"Peggy, would you like to stay in here with us?" Jenny asked.
"Sure," the girl said.
"Well, I have to leave soon, but I'll stay for a bit longer just for you."
The little girl sat with Jenny and the babies. She was nervous, but Jenny was quite helpful. It put a smile on Perry and Della's faces.
A month later, Peggy was Peggy Margaret Mason. She was still adjusting to her new home and family, but she was very happy. Phillip, Patrick, Penny, Daisy, Dan, and pops all welcomed the little girl. She never thought she could feel so much love. Perry and Della had made sure that Peggy had a great Christmas. It was her first with a family. She loved helping her sisters with their presents. A little after lunch, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it," Daisy said.
"Am I too late?" the man on the other side asked.
"No," Daisy smiled, "come on in." She escorted the man into the living room where everyone was. Dan stood to hug the man who was a few years younger than Della. "Everyone, this is Denny," Daisy said.
"Our son," Dan added.
Della's face dropped, "son?"
Perry began to worry. Her parents should have not sprung this on her like that. Especially since she was battling depression. "Nice to meet you, Denny," Perry said as he squeezed Della's hand. Della stood and rushed to the bathroom. Perry followed and rubbed her back as she got sick. When she was done, she sat with Perry against the wall. "Was that morning sickness or a result of what we just discovered?"
"Both," she said, "how could they do that? How could they leave me with Aunt Mae and keep him? Why didn't they send him away too?"
"You won't know unless you ask them."
"I can't today."
Perry stood and pulled his wife to her feet. Della swayed, "maybe you should lie down?" Perry suggested.
"Yeah, okay," Della said. Perry carried her up to their room and tucked her in.
"Don't get up if you feel dizzy. I'll be back to check on you." Perry returned to the living room.
"Where's Della?" Daisy asked.
"Morning sickness," Perry said, "she needed to lie down after. I'm going to check on her in a little while."
"Daddy, can we have cookies?" Peggy asked.
Perry smiled, "sure," he said and went to the kitchen.
"And milk, please," Peggy yelled, causing Perry to smile again.
Daisy and Dan followed their son-in-law into the kitchen, "why did Della really go lie down?" Daisy asked.
"She was dizzy after throwing up." Perry turned to look at them, "how could you do that to her?"
"Do what?"
"Just spring it on her that you had another child. A child you raised. After everything she's been through this year, you decided that was the right way to tell her?"
"We thought it would be a nice surprise, but I understand what you're saying," Dan said, "we never thought of that," he sighed. "Should we go up and apologize to her?"
"Not yet," Perry said, "she really doesn't feel well."
Perry took the milk and cookies out for the kids. An hour later, Della returned and sat on Perry's lap. "We didn't want to lose another child," Daisy blurted out.
"What?" Della asked.
"We kept Denny because we couldn't bear to lose him too. We were barely able to afford him, let alone you too."
"Besides, Mae said you were doing so well," Dan added, "we figured we'd screw up your life if we took you back."
"We're so sorry, dear," Daisy said.
"Okay," Della said. "Just give me time to wrap my head around this. Especially since my head is pretty fuzzy right now."
The rest of the day went very well. The children all had fun and the tension had subsided. Perry's family and pops left at around nine. Perry was putting the children to bed with Nicky and Peggy's help. Daisy and Dan were finishing up in the kitchen. "You have a great family," Denny said.
"Thank you," Della smiled, "they're your family too."
"I guess so," he chuckled, "look, I know you hate me..."
"I don't hate you. It had nothing to do with you personally. Mom and dad answered my questions for me."
Nicky walked into the room, "mom, Maureen is looking for her new doll."
Della spotted the doll a few feet away by the chair Denny was sitting in, "it's right there." Denny picked it up and handed it to Nicky, who took it upstairs. "I should really clean this place up more."
"I'll help," Denny said. The two stood and began picking up the living room. Della stood after picking something up and placed a hand on her head as she became dizzy. She moaned and Denny turned at the sound. "Whoa," the man helped his sister to the couch and knelt in front of her, "you okay?"
"Why am I so dizzy this time?" Della asked softly.
Perry walked in and saw the scene, "what happened?"
"She got dizzy picking up the toys," Denny explained.
"I'm so much dizzier this time," Della told her husband.
"Probably has something to do with your medication."
Della froze, embarrassed. Something her brother noticed, "it's okay," he said, "mom explained everything to me."
"What?" Della was a bit irritated.
"She wanted me to understand what you had been through and are going through right now so that I could be sympathetic. Also so I didn't say something stupid."
Dan and Daisy finished the kitchen and were getting ready to leave, "which hotel are you staying at?" Dan asked.
"You're staying at a hotel?" Della asked.
"Well, there's not enough room at our apartment. The beds we have are for toddlers or infants," Daisy explained.
"You can stay here," Della said.
"I don't want to impose," Denny said.
"I wouldn't have invited you if I didn't want you here."
Denny turned to his brother-in-law, "Perry?"
"I'd listen to the lady if I was you."
Denny got his things and canceled his hotel reservation. He was looking forward to getting to know his sister and her family. They, in turn, were excited to get to know him.
