Maureen worked night and day to finish Shania's room. All the Bohemians were excited for their friends. finally, Joanne and Maureen went to go pick up Shania. Shania was waiting in the office with a suitcase next to her.
"Ready to go?" Joanne asked. Shania slid off her chair and nodded. Maureen picked up the suitcase. "Say bye to Miss Alice." Shania gave Alice a hug.
"You keep in touch," Alice said as she returned the hug.
"I will," Shania said. She let go of Alice and slipped her small hand into Joanne's.
"Thank you," said the lawyer. Alice smiled.
"You're welcome." Shania said one last goodbye, and she left with Maureen and Joanne.
Shania sat quietly in the backseat of the car, swinging her legs back and forth slightly. Maureen turned around in the front seat to face her new daughter.
"We painted your room bright green with polka dotted stuff," she said. Shania looked up. A small smile crept across her face.
"Really?"
"Would
I lie to you?" Shania giggled. "That's what I thought."
Joanne pulled into a parking space in the garage under their
apartment building.
"Well, here we are," the lawyer said. Shania climbed out of the car and stood by the trunk. Joanne grabbed the suitcase while Maureen took Shania's hand. The newly formed family went up to their apartment.
Shania's eyes nearly doubled in size when she saw her new bedroom. She gave both Joanne and Maureen each a huge hug.
"I love it! It's perfect!" she exclaimed. She ran around not knowing where to look first. Maureen rested her head on Joanne's shoulder.
"You did a great job with her room, Honeybear," Joanne said quietly before kissing the top of Maureen's head. The diva smiled. Joanne's cell phone began to ring in her pocket. Sighing, Joanne pulled out her phone. "Hello? Kevin, I can't come in. can they come back in the morning? Okay, give me an hour. Bye." Joanne hung up her phone and put it back in her pocket. "I'm sorry, Maureen."
"Pookie, you took the day off!"
"I know, but its urgent. Look, I'll pick up some fast food for innder on my way home. I'm sorry baby, really, I am." Shania came up the couple with a book from her bookshelf in her hands.
"Mama, can you read this to me?" she asked Joanne.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go to work for an hour or two. Maybe Mommy can. I'll pick us up some fried chicken on my way home. Now, I really need to go get changed and go." Joanne kissed the top of Shania's head and went to change.
"Okay, what book do you want me to read to you?" Maureen asked. Shania held up the book so Maureen could see the title.
"This one!" she replied cheerfully.
"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, okay." Maureen and Shania sat on the bed, and Maureen began to read aloud.
When Joanne returned home two hours later, Maureen was still reading aloud to Shania. The lawyer chuckled as she stood in the doorway to Shania's room. Maureen looked up and smiled.
"Hey Pookie, how'd it go?" she asked. Joanne sat on the end of Shania's bed.
"I'll be happy when this case is over. These people don't know what they want to do." Maureen leaned over and whispered something in Joanne's ear.
"I'll give you something special if you can make it to the end of the case without complaining," she whispered. Shania strained to listen. Joanne couldn't help but smile. Maureen was using her own bribery to stop whining against her.
"What are you laughing about?" Shania quipped.
"Nothing," Joanne replied. "Now, we should go eat dinner. Someone has school tomorrow."
"What if they don't
like me at school?"
"They will, don't worry. I know it's
scary to go to a new school, but you'll make friends," Maureen
assured. Shania still looked apprehensive but didn't say anything.
That night, Maureen was in bed trying to sleep while Joanne was in the shower, when the bedroom door slowly opened.
"Mommy?" Shania asked quietly. Maureen rolled over.
"What's wrong? You were supposed to be asleep three and a half hours ago," she said. Shania twirled her hair around her finger nervously.
"I can't sleep." Maureen held up the comforter so Shania could crawl in bed with her.
"Come on sweetie, you can sleep with us tonight." Shania curled up next to Maureen with her head on the diva's chest. Somehow, her thumb found its way into her mouth as her eyes slipped closed.
When Joanne came out of the bathroom in an oversized t-shirt and ready for bed, she found Maureen and Shania already asleep. Smiling, Joanne shook her head. She crawled into bed and kissed both Shania and Maureen on the cheek.
"Night," she whispered in Maureen's ear. The diva stirred, but remained asleep. Joanne slid under the covers, and soon, she too was asleep.