Enjoy the chapter.
Chapter Twenty-six:
They are back at home for some home cook supper. Lita's parents offer to cook supper to celebrate. They had a feeling that they both ace their interviews. Her parents are on one side with Joan and Johnny in between them. Still no one knows about the result of Jeff's conversation with Child Services.
"So sweetie, how was your interview and evaluation?" Mrs. Dumas asks.
"There wasn't any of that, mom." Lita replies casually which confuses everyone.
"What do you mean by that, baby girl?" Mr. Dumas inquires.
"After the situation yesterday, they re-evaluated my application. They said that they are still caution about the information, however, they have approved my application." She smiles.
Joan screams in excitement. "You are going to be my actual mommy." She gets up to hug her tight.
"That is right, Joan I am one step closer to becoming your mother." She hugs her back just as tight.
"So when is she staying here?" Mr. Dumas asks. They have a few apartments to pick, but want to choose the apartment when it is official.
"She will start to live here tomorrow. I am on probation until they see fit to see that I am perfectly qualified to adopt Joan."
"You are qualified; you are the perfect one and the only one." Joan compliments.
"Thank you, but I have to prove to them I am. They will be checking up on me every week to see how Joan is adjusting. I also have some conditions to follow."
"That's great, baby girl. I am so proud of you." He is proud of his daughter's determination to adopt Joan.
"How about you, Jeff? How was your interview and evaluation?" Mrs. Dumas changes the subject to have it focus on him.
"Yes, how did it go, baby? You said we would discuss it later." Lita asks as well.
"Well, it didn't go as quickly as LIta's; it took about two hours before they left. They asked me about my family, my support system, and my living arrangements. I have about a week to make my home comfier for Johnny. They don't approve yet that I had no separate bed for each of us. They said I need more food besides a pie on the counter. Also, I need to make sure I have security and locks for my home. They are coming in next week to re-evaluate the house."
"So, they didn't approve your application?" Lita asks upset.
"They partial did. They just need to wait a week to see my house again to official approve it."
"I can't stay with you until then?" Johnny questions.
"I am sorry Johnny no, but we can hangout everyday along with Lita and Joan. The shelter will just be a place where you sleep at night. Maybe tomorrow, you can pick out your bed and anything you want for your bedroom. How does that sound?"
"It sounds great I am just upset that I can't stay with you yet." Johnny picks at his food.
"I'm sorry, Johnny. I should have made my home better for you. This is all my fault and know you are upset." He blames himself.
"Oh Jeff no. I am excited to live with you I just wish it would be tomorrow and not a week from now. I have waited 12 years I can wait another week. You are the first person to ever want to adopt me. Some families don't want a teenager to take home with them." He restates his words.
"Oh buddy come here." Jeff extends his arms. Johnny sits on his lap. "You don't have to worry about that anymore. Lita and I are very determined to make sure we adopt you; the both of you. No one is going to tear us apart, okay."
"Yes Jeff." He feels better that he doesn't have to wait for another family to adopt him.
"Now finish your supper, buddy. Afterwards, we are going to beat the girls in videogames." He whispers in his ear.
"Hey! We heard that. You two are going down." Lita and Joan put their game faces on.
"Ooops, Jeff I think we angered the female lions." Johnny jokes.
"I think we did, buddy. You have to tread softly and cautiously." He warns as the girls roll their eyes.
Mr. and Mrs. Dumas observe their duaghter's future family interaction with each other. "This is what she deserves."
"You are right, sweetheart. Nothing will get in the way of this." Mr. Dumas promises.
Edge is still in the house across from Lita's house. He looks his binoculars to see them have a family dinner. "Damn, what does it take to put some strain on their life. Everything seems to go so smoothly for them. It seems like nothing bothers them." He should have come up with more, deeper information. As he looks around the house, the doorbell rings. "Who could that be? No one knows I am here." He opens the door to have two police officers there. "Hello officers, what can I do for you today?"
"We are here to give you this." One of them hands him an envelope.
"What is this?" He opens the envelope. "A restraining order?"
"Yes sir. According to Child Services, you must be 200 meters away from Amy Dumas' home and her presence. This also includes anyone close to her, especially Joan."
"How long is this order for?" The order all reads until they see fit. He can't believe Lita would do this.
"It is as long as Child Services deems fit just like it reads. You living in this house is in violation of that order. You must pack your valuables and come with us or leave to live 200 meters away. The choice is yours, sir." One of them reveals his options.
Edge is furious by this order. How is he going to ruin their lives now? He can't contact Lita because she probably changed her number or won't even look at his calls or messages. Maybe, he can still screw up Jeff's adoption through Johnny.
"Sir, you have to leave now." The officer warns.
"Yes officer, I'll be right out." He leaves the door open to get his bad with some clothes and toiletries that he brought with him. "What about all my food and supplies in the kitchen?" He wonders.
"They will be donated to shelters around the city."
Edge follows the police officers out as the Dumas' family still have no clue that he was living across from them. They escort him 200 meters away from the home before leaving. Luckily for him the hotel nearby. He checks in for the day. "Stupid Lita giving me a restraining order. It might protect her and Jeff, but I will convince Johnny to see that Jeff is a bad man. I just need Jeff's cell phone number." He dials a familiar person who would want the same thing.
"Hi Matt." Edge smirks.
"Hi Edge, how is it going?" He hasn't talk to him for a while. Since he can't go near Lita and Jeff, he can't help.
"Horrible, I tried to ruin everything, but it always backfires. She put a restraining order on me so I can't be close to them and their children."
"Their children?" Matt questions. He wasn't aware that they had children already together. He also wasn't there when Jeff called his family about the adoption.
"Yes, Lita and Jeff are adopting a child each. I tried to halt the application, but that gave me this 200-meter order. Although, there is good news. My order doesn't cover Jeff's child. I need his cell number to convince the child that Jeff is a horrible person. It will be like a chain reaction. If he thinks he is a bad person, he will warn Joan that Jeff shouldn't be with her. They will break and be miserable."
"Why didn't he tell me?" He wasn't paying attention to Edge's plan. This information hurts him that he wasn't told he will become an Uncle. Wait until he tells their family about this information.
"Hello, I need the number." He doesn't care about Matt's family problems.
"Oh right." He gives him the number.
"Thanks, just stay out of the way I've got this handled." Edge hangs up. He doesn't want any more problems for him.
"Oh Jeff, you are in big trouble." He dials a number. "Hello mom, I have some important information to tell you." He walks into his bedroom.
Jeff and Lita are dropping Joan and Johnny off at the shelter. "Joan, don't forget to pack all of your belongings for tomorrow." She advises her so they can just have to pick her up.
"Yes Amy I will." She smiles very excited to live with Lita tomorrow.
"Hey buddy, you stay strong. One more week and you will be in the same position as Joan; it will fly by." Jeff comforts Johnny.
"It will be so fast that it will be like it was just yesterday." He keeps a positive attitude.
"That's right." He is proud of his strength and positive mind.
As they finish their goodbyes for now, Jeff receives a phone call. He smiles at the number to tell them the good news. "Hello mom, I have good news. Well, we have good news." He excitedly announces.
"That's great, baby boy, but I have some bad news."
"What is it, mom?" He is nervous on what happen to his family.
"Jeff, he knows. Matt knows about your adoption."
"What do you mean he knows? Did someone call him about the news?" Jeff freaks out a bit knowing that his brother hasn't gotten over costing him his career.
"I don't know how he knows. He just called me a couple minutes ago to reveal that you are adopting a child. After I hanged up, I called you." She is very concern for her youngest son.
"Does he know that you already knew?" Maybe if they pretend it is a shock for them it will be less damage to him.
"I am sorry Jeff he does know that you have already told us. He is really angry and hurt that you didn't tell him that he is going to be an Uncle." She is reveals.
"It is okay, mom. I will deal with him when I have to. Besides that, everything is fine." He changes the subject to hopefully something happy.
"Yes everything is fine. We actually got a puppy to keep us active. We don't have much to do without you two to take care. We miss you both. I hope you, Lita, and the children will come visit us soon." His mother hopes.
"We will when this adoption is finalized. Speaking of that, I am almost approved for the probation period to have Johnny live with me. They are coming next week to re-evaluate my home. It wasn't up to par that last time they saw it."
"Oh baby boy, why didn't you say anything? Your father and I could have flown out or at least you send you some furniture for the house." She offers.
"It is okay mom, I don't want to have too much furniture because Lita and I are going to buy a big house after we are official parents to Joan and Johnny."
"Make sure you call back to inform when that is. I can't wait to meet my grandchildren." She is so excited to meet them.
"I will mom. Tell dad I said hi."
"I will. If you need anything you let us know."
"Yes mom. Call you later, bye."
"Bye, baby boy." She hangs up the phone.
"I am guessing Matt knows about us adopting Joan and Johnny." Lita asks. Jeff looks at her and gives her a sad nod. He caught up with Matt knowing that he forgot that his girlfriend was right beside him.
Review.