Chapter Thirty-Five:
Enjoy.
Everyone is at the airport waiting for Jeff's parents to arrive.
"Will they like me?" Johnny questions nervously.
"Of course they will, you have talked to each other on the phone a lot." Jeff assures him.
"I know, but what about in person? What if I am not what they expect?" He worries that they don't like him and stop the adoption.
Jeff kneels down to be the same height. "Buddy, they are not like Edge. They will not stop me from being your dad. They are very excited to see you. Do you want me to greet them and then introduce you?"
"Yes please." Johnny says innocently.
"Okay buddy. You stay here with mommy and Joan. I will wave you over when it is time."
"Can you just come and get me? I don't think I can move myself I will be too nervous."
Jeff laughs. "Okay buddy." He messes up his hair.
"Hey!" Johnny glares at him before fixing it.
"Mom. Dad. How was your flight?" Jeff greets them as they get off the escalator.
"Very tiring." His father reveals.
"Don't listen to him because he didn't get his peanuts."
"They are supposed to be complimentary. Every flight has to ask if the passengers want peanuts."
"Did you ask dad?"
"Of course I did, they still wouldn't give them to me." His mother in the background shakes her head no.
"Maybe they didn't give you them because you take them all. You know other passengers need to eat them too." Jeff suggests the reason on why his father didn't get any peanuts.
"It is not my fault that they have them in small packets. You only get like ten peanuts in one bag. I need at least thirty peanuts."
"Maybe you can sneak peanuts on?" Jeff jokes.
"Nah, so where are our soon to be grandchildren?"
"Yes, I can't wait to meet them." Jeff's mom enthusiastic speaks.
"They are over there. Stay here and I will bring them here." He runs to them. Johnny hides behind Jeff's leg as he holds his arm tight. Johnny takes a peek when they stop to see smiles.
"Hello Johnny." Mrs. Hardy greets.
"Hello." He greets nervously.
"Johnny, come on." He brings him forward. "Mom dad, this is Johnny." He puts an arm around his shoulder. "And this-" He waves Joan over. "This is Joan."
"Hello." She greets sweetly.
"Hello, don't you look pretty." Mrs. Hardy compliments.
"Thank you." She smiles.
"What about me?" Johnny asks braver than before.
"Ah, there he is." His parents acknowledge. On the phone, Johnny is quite confident and a charmer.
"I don't know, what do you think, dad?" Mrs. Hardy asks her husband.
"He looks quite handsome just like Jeff did at his age."
"Really." He is proud to get the compliment.
"Of course, how about we go home so you can show us around?" Mrs. Hardy suggests.
"Sure, I will show the tour." Jeff says.
"No I will." Johnny rebuts. He grabs his future grandfather's hand to guide him to the car.
"Wait buddy we need our luggage."
"Okay." Johnny let's go as he taps his foot very impatient.
"Johnny, how about you tell me about this past week as your father and grandfather get the luggage?" Mrs. Hardy offers seeing Johnny's impatience.
"Sounds great." Johnny utters all excited. The girls and Johnny go to a table while Jeff and his father grab the luggage.
"This is delicious." Mr. Hardy compliments. They are at Jeff's house eating lunch with Lita's parents.
"Thank you it is my specialty." Mr. Dumas reveals.
"You must tell me what you put in this one because my husband doesn't eat mine." She takes a spoonful of fettuccine in her mouth
Mr. Hardy stops. "Well-" He ponders on an excuse.
"Just kidding honey, but you do love my spaghetti, right?" She sternly asks.
"Of course no questions ask there is nothing that compares to my sweetie's sauce and meatballs." He pecks her.
"We must exchange recipes because my husband doesn't like my spaghetti and meatballs." Mrs. Dumas looks towards her husband.
"I do." Mr. Dumas rebuts.
"I know you put it in a container to give at work." She smirks.
"Damn." He snaps his fingers. "I mean I don't I love your cooking." He hugs her.
"You just don't like that dish?" He shakes his head.
"Mom, after you and dad settle in we need to go to Child Services." Jeff remembers.
"Why is that, son?"
"Child Services just wants to verify everything."
"They don't think we are your real parents." They both question surprise by this.
"It is not that. Since the Edge situation, they just want to make sure no one dangerous visit or comes near the children."
"Okay sure, we will go tomorrow." They understand the caution with new people around them.
"Great."
"So, I want to apologize for my other son's behavior here and at work. I don't know why he acts like that." Mrs. Dumas apologizes to Lita.
"Who are we talking about?" Johnny wonders.
"We are talking about your soon-to-be uncle, Matt."
"Daddy, you have a brother." He asks Jeff.
"Yup." He hopes he will leave like that.
"When can I meet him?" Everyone except the children gulp as to how to answer the question.
"Not anytime soon." Jeff replies. "He is trying to find his old self again. When he is ready, he will come back to be a proper uncle for you."
"Is he in jail?" He asks. Usually when someone needs to come back means that they are in jail to his knowledge.
"No buddy, how about we call him and you can talk to him?" He offers. Lita, her parents and Jeff's parents expand their eyes in shock.
"Baby boy, I don't think that is a good idea." Mrs. Hardy very concern for Johnny. They don't know the conversation their son were involved in.
"Trust me mom." He smiles as he dials the number. "Now buddy, he will be in shock, but be patient with him." Jeff hands Johnny the phone.
"Okay."
"Hello brother." Matt greets.
"Hello Uncle Matt." He greets nervously.
"Johnny?" He is speechless that he called him.
"Yes it is me. Daddy dialed your number for me to talk to you. Are you in jail?" He asks him. Jeff chuckles at his question.
Matt doesn't answer right away. "Daddy, he is not answering."
"Just wait buddy this is new to him."
"Okay." He continues to wait.
"No Johnny I am not." Matt finally speaks after two minutes.
"Oh that is good. Dad said when you are ready, you will come back to be an uncle to me. It sounded like you went away." He offers his opinion.
"I have to go away to find my old self again. I have done some bad things and I want to do the right thing for you and your parents."
"Oh you know mommy?" He inquires.
"Yes I do. I know here as long as your dad does. Your dad really loves her along with you and your sister."
"You think so." He smiles.
"I know so."
"So you went away to be the best Uncle you can be?" He clarifies.
"Yes."
"I hope you come back soon. I want to meet my first Uncle to look after me when everyone else is busy." He is excited for this meeting.
"I will try. Can you give the phone to your dad?"
"Of course. Dad!" Johnny calls out. "Uncle Matt wants to talk to you."
"Hello." Jeff greets.
"Thank you for that." Matt appreciates.
"You just give him what we had with our uncles." He tells him having faith in his big brother.
"I will." Matt speaks with confidence.
Next day:
The Hardys wait for their turn to meet with the head of Child Services. "How long do we have to wait?" Johnny huffs.
"About ten minutes. You wanted to come instead of staying with Joan and Lita."
"I want to spend as much time with my grandfathers. They are only here for a week." He sits on his grandfather's lap.
"Oh okay I'm sorry."
"Mr. Hardy, Susan will see you now." The receptionist informs them.
"Thank you." Jeff appreciates.
As they stand, they see Michelle exciting the office very distraught.
"Michelle." Johnny calls out.
This perks up her mood. "Johnny, what are you doing here?" She hugs him.
"Jeff's parents are here. They need to speak to the head of Child Services."
"Oh, it is probably to verify their names. It is nothing to serious." She assures him.
"Why are you here?" He wonders.
"Can you keep a secret?" She asks in a quiet tone.
"Yup I can."
"You can't tell your father." She warns.
"Umm… then I can't. I don't want to hide things from him." He pouts.
"I will tell you anyways." She whispers. "I am going to adopt Jamie."
"Really!" He yells out which catches everyone's attention.
"Yes, I am going to adopt her as soon as a situation is resolved." She whispers again.
"What is the situation?"
"Someone wants to adopt her too."
"Oh no." He covers his mouth. "You will win. You have known Jamie longer. You are with her every day. No one is better than you." He confidently assures her.
"You are right, Johnny. I just have to fight harder, but what if she chooses the other person?"
"She won't. Joan and I won't allow it." Johnny won't accept Jamie being adopted by another person.
"Johnny, I don't want you involved. This has to be complete Jamie's decision."
"Fine." He huffs.
"Johnny, come along they are waiting for you." Jeff waves him over trying not to overhear the conversation.
"Okay."
"Stay positive Michelle." He hugs her tight."
"I will." After thirty minutes, they exit with approval from Child Services.
Edge knocks on Jamie's door. "Hello."
"Edge, you are early. I am still in my pajamas." She is at her closet looking for an outfit to wear.
"I thought we eat some of your favourite breakfast." He shows her the bag.
"You are best. I just have to pick my outfit for today."
"What about your outfit for you party coming up?"
"I have that already picked out." She shows him the dress she is wearing. Edge is proud that it is the dress he bought for her.
"Are you sure you want to wear that?"
"Of course, it is my two favourite colours blue and yellow. Plus, it came from you." She smiles. She gives him one more chance to have him redeem himself.
"I know you don't like dresses, but this just jump at me to buy it for you." He is very slowly reconsidering his plan.
"I didn't know clothes can jump at you." She giggles.
"They all do when it is perfect for someone." He continues the joke.
"I see." She finally takes out a yellow top with black jeans. "What do you think?"
"The colours look like a bumble bee." He jokes.
"Then you can call me bumble be for today."
"If you want." She nods. "Then it is settled. Bumble bee, you get ready while I set up our breakfast."
"Sounds like a plan." She walks to the bathroom.
Michelle enters the shelter to see Edge and Jamie have a wonderful time. "They have been like that since he has been here." Tori, her helper, informs.
"I thought so. Jamie can give second chances if they stick around and fight for it."
"So you are worried about her choosing him?"
"Truthful, I am concern. I just don't want her to be hurt again."
"Will you tell her or will you let Child Services tell her?" She refers to Jamie having to choose between them.
"I should tell her, right?" She is all scrambled in her mind of what to do.
"Personally, you should tell her before Child Services does." She advises since Jamie trust her.
"Okay thanks." She walks over to Edge and Jamie.
"Michelle." Jamie greets. "Do you want to play?"
"Maybe later, I have to talk to you." She tells Jamie.
"Sure, what do you want to talk about?" She rolls the dice for their board game.
"I have to talk to you in private." She looks at Edge.
"I will get us some drinks."
"Thank you for that." She appreciates. "So, what do you want to talk to me about?" She turns to Michelle.
"I have good news. I just came from Child Services. They said they have accepted my application to adopt a child." She announces her news.
"Oh I am happy for you. The child will be in good hands." She is bum that she isn't adopting her.
"I hope so because the child I am adopting is you." Michelle reveals.
"No way." She is surprise. "You are going to be my mother." She smiles.
"I can be, but there is a situation." Jamie raise her eyebrow. "Someone wants to adopt you too."
"Who?" She doesn't know anyone else who would adopt her now. Michelle signals to show it is Edge. "You mean Edge." She nods. "He said is not thinking about it now in the future he said."
"Maybe he wants to surprise you."
"Maybe, so I have to choose between you or Edge." Jamie doesn't like this news.
"Yes sweetie. You need to think really hard about this. You pick the one who is better for you. I don't know when you have to make the decision, but you will have to."
"Do I really have to?" She is just a kid she is not ready for decisions like this.
"It is either you or Child Services will. The choice is up to you. I won't be mad if you choose him."
"Thanks for talking to me about this." Jamie appreciates the heads up.
"You are welcome."
"Hey, I got you a drink as well." Edge hands her a drink.
"Thank you, so I talked to Child Services. For the benefit of Jamie, you order is lifted. When the party begins to when you are done cleaning up after that it still stands." Michelle informs him.
"I appreciate you talking to them. I just want everyone important to her to be there."
"I do too. I let you two continue your game." Michelle excuses himself.
"Please join us Michelle." Jamie pouts.
"You should join so someone can join me when I lose."
"Yes because I always win." She speaks proudly.
"I guess." She sits next to Jamie who gives her, her game piece."
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