***The next morning***
Jennifer woke up when McKenna woke up and took her downstairs.
She got her a bottle and then mashed some avocado for her.
She put her in the high chair and began to feed her.
Pretty soon, Savanna came downstairs.
"Good morning, lovebug".
She climbed in her lap and snuggled with her while she fed McKenna.
Jonathan came down a little while later and made them coffee.
"Morning, darling".
"Morning".
She leaned up and kissed him.
"Morning sweetie pie".
He tousled Savanna's hair.
"Bahman".
"Hey Monkey".
He brought Jennifer some coffee and sat down next to her.
"Savanna, do you want some breakfast?"
"Yes. I want the white eggs like Aunt Jeffer eats, and the red stripes".
It took them a minute to figure out what she meant, which was scrambled egg whites and bacon.
He made them all some, and after Jennifer was done feeding McKenna, she snuggled Savanna for a bit.
Max came in from getting the paper and had donuts for everyone.
Luke came downstairs right after that, and had a couple donuts.
"Ok, as soon as everyone is dressed and ready, we can go to Disney Land."
"Let's go!"
Savanna took off running upstairs to get dressed.
Luke was excited too.
"Uncle Jonathan, do we have to go to school out here, ever?"
"Probably. But not today".
"Alright!"
They all went upstairs and got dressed, and came back downstairs.
Jonathan had hired a babysitter that Susan had recommended, and she showed up right on time.
"Hi, I'm Whitney".
"Hi, I'm Jennifer Edwards".
"And I'm Jonathan Hart. This is McKenna".
"We are going to Disney Land. So, if you need something, call Dr. Kendall's office. If it's an emergency, we can be paged at Disney Land. And Max, our houseman, will be in and out all day".
"Yes ma'am".
Jennifer showed her where the bottles were and where she had written down everything.
"I mashed up some bananas and some sweet potatoes, for her lunch. She loves the bananas. But, she hasn't had sweet potatoes yet, so if she doesn't like them, it's ok. She also likes avocado, and you can mash her another ½ of one if you want. Her crib is the pack n' play upstairs in the library. We haven't gotten the crib set up yet. And she loves her jumperoo. This is her stroller, if you want to take her for a walk. If you take her for a walk, please just stay in the condo parking lot".
"Yes ma'am".
"Oh and she loves to say "Batman". So, when she says it, we just sing the song to her, like Da na na na na na na na na na Batman, batman. She'll usually say the Batman part".
"Help yourself to anything in the fridge, and we will be home by dinner time".
"Ok, have fun!"
They both gave her tons of kisses and then headed out.
They had a fun day at Disney Land, and rode all the rides they could. Savanna was scared silly after riding the Haunted House, and it took Jennifer about 30 minutes to calm her down.
They played all the games and Jonathan won Savanna a big bunny rabbit, and Luke a big light saber.
At the last game, he and Jennifer raced with water pistols, and he won Jennifer a huge stuffed Monkey holding a heart with an arrow through it.
They got everyone one last snack and then headed home.
Jonathan held Jennifer's hand as they walked through the park. She was holding Savanna and Luke was walking up ahead.
"This has been the most fun day".
"Yeah, it was, wasn't it?"
She put Savanna in the car and got her buckled.
Jonathan held Jennifer's door open for her and then kissed her before she got in.
They drove home and both kids fell asleep on the way.
They came inside and put the kids on the couch.
"Hi, how was she?"
"The most adorable baby ever. She was so good!"
"Did she like the sweet potatoes?"
"Oh yes. She was diving for the spoon, and couldn't get enough".
"Great, great".
Jonathan pulled out his wallet and paid her double.
"Do you need a ride home?"
"No, thank you. I have my car".
"Can we call you again?"
"Absolutely".
"Thank you so much, we will see you again soon, I'm sure".
Jonathan saw her out and then came back inside.
McKenna was in her jumperoo, playing and enjoying herself.
The kids were on one couch, so Jennifer and Jonathan took the other.
She snuggled up to him and he put his arms around her.
"Darling, we need to talk about what we are going to do. Luke asked me today if they were going to school out here".
"What do you want to do?"
"I think we should talk to the lawyer and have him advise us. I don't want to jump the gun, but I don't want to break any laws either".
"Same here".
"We need to get a bigger place, if we can. And we need to make sure that there is no way Abby and Mike can get them back. And, we need to figure out what we are going to do tomorrow".
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah. We need to take them somewhere so they get fresh air. What do you think about the zoo?"
"I love that idea. I can work a half day in the am, and we can take them in the afternoon. We can take McKenna too, in the stroller".
"Great idea".
"Darling, why don't you go take a hot bath? If they wake up, I'll take care of it. And I can take care of her next bottle, too".
"Great idea".
She kissed him a few times and then went upstairs.
After a blissful relaxing bath, she came downstairs in her pajamas.
Jonathan had made McKenna a bottle and was feeding it to her.
"Did she eat her other food?"
"No. I gave her something yellow, squash maybe? She spit and sprayed it all over me".
"Well, that wasn't very nice, monkey".
"She thought it was pretty funny, but I disagreed. So, we made a bottle and came in here".
"Well, I'll get her some bananas".
She mashed her up a banana and brought it to her and fed her while Jonathan held her.
"Yummy, that's right. You love bananas".
After she finished her bananas, Jennifer took the bowl and spoon to the sink, and then came back and took her to the sink for a bath.
Max came home and found Jennifer giving McKenna a bath.
"Hi Max".
"Hi Miss Edwards".
"Have a good time?"
"Yeah, I did. My horse came in first and I won 4 hands of poker in a row".
"That's great".
Jennifer dried McKenna off and took her to the den to put a diaper on her and some pajamas.
Her eyes were getting very tired.
Jonathan had fallen asleep on the couch.
Jennifer put McKenna in her jumperoo, and then curled up on the couch with Jonathan.
In his sleep, he wrapped an arm around her.
After about a half hour, McKenna started to whimper, so Jennifer took her upstairs and put her down.
She came back downstairs and woke up Jonathan.
"Darling….darling….wake up. Let's go to bed".
"Ok".
"You get Luke, I'll get Savanna".
They got the kids upstairs and got them settled, and then went to bed themselves.
She took off her pajama pants and climbed into bed.
She snuggled up to his chest.
"Darling, if you want me too, I can go put on a lacy nightgown".
"No, that's ok. My head is really hurting me tonight."
"Do you want me to get you some medicine?"
"Please".
She got up and got him some of his headache medicine and a glass of water. He took it and put the water on his nightstand.
She climbed back in bed and they fell asleep.
***Around 2 a.m.***
Jonathan and Jennifer were sleeping.
Savanna woke up and came in their room and climbed into bed with them.
About an hour later, Luke came in and was saying he was hungry.
Jonathan took him downstairs and got him set up with cereal, and told him he could watch TV in the tv room quietly if he couldn't get back to sleep.
He went back upstairs and found Savanna singing in the bed next to Jennifer.
"Sweetie pie, it's the middle of the night. It's sleepy time".
"No it isn't. it's play time. I'm playing with Aunt Jeffer".
Savanna had put Jennifer's hair into a ponytail.
"Want to watch TV with your brother?"
"Sure".
"Ok, but you have to be quiet".
He took her down the hall to the TV room and turned on cartoons for them.
He came back to bed and wrapped his arms around Jennifer, and they slept another hour or two.
At 5:11, Savanna came into their room crying.
Jennifer woke up this time.
"What is it, lovebug?"
"Luke said I was stupid because I didn't want to watch his xbox game".
"Oh honey, it's ok".
Jennifer sat up.
"Wait a minute. It's 5 in the morning. Why is he playing xbox?"
"Uncle Jonathan said he could when we got up earlier".
"Oh, I see."
They laid there a few more minutes and then she and Savanna went downstairs.
"Want to help me do something?"
"Yes, I do".
"Ok, well you can help me make Uncle Jonathan a special breakfast".
"Ok, that's a good idea".
She heard McKenna so she went to get her and brought her down. After a diaper change and some mashed bananas, she made her a bottle and let her feed herself.
She had just finished Jonathan's breakfast when he came downstairs.
"Morning darling".
"Morning". He kissed her.
"I made you an omelet. Ham, bacon, sausage, cheddar".
"Sounds wonderful".
He grabbed her head and kissed her again, and she had a puzzled look on her face.
She reached up and grabbed her hair and realized that her hair was in a ponytail.
"Did I go to sleep with my hair in a ponytail?"
"No. Two kids woke up about 2 a.m. and decided it was party time. One came in our bed and the other came in and said he was hungry. And then after I got him cereal I told him he could watch TV in the tv room, quietly. And when I came back upstairs, she was awake and telling me it was play time and that you and her were playing. So, I got her to go watch Tv with Luke so that you and I could sleep".
"Oh, that explains it. About 5 a.m., she came in and said that Luke called her stupid and they had an argument over the xbox."
"Well, I guess we've learned our lesson letting them sleep all night too early".
"Yeah, I guess so".
He sat down and ate his omelet and toast, and Jennifer sat next to him. Savanna climbed in her lap.
"After Uncle Jonathan gets home, we are going to take you guys to the zoo".
"The zoo?! I love the zoo! It's my favorite place to see animals!"
Jennifer chuckled.
After he was finished, Jennifer did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen.
They went and put McKenna in her jumperoo, and Savanna got on the couch to watch cartoons.
Jennifer walked Jonathan to the door.
"I love you, darling".
"I love you too. Tonight, why don't we give them some sleepy medicine so we can have some special alone time?"
"Jonathan, I will not. We will just tell them it's bedtime and they can't come out of their bed unless they are sick, bleeding, or the house is on fire".
"Ok, deal".
"Pick up some nightlights on your way home, please?"
"Sure thing".
"I love you".
"I love you too".
She gave him several kisses and then he left.
She ran upstairs and took a quick shower and got dressed and came back downstairs.
Luke was downstairs on the couch with Savanna when she came down.
Max was sitting on the couch with McKenna.
She was blowing raspberries at him.
"Miss Edwards, this one don't smell too good".
"Ok, I'll change her".
She took her and changed her diaper, and got her all cleaned up.
They spent the morning laying around, and Jennifer had just started making everyone lunch when Jonathan got home.
"Darling, can I see you in the den? Max, can you take over?"
"Sure".
Jonathan and Jennifer went into the den.
"So, my PI called me back this morning. The locks are on the house and there is a cease and desist letter on the door. My lawyer also sent a letter to the Elliott's informing them that we would be retaining custody and sole possession of the children and the estate for the time being. My PI said that yes, they went to Disney World. And that he researched Caroline's birth certificate. What was her last name in college?"
"Jensen".
"That's what I thought. Ok, so the Caroline Jensen that he found didn't have a sister named Abby".
"She didn't?"
"No. He said that according to his research, an Abigail Montgomery contacted Mr. and Mrs. Michael Jensen and told them she was their long-lost daughter. She insinuated that Mr. Jensen had an affair that resulted in her conception. He agreed to a DNA test, and it came back that she was lying. 4 months later, Mr. and Mrs. Jensen passed away in a car accident. And remember how she told you that Patrick's parents are passed away? That's not entirely true. His dad is passed away, but his mom is alive. And he has a sister, Julie in Portland. She's coming down this weekend to see them. I talked to her myself this morning. She said she and Patrick had a disagreement over their dad's care, and haven't spoken since Luke was a baby".
"Oh my goodness".
"I told her how we believe they were most likely mistreated by Abby and Mike and she assured me that she and her husband, I think she said his name was Sean, would never do that to them. She was so grateful that we took them and were taking care of them".
Jennifer nodded.
"There's more. As it turns out, Easton and Parker aren't really their kids. They are Mike's kids from his first marriage, and he failed to return them after a visit, so they are considered kidnapped. And there is no medical program, either. They aren't in any kind of formal schooling. He supports them by working odd jobs."
"Wow. So, are they going to be arrested?"
"Yeah, and we should receive a phone call in the next day or two from Easton and Parker's real mom"
Jennifer was very quiet.
"I want to meet her first. Julie, I mean. I mean I want to really meet her and talk to her, before we let her take them with her".
"I agree completely".
"I want us to hammer out an agreement where we can see them whenever we want to, and we stay in communication. They need that. We are the only constant they have in their lives right now".
"Whatever you want, we will work it out".
"And they have to agree to let them be in the wedding".
He embraced her and loved on her some.
"It's ok, darling. They aren't going back to Abby and Mike."
Jennifer sighed.
"When are they going to be here?"
"Tomorrow morning, around 10".
She nodded.
"I think we should tell them so they aren't scared".
"Ok, let's go tell them".
They went to the kitchen and sat with the kids.
"Kids, we need to talk to you".
"Do you guys remember your mom and dad talking about an Aunt Julie or an Uncle Sean?"
"She sends us birthday cards every year. The ones with the dollar in them".
"Oh yeah. I like her dollars".
"well, she is coming here tomorrow to meet you guys, and so is Uncle Sean. And we are going to talk to them, and we promise that if we think they won't be nice to you, you are going to stay with us. If we think they will be nice to you, then we are going to work out something where you live with them and then you see us like once a month or so".
"I don't want to see aunt Abby and Uncle Mike".
"You won't. I promise you we won't let you go back to them, ever".
Jennifer gave Savanna a long hug.
"Luke, did Aunt Abby ever unpack the boxes that we sent with you guys?"
"No. She put them in the attic and wouldn't let us touch them".
"Ok".
Jonathan got up and made a phone call.
He came back a few minutes later.
"My private investigator is going to be sitting at their house when they arrive back from their trip and will make sure they are taken into custody, and will get the boxes from the house".
She nodded.
"We are so sorry you guys have gone through this. If we had known they weren't going to treat you nicely, we would have never let you go with them".
"Is the new aunt going to treat us nicely?"
"If she doesn't, she will answer to us".