A Melwood Story

/ chapter forty /

A Melwood Story
Chapter 40

Melissa

It's been a week since we went and saw Baby Boy in the hospital and we still haven't heard back about possibly adopting him.

We've been going about our lives as usual. Waking up in the morning. Then all six kids get in the car. Nya, Lulu and Max go to the elementary school a few blocks away from our house. Sofia goes to preschool along with Kaleb. Adaline sometimes goes to daycare when Chris and I both have busy schedules. Other than that, she stays with us.

It's two in the morning when my phone starts ringing. It would've been Chris's if he was reliable enough with picking up his phone. But it's mine. I rub my eyes and look at the time with enough mild surprise to make me actually pick up my phone at this time of night. I press accept on the call without looking at who was calling, then I rush out of the room and down the stairs to answer it.

"Hello? Is this Melissa Benoist?" The person on the other end of the phone asks.
"It is," I say. "Who is this?"
"This is Penelope Paul," says a woman. "I'm Baby L's social worker. I read his file and called the first number on it. It says here you were interested in adopting."
"We are, yes."
"Great!" the woman sounds wide awake considering what time it is. "Would you like to meet at my office around nine a.m. today?"
"That would be wonderful," I say. "Where's your office located?"
"Do you have a piece of paper to write it down?"
I run into the kitchen to grab a paper and pen. That's when I see Nya sitting under the light at the kitchen island, reading. My eyes widen at her for a moment in surprise, but I grab a pen and paper to write the address down first. "I do."

After she tells me the address I hang up and turn around the face Nya. "What are you doing up?"
"I couldn't sleep," she says. "And I didn't want to wake Lulu, so I came down here to read."
"How long have you been down here?"
She rests her forehead on her hand. "Around an hour. Who was on the phone?"
"The baby at the hospital's social worker," I tell her.
"Are you and Chris going to adopt him?" She knows that she needs to stop calling her dad by his real name, but she continues to do it.
"Nya Anne." I narrow my eyes at her as I rest my elbows on the counter. "You need to stop calling your dad by his real name. He's your dad."
"Certainly doesn't feel like it," she says. "I'll call him dad once I feel like he's my dad."
"He wasn't Lulu and Max's dad, but he raised them and they still call him dad," I remind her.
"He's only here because I decided that what Lulu and Max wanted was important to them. Doesn't mean the decision what at all what I wanted. I did it for Eloise and Maxwell. No one else. Not even you."
"I get it, okay. I get it, but as long as you promise you're trying to give him another chance. To let him back into your life."
"I am."
"Promise me."
"I promise you mom that I'm trying to forgive Chris and give him a chance," she says. "Now. Are you guys going to adopt him?"
"Maybe." I smile at her. "Would you mind having another brother?"
"Not at all," she tells me. "As long as I have some say in his name this time. Who the heck names their child Kaleb with a K?"
"Okay, okay," I say, almost knowing she was going to bring up Kaleb's name. "What were you thinking?"
"I really like the name..."

Nine in the morning rolls around too fast. I ended up talking with Nya until four in the morning, and then it took me until seven to fall asleep. Chris was then up at eight to get Adaline, who is the first of the kids to get up, which enivitibly ends up waking me.
I catch him right before he leaves the room to get Addy. "Chris! Hey!" I rub my eyes gently so I can see him clearer.
He turns to face me. "Sorry, did I wake you?"
"No, it's fine, actually," I say. "I got a call last night from the baby at the hospital's social worker."
He takes a few steps closer. "Really? What did they say?"
"She wanted us to come to the hospital at nine."
"Nine?" He looks down at his watch. "Mel, it's eight fifteen already."
"We'll make it." I roll over and stretch my arms.