Just a Background Character

Chapter 17: New Family

 "What do you mean momma?" Annie asked while staring at Mom in confusion.

"How would you feel if we adopted Hannah, Atlas, and Henry?" Mom clarified.

"Like make them our siblings?!" I bounced in excitement, joy making me dumb.

"That's how adoption works," Dad smiled.

"Yes! I would love that so much!!" I said a little too loudly.

"Can we mommy? Can we really?" Annie squeaked.

"Yes, my daughters," Mom smiled.

"What do you think, little buddy?" Dad asked, ruffling Calvin's hair.

"Me won't be the youngest?" Calvin looked between Mom and Dad, his expression unreadable.

"No, Henry will probably be the youngest," Mom said carefully, not sure how Calvin would react.

"So me can boss him?" Calvin looked at them with wide eyes.

"I guess you can," Dad shrugged.

"Yippee!" Calvin smiled.

Everyone laughed. How silly little kids could be sometimes!

"Ok! Lets go!" Dad exclaimed standing up.

"Go where?" Annie asked.

"To pick up our new siblings silly!" I laughed.

"But how are we going to get there?" Annie questioned.

"Silly girl, you ask too many questions! We rented a van," Mom giggled.

Dad grabbed Annie, and placed her onto his shoulders. He then took Calvin's hand. Mom took Calvin's other hand, and swung her arm over my shoulders. Together we walked to the rental van as a family soon to be complete.

After everyone was in the van, we left. Luckily, the group home wasn't too far away. When we got to their, they were already waiting for us. We all traveled home, chattering the whole way. As we approached the house, I could see it was still the same. Maybe even brighter or happier. Dad pulled the van into the garage.

"When do we take the van back?" Annie asked.

"Honey, did I say we were renting it?" Dad looked confused.

"Yeah," Annie responded.

"I meant we bought it. We have a bigger family now. We need a bigger car," Dad explained.

"Oh, cool," Annie shrugged.

"I'm hungry!" Atlas complained.

"You always hungry!" Calvin rolled his eyes.

"Am not!" Atlas hissed.

"Are too!" Calvin hissed back.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Okay! That's enough!" Mom scolded loudly.

Calvin stuck his tongue out at Atlas.

"Hey! He stuck his tongue out at meeeeee!" Atlas whined.

"Calvin don't stick your tongue out at Atlas!" Mom scolded.

"How about we all just go inside?" Dad suggested.

"Sounds great," I mumbled, desperate to escape being trapped in this car.

Everyone piled out of the car and into the house.

"Atlas! Want to go play barbies with me?" Annie asked once we got inside.

"Sure! But I get to play with the purple haired one!" Atlas said defiantly.

"Deal! As long as I can play with the blue mermaid," Annie smiled widely.

"Deal!" Atlas smiled back.

Both of them scurried upstairs.

"Play with trucks with me?" Calvin asked Henry.

Henry nodded viciously.

Both of them smiled, before hurrying upstairs.

"Are you two hungry?" Dad asked Hannah and I.

"Yeah," Hannah and I both responded at the same time.

"Let's go to the kitchen to get something to eat. I think Kylie bought some cosmic brownies before we got arrested," Dad informed us.

We both nodded before following him to the kitchen.

"Where's Kylie?" Hannah asked.

"I don't know, probably sleeping," Dad shrugged.

"What was the group home like?" I said, glancing at Hannah.

"Fine. No one really took care of us. We could do whatever we wanted, and we always had access to food and water. But I like it here better," Hannah sighed.

"I'm glad to hear that!" Dad smiled, throwing each of us a cosmic brownie.

"When is the court date to settle the adoption?" I asked Dad.

"Tomorrow," Dad blinked at me before smiling even wider.

That next morning we all woke at the crack of dawn. Everyone bathed that morning, and dressed in their nicest clothing. My hair was quickly brushed and curled. I threw on my deep sapphire blue dress, and did my makeup before heading downstairs to meet the rest of my family. Hannah had on a dark rose colored dress, and her hair was perfectly straightened. Annie wore a dark emerald green dress that complimented her shamrock eyes, and her hair was curled to match mine. Atlas was dressed in a light blue simple dress, and her hair was curled to perfection. Henry had on a traditional black suit, and his hair was perfectly combed to one side. Calvin also wore a traditional black suit, and his hair was shaved at the sides, but long and combed at the top. Dad had on a traditional black suit with his hair combed to one side. Mom was dressed up in a deep ruby dress, and her hair was straightened perfectly.

"Are we ready to do this?" Mom asked, smiling.

"Definitely," Everyone else responded at the exact same time.

After the court session, everyone walked out of the court house with smiling faces.

"Are we really adopted now?!" Atlas asked excitedly.

"You really are! We're one big family now!" Mom smiled, pulling Atlas into a side hug.

"Can we see the certificates?" Annie asked meekly.

"Maybe when we get home, pumpkin," Dad smiled.

"Can we go to chicken wing place?" Henry piped in.

"You want to go to the chicken wing place? Are you hungry?" Mom laughed, ruffling Henry's hair.

"Yes! Yes!" Henry chanted.

"Ok, we can go as long as you help me catch Hannah and Evelyn," Dad said thinking he was whispering.

"No!" I giggled.

"Don't do it Dad, or Mom will get you!" Hannah laughed.

Mom and Dad exchanged a shock glance. I don't really know why. Maybe because Hannah called them Mom and Dad? It was the first time she did that after all.

"That's right, I'll get you!" Mom laughed after a second of recovery.

"No you won't!" Dad yelled playfully before taking off running down the sidewalk.

"Hey!" Mom screamed before chasing after him.

Together they sped down the sidewalk.

"They're acting like children!" Atlas laughed.

"They are children," Annie responded, completely serious.

"But they're family," I smiled.

"Yes, our family," Hannah beamed.