lost little one

chapter 11

i heard my name, so i opened my eyes and rubbed them, trying to grasp what was going on. lizzie was sitting on the other couch, wearing a smile.

"what's going on, lizzie?" i asked, still a bit confused

"just you and lia. you two looked so sweet together" she replied, her smile warm.

"oh, i think i have a bit of an understanding of what's going on" i informed her.

"you do?" she asked, sounding confused.

"yeah, i think so. when you left the trailer, i went over to lia and spoke to her. she turned to look at me and asked where you were. then she started asking more questions, wondering if you had left her and saying she knew this would happen. i explained to her that you were just filming a scene, and i asked if that's what had been bothering her lately. she shrugged her shoulders, so i assured her that we didn't need to talk about it right now. then we ended up playing a game, and she got tired, and i guess i did too" i explained, summarizing the interaction with lia.

"oh, that poor little girl. i should tell her about the adoption thing, right?" she asked me.

"maybe, honey. i think she needs that assurance that you're not planning on leaving her" i replied.

"i'll talk to her later when we get home" she smiled.

"yeah, that might be a good idea" i shrugged.

lia reached her hand out for my hand, and i held onto it gently to avoid hurting her. lia then sat up upon hearing lizzie's voice.

"lizzie!" lia squealed, hopping off me and running over to lizzie. lia wrapped her arms around lizzie, who sat her on her knee.

"hey, little bug" lizzie smiled warmly.

"hi, lizzie. i missed you" lia told lizzie.

"i know, hun. i missed you too" lizzie smiled back.

eliana's pov:
i missed lizzie so much, and i couldn't be happier that she was back. spending time with scarlett was enjoyable, but i missed lizzie too.

"can we go to your trailer, lizzie?" i asked shyly.

"of course, hun. we'll catch you later, scar" lizzie said.

scarlett smiled and said goodbye before we left her trailer. lizzie carried me in her arms, and when we got to her trailer, she sat me on the couch next to her.

"lizzie?" i asked.

"yes, love?" she responded.

"when are we going home?" i asked curiously.

"um, i finish for the day at 2:00pm, and it's 11:20am now, so roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes" she explained. i nodded my head.

"do you have another scene today, lizzie?" i asked.

"yes, one at 1:00pm, but chris and scarlett are filming a scene. so who would you want to stay with?" she asked me.

i didn't quite know the other people who were here, so i didn't know what to say. instead, i shrugged my shoulders.

"we've got the other chris, you've met him before. it wasn't for long, so i don't know if you'll remember, but we can go see him if you like?" she offered.

i nodded my head, and lizzie picked me up in her arms, taking me to see the other chris.

"hey, chris, this is lia. you've met her before" lizzie said.

"yes, i remember. how are you doing, lia?" he asked.

he seemed nice, but i've learned not to trust people on first impressions. although i did with lizzie. she was different. i didn't know what it was.

"hi, other chris. i'm good" i replied.

"lizzie, put me down" i added.

she smiled and nodded before gently setting me down. i walked over to chris and lifted my arms, signaling that i wanted to be carried. he looked at me with a confused expression.

"lia wants to be carried, idiot" lizzie laughed at him.

he nodded understandingly and lifted me into his arms. i started to play with the collar on his top, feeling comfortable and content in his embrace.

** time skip to back at home **

i was lounging on the couch, idly watching something on tv, though i couldn't quite place what it was. meanwhile, lizzie was in the kitchen, fixing herself a sandwich and grabbing a glass of water for me.

moments later, she returned, handing me the glass, which i accepted gratefully as she settled down beside me to enjoy her meal. after finishing her sandwich, she finally spoke up.

"hey, lia?" lizzie's voice was gentle as she spoke.

"yeah?" i replied, a hint of uncertainty creeping into my tone.

"as you know, i've been moving forward with the adoption process, right?" lizzie's question hung in the air.

"yeah" i responded cautiously, wondering where this conversation was headed. did she have second thoughts? was she backing out?

"i spoke with my lawyer, and she managed to get the judge to send over some paperwork. it's just a sheet of questions for now, but the forms are on their way. i dropped off the initial paperwork two days ago. so, we're just waiting for the forms to arrive, and then i'll need to return them to the same place. after that, there'll be a court date set once the judge reviews everything. i'm not sure how long that'll take. eventually, a social worker will conduct a home study. they'll interview some of my family members, and they'll also be present at the court date to provide references. normally, i would need parental consent, but given the circumstances and their neglect, i don't believe that'll be necessary. once all the paperwork is sorted and consent, which we shouldn't need, is obtained, the court will schedule a hearing to finalize the adoption. during the hearing, the social worker and my family members will speak to the judge and answer any questions. chris hemsworth has agreed to speak, along with my sister ashley and so has scarlett. the judge will review the case, hear everyone's testimonies, and if satisfied, issue a decree legally establishing me as your mom" i explained, trying to convey the complexity of the process.

"so, this is good news, right? getting the paperwork and the forms on their way—it's a positive step?" i responded optimistically, a smile spreading across my face.

"yes, honey, it could definitely be a good thing" she replied, returning the smile.

"so, there's a chance you could become my mom?" i asked eagerly, hoping for confirmation.

"yes, there's a chance of that happening" she affirmed warmly.

"i can't wait" i said, enthusiasm evident in my voice.

"do you know what else will happen at the court hearing?" she inquired, sensing my curiosity. i shook my head, a bit nervous about what might come next.

"the judge would probably expect you to share about your parents neglect and everything" she explained gently.

"oh.. in front of all those people?" i replied, feeling a twinge of anxiety.

"yes, honey. try not to focus on them. think of me and the positive outcome this could have, okay? you'll do great, and i'll be there, even if i'm not right next to you. you'll be okay, hun" she reassured me with a comforting smile.

"thank you, lizzie" i said, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over me.

authors note:

word count: 1218