Adopted by Hamilton

Chapter 45 - Papers

The final bell rung in algebra. I was still really shaken up about what had just happened. I stuffed my notebook into my bag and zipped it up. Anthony crept into class and knocked on the corner of the wall.

"Abigail?" He asked, stepping inside. I pulled my backpack on, and stood up. I crutched over to the front of the classroom.

"Thank you Mr. Carlson!" I called back to my teacher, and left the room.

"Aside from the obvious, how was your day?" Daveed asked as we walked to the front of the school.

"Fine. Nothing much happened." I took a deep breath, "listen, do we have to tell anyone what happened today?"

"Of course we do. Why do you ask?" Anthony responded.

"I guess, you've just given me, well, a security detail." Anthony opened the door for me, "thanks." I responded to that, "I can take care of myself."

"To be completely honest," began Daveed, "no you can't. That's not something to be ashamed of either. Firstly, you can run away from anyone, and physically, you're not the strongest person I know."

"We're just trying to make sure you're safe." Anthony reassured.

"Ok, but, I guess..." I trailed off, I was going to try and tell them what I had told Nick earlier. I couldn't exactly do it.

"We can have a cast meeting. We can tell everyone at once. Or you can let us tell Lin, I mean, he's the only one who really needs to know."

"The second one." It seemed much less daunting and it did not require me talking to the entire cast. Daveed drove home, with me in the back seat. He pulled up in front of the theater and I got out. "Guys, thank you so much. Seriously, I don't know what would've happened." With that, I got inside.

The Richard Rodgers does not have an elevator. Have you ever tried to climb 3 flights of stairs on crutches? It's not fun, but I conquered it. I did my homework in my room, for almost an hour, until people started to show up. I was a little nervous for Lin to find out what happened today, everyone was working really hard to make sure it didn't. I heard the commotion downstairs, and I knew that Anthony and Daveed were probably telling Lin, and I buried myself in my blankets, not wanting to talk to anyone. I heard footsteps coming toward my door.

"Abigail?" Lin opened my door slowly, "are you alright?" I pulled myself up, unburying myself.

"I'm fine, honestly, I'm ok." I responded, moving to sit against the wall, with my legs over the side of my bed.

"Listen," he started sitting down next to me." I... I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry." I blurted.

"Wait. Why?" He turned to face me.

"I ruined everything, I'm just making everyone's lives harder. I'm sorry. This wasn't what you were expecting, I know it wasn't. When you decided to foster me. This isn't what you were expecting, and I'm sorry."

"Actually this is exactly what I was expecting." I was confused, "I found you in a grocery store, with a massive bruise on your face. I saw you again the next day, with more. I got a call from DHS at 11:00 at night asking me if I could pick you up a week early, because the police found you passed out on your kitchen floor, after your brother threw a massive party. I knew what I was getting into, but more importantly I knew what you were already in."

"You can give me back. It's too hard. I'll be fine." I was crying, and I was serious. I was just making everyone's life harder, I was making Lins life harder, the whole casts lives, Williams life. I just want to do this alone, this way the only person that gets hurt is me.

"Honey, I signed adoption papers this morning." He pulled me into a hug, "not final yet, there's still an adoption hearing, but I signed the papers."

"You're going to adopt me?"

"That was always the plan. What did you think we were going to do?"

"I don't know. I guess, no one has ever had that intention."

"The hearing is in 2 weeks, I was waiting to tell you, but I think you needed to hear it today."

"Thank you so much." I hugged him. I couldn't believe what was happening, I was going to be a part of a family again.

"Legally, I'm adopting you, because apparently, a Broadway cast cannot legally adopt a child," I laughed a little, leaning on him, with him holding me. I had a dad again. "But, everyone else would still definitely be very involved." He checked his watch, 5:45, "hour and 15 minutes until curtain." He announced, "I should go. Are you working tonight?"

"Yeah. From 6 to 7. Why?"

"No reason. If you see Nick again, tell him to watch his back. Not only did he break your ankle, but it's just getting worse, and trust me it's going to stop."

"Break a leg!" I called to him as he walked left my room to get ready.

Thanks for reading

-Abi