Protecting and Healing You

Chapter 16.

"By the state of New York I hereby give full custody of Nellie Bruno to Leo Hughes, effective immediately"The judge ruled before banging her gavel. Nellie immediately jumps off the chair and into Leo's arms. He chuckles as he lifts her up and hugs her tightly.

Finley and I walk up to the two "Congratulations"I greet Leo as he wraps his arm around me.

"Thank you beautiful"he kisses the side of my head as his mother and Isla come over. We all congratulate Leo and Nellie before exiting the courtroom.

"Well shall we head to lunch?"Leo asks as we walk out of the courthouse. We all nod, agreeing. Amelia couldn't be here cause she took my shift so I could be here, but I told Leo that she congratulates him and Nellie.

"Ready to head to lunch pumpkin?" Leo smiles down at Nellie, she was swinging back and forth while holding both Leo and I's hands.

"Yep!" She says excitedly. I smile at her.

I loved how in the recent weeks Leo has been calling Nellie pumpkin, I thought it was adorable when I first heard him say it. We were heading to lunch rather then dinner tonight because we'd be heading off to Vermont for Cooper and Jane's wedding which is taking place this weekend.

"Daddy do you think they'll have Shepard pie?" Nellie asks as he lifts her up and sets her on his hip as we wait for a cab. We were heading to Serendipity 3, Leo would think it would be a good place to celebrate.

I smile at Nellie at the fact she calls him daddy "I don't know pumpkin, we'll have to see"He says.

"We'll meet you guys at the restaurant" Stephanie nods at us as a cab car stops in front of them.

"Yea, reservations under my name"Leo tells his mother. She nods.

We soon got our own cab and the three of us slide into the back as Finley slides into the passenger seat. Nellie sat between us, very giddy and full of energy.

I listened to the two boys conversation with Nellie as we rode to the restaurant.

"Alright, who's hungry"Finley says as he closed the cab door behind me.

"Me!"Nellie raises her hand jumping up and down.

"Alright ma'am lets get going"He says and extends his hand out. Nellie takes it before the two walk into the restaurant.

Leo wraps his arm around my waist and stops me from following the two "Hey"He says, I look up at him "I love you" He says. I smile.

"I love you too"I say back. He kisses me quickly before we enter the restaurant.
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"Are my two favourite girls ready for breakfast?" Leo asks leaning on the door of the bathroom.

Nellie and I look at him and nod. I quickly set Nellie on her feet considering she was sitting on the bathroom counter watching me curl my hair. I unplug the hair curler before we exit the hotel room. We got to the hotel last night after taking the train from New York.

"Can I have pancakes?" Nellie asks as we walk down the stairs, Leo and I hand in hand as Nellie walks a front of us, skipping down the steps.

"Yea with lots of syrup I hope"I tease to Nellie, she giggles.

"Wow hey there sticky fingers"Leo says as he picks Nellie up "Not to much remember all those drawings from last week"He gives her a pointed look and she mirrors it.

"Fine"she pouts as we walk into the dinning area of the hotel for breakfast. Luckily there were pancakes for Nellie and she immediately and eagerly demanded those be the top priority.