Chapter 3
When they got to the mall, they were allowed to run on ahead to the benches by the fountains, to look at the fishes.
“She’s there again…Does that daughter of ours ever let his hand go?” Hank said, smiling at Joyce.
“She absolutely worships him, and I think it must be mutual, because he never moans, tries to let go of her hand, or wipes off her kisses!” Joyce said to her husband. They both smiled, reached the bench.
“Mommy, daddy, William said when he was in England, they had fishes, but in a tank in the house”
“Did you honey?” Joyce stroked her hand over his head. William nodded.
“Yes, my dad kept them, he had neon’s and goldies, guppies and silver fins…there was a stone bridge the neons used to hide under, and weed, and at the side, there was an air filter that used to bubble”
“Did you have any other pets?” Joyce asked. William nodded.
“Yes, we had a dog called Ben, and a cat called Sooty, but she had ca…can…I forget what it was called, but she had a lump by her tummy…the vet made her go to sleep” Joyce could see William begin to look a little sad, Buffy could see this too.
“Never mind” She hugged him, patted his back! Joyce felt the tears prick her eyes. Hank blinked…then spotted something.
“Hey, look, over there, see, there’s some jugglers, shall we go and watch them, while Joyce goes to the drug store?”
“Yeah!” happy, the two children jumped up and down.
“Can we go to MacDonald’s then, you promised?” Buffy asked.
“I did, didn’t I, ok then!” Hank said.
“Yeah!” Buffy and William raced off towards the jugglers.
“I won’t be long” Joyce said.
After shopping at the mall, and a trip to MacDonald’s, they went home. They helped putting the shopping away, and then they went and watched a video, The Lion King. They were both as good as gold, sitting quietly on the sofa, holding hands, not a peep out of them.
“Where are the kids, they’re quiet” Hank said, coming into the kitchen from working in the den.
“Go look…but don’t let them see you” Joyce said grinning. Hank came back into the kitchen from the lounge, he too was smiling.
“Didn’t even see me. So, what’s for dinner?”
“Well, the kids are ok having had McDonalds, they can have hot chocolate and cookies before bedtime, you and I have spaghetti Bolognese”
Both children had a shower before bed, and Buffy sat on William’s bed while he dried off and put his pyjamas on. Joyce read them a story, and carried a falling asleep Buffy to her own bed.
******************************
Saturday dawned with Buffy running into William’s room, and Joyce found them giggling, under the covers, playing with Buffy’s torch projector.
“Come on you two, breakfast” They had Cocopops and milk, then toast. They watched cartoons for a bit, played a game, did some colouring in, then went and played in the garden. After lunch they went swimming, and in the afternoon they went to a Wildlife sanctuary, and saw squirrels and rabbits and all sorts of other animals, including big snakes and spiders, they both loved it.
Joyce and Buffy didn’t love the spiders, though! In fact, Buffy was petrified of them and wouldn’t even look in the glass cases. As they’d been very good, Hank said he’d treat them all and they went out to a proper restaurant, and they both felt very grown up.
The waitress was very nice and kind to the two children. Buffy, (as usual) wanted the same as William, he ordered barbecued ribs and a loaded jacket potato, and apart from some tough potato skin, and the bones, obviously, they both ate every bit!
They were very well behaved, and didn’t play up at all. They got home, and both felt tired, they had a quick wash, and went to bed, Hank had left them both in William’s bed, and when Buffy was asleep, he carried his daughter to her own bed.
Sunday flew by, they went to the park in the morning, played on the swings and roundabout, fed the ducks with some stale bread Joyce had given them, and went to see Hank’s mother, Grandma, as Buffy called her.
She met William and liked him instantly. He was a good boy, and remembered his manners, said please and thankyou, and was very well behaved. Back home, and after a lunch of chicken, they watched cartoons on TV. But soon it was time for William to go back to the home.
He was quiet and looked a bit teary, Buffy was crying.
“Please mommy…I want him to stay!”
“And we do darling, but I’m sorry, he must go back to the home…if we keep him, they won’t let him come again, and we don’t want that, do we? We want William to be able to come every weekend…and if things work out, we might have a big surprise next week” Joyce said, trying to sooth both children.
They both sniffed and nodded. Joyce felt like crying herself.
“Have you enjoyed it, staying here William?” Hank asked, squatting down in front of him. William kept his head down, but nodded.
“Yes thankyou” William said quietly. Hank swallowed as his heart lurched, he desperately wanted this little lad to be happy, after all the sadness he’d endured in his short life.
“Good lad…it’s been great, hasn’t it…I thought next week, we could play soccer, if you want”
“Yeah!” William looked up and smiled. Hank grinned and stood, he had to blink away watery eyes.
“We better go, Mrs Betts said no later than 7.30pm”
“Ok…I’m keeping his pyjamas here…um, Will, you have some more at the home, don’t you?”
“Yes”
“Good, I’ll keep these here for next time, and I’ll buy you some slippers to keep here next week, ok honey?”
“Yes thankyou”
“Come on then, it’s ten past, we’ve got to back for 7.30, we don’t want to make Mrs Betts cross, do we, not the first time” Hank said. Tightly holding hands, the two children, suddenly leaden footed trudged slowly to the car.
They got to the home, pulled up. Buffy and William were both crying, although William was trying not to show it.
“You’ll see him tomorrow in class” Joyce said. They all went up the steps and Hank rang the bell. Mrs Betts answered the door, beaming them a smile.
“Hello, hello…had a nice weekend, William?”
“Great… I didn’t want to leave”
“He CAN come next week, please, we’re not late” Buffy said. Mrs Betts could see the tears.
“Well honey, I don’t see why not” She cupped Buffy’s face and smiled at her. They went into the TV lounge, while the adults talked. William went to the window and looked out at the moon.
“Before you go to sleep, look at the moon, and I’ll look at the moon, ok?”
“Yes” Buffy said solemnly.
“He’s had a bath…I’ve kept his pyjamas, he’s told me has more here” Joyce said.
“That’s fine…well, I must go, it’s nearly bedtime for him” Mrs Betts said.
“Come on then Buffy, say goodnight to William” Joyce came over and kissed his cheek, gave him a hug.
“See you in the morning” William nodded. Hank put his hand on William’s head, ruffled his hair.
“Bye then William, see you next week, we’ll go buy you some football boots, and then you can teach me the side off rule!”
“It’s off side…ok!” William looked up and smiled, Hank winked at him.
“Say good night, Buffy” Buffy turned to William and they hugged.
“Night William”
“Night Buffy…don’t cry, remember, look at the moon” She nodded, her bottom lip trembling. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, hugged her again, and Joyce had to turn away, biting her bottom lip. It was the most touching thing she ever seen. Even Mrs Betts said,
“Ah, that’s so sweet!” Once in the car, Hank bibbed the horn, and William waved, Buffy blew kisses, then she said,
“My William said, before I go to sleep, I must look at the moon, and he will” Hank and Joyce smiled, and they drove home.
Later that night in bed, Hank said,
“Have you noticed, with Buffy, it’s ‘MY William’ now, not just William!”
“Yes…she’s absolutely besotted with him, that this evening nearly had me in tears, when she was saying goodnight to him”
“Me too, look, I know it’s early days yet, but, well, he’s such a lovely lad…lets go all out for the adoption, shall we, I’d love to have him as a son.” Hank suggested.
“Oh yes! The earliest we can apply is after six months, then it takes approximately another six weeks for the application to be processed, meanwhile, we’ve applied to take him on holiday with us, and we can have him every weekend, well hopefully we can, then there’s Christmas, so that means…March, he could be ours by March”
“Buffy’s you mean, I think Buffy has ‘first dibs’ on him, don’t you!”
“You’re probably right there!”
“Tell you what…I’ve got some vacation time owing to me – how about if I go to the travel agents tomorrow during my lunch hour – see if I can fix up a decent holiday for us all”
“Oh Hank, that would be great – something the kids will enjoy!”
“Leave it to me!”
*************************
Joyce was just getting ready to go to school, when the mail arrived. There was an official looking letter from some solicitors.
“Hank, Darling, sorry to ring you, but I’m worried”
“Why, it’s not one of the children, is it?” Hank asked in a worried tone.
“No, no, they’re fine, it just…well, it’s a letter from Bellman and Jones”
“The solicitors?”
“Uh huh…”
“Well, what does it say?”
That’s just it; I’m too frightened to open it. What if this aunt May of his has gone into remission again, and wants him back?”
“Look, calm down…she’d still need help to look after herself, let alone a lively nearly six-year old. Besides, well, we could always take him to see her. Show her just how close William is to Buffy, and vice-versa, I’m sure she wouldn’t want to take him away from that”
“You think?”
“Yes. Now go on, open it, else I’ll worry, and I’ve got a meeting in twenty minutes.” Hank could hear Joyce opening the envelope, and waited while she read.
“OH, oh thank god!”
“What?”
“She says that, well, she is quite happy for us to continue with the adoption, she only wants the best for William, and the various social workers reports to her state that William has all the happiness love and stability that he needs with us…I was SO frightened, Hank – I don’t know what we’ll do if-!”
“Joyce! It’s ok honey. There’s no need to be frightened. Well, there’s no need to be frightened now…it’s good that there’s good reports, it can only help to sway the judge in our favour”
“Yes, I AM being silly, aren’t I?”
“I do understand love, but next week, well, we’ll go to the courts, and well, give it our very best shot”
“But what if?”
“LOVE!”
“Sorry”
“I have to go now sweetheart, I’ll see you tonight, ok, you’ll be ok?”
“Yes. And I’m sorry, keep worrying you like this…”
“That’s ok, bye now love, I’ll see you later”
“Bye” Joyce put the letter back into the envelope, and put it into her handbag. They hadn’t said anything to either Buffy or William, as they didn’t want to worry them.
Later that evening.
Hank came in through the front door, and looked around.
“Well?” Joyce looked up expectantly from her ironing, a smile playing about her lips.
“Where are the children?”
“Outside, playing” Joyce said, standing the iron up and she began to fold the shirt she’d just pressed.
“Get this, ten days, you me and the kids, four star hotel in Disney World, Orlando, Florida, 14-24th August!” Hank grinned, rubbing his hands together.
“Brilliant…they’ll really love it, mind you, so will-“ Joyce was cut off by Hank.
“Quiet………here they come, hello Buffy, William” They didn’t want to spoil the surprise.
“Daddy! – Guess what, my William and me are going to be in the school play” Hank squatted down and grinned at his daughter, gave her a kiss, he ruffled William’s hair and gave him a hug.
“Are you now…what are you going to be?”
“A princess, and my William is the prince” She beamed at her daddy. Buffy had started to add the little prefix, ‘my’ before she mentioned her brother’s name. She still hadn’t grown tired of holding his hand or kissing him either, not that William ever raised an objection!
“Will you be able to come and see the play, dad?”
“When is it?”
“Um…mom, when’s the play on?” Buffy asked
“The last day of school, not until the Christmas holidays though, Got months yet!” Joyce said.
“Oh now, I think I can arrange something, I’ve got to see my children act, isn’t that right, mom – I must come” Hank said, nodding.
“Yes, you can help too, I’m counting on it” Joyce said, folding another shirt and adding it to the pile.
“Is tea nearly ready mommy, my William and me are starving!”
“Ten minutes…you can go wash your hands…have you left any toys outside?”
“I left my football, I’ll go get it” William went out. Buffy waited for him in the kitchen. When he came in, they went upstairs and washed their hands.
“Ask William how he did in his test, I’m surprised that Buffy hasn’t-“ Joyce began, only to be interrupted by their daughter calling downstairs.
“Dad-dy!” Buffy called down. They both grinned. Hank went and stood at the bottom of the stairs.
“Yes princess?”
“Come and have a look at my William’s test!” Winking at Joyce, Hank started up the stairs.
“Look daddy, my William’s got all the answers right and come first!” Buffy proudly waved the piece of paper under her daddy’s nose. She was as pleased as if she’d come top.
“Hmm, let me see now…right!” Hank made a great show of putting his reading glasses on, and scrutinised the sheet.
“Hmm, what have we here…William Campbell, general test, 20/20! Wow, that’s excellent, where is he?”
“William, daddy wants you” Buffy called.
“You came top and got 20/20 in your test at school?”
“Yeah…it was easy-peasy!” He grinned. Hank came over and hugged him.
“Very well done, I’m very proud of you, kid!” Both children beamed.
“And how many did you get, Buffy?”
“Um…I forget” Buffy said, her smile fading. She’d secretly hid her paper under some comics. William knew this, but wouldn’t give her away.
“I think Buffy nearly got them all right, but got a couple mixed up” William said, diplomatically. Hank smiled.
“Is that right…did you do your best, Buffy?” Hank asked. Buffy nodded slowly, but not looking at her daddy. He noticed a bruise on William’s arm.
“How did you do that, son?”
“Um…I forget…playing, I think”
“It was James, he’s a meany…and a poopyhead” Buffy said, annoyed, rubbing Will’s arm.
“A what?” Hank asked, his brows raised, and smiling.
“A … poopyhead. He kicked me, and my William told him to stop it and say sorry”
“Did he. You look after Buffy then William?” Hank smiled and looked back at William.
“Oh yes. Boys shouldn’t hurt girls, James kicked Buffy, so I told him he shouldn’t do, and he better not do it again.” William said, looking at Hank.
“Quite right, too. No, they shouldn’t…tell you what, as you’ve been so good and clever passing your test, I think you deserve a treat…so, how about, after we’ve had tea, we go to Blockbuster, get a video, and then go get some popcorn. Would you like that?”
“Yeah!” The two children chorused.
“Buffy, William, Hank…Tea’s ready” Joyce called upstairs.
Come on!” The children went down, Hank went to get changed.
Sitting at the table, Hank said,
“As William’s so clever at coming top in his test, I said I’d take them to Blockbuster and then to get popcorn”
“I want Mulan” Buffy said.
“Well, as William came top, don’t you think that he should choose the film?” Hank said, looking at his daughter.
“It’s ok…If Buffy wants Mulan, it will do fine” William said, and Buffy smiled at ‘her’ William and loved him that little bit more.
Joyce and Hank smiled at each other. Hank did as he said, and took the children out, twenty minutes later they were back, and sitting on the sofa, hand in hand, watching the film. Hank joined his wife at the dining room table for coffee; she was reading the newspaper.
“You know, I swear if she’d have wanted a more ‘girlie’ one, like Cinderella, or Sleeping Beauty, he still wouldn’t have objected. How did Buffy do in the test, by the way, William was very diplomatic, and Buffy was positively cagey?”
“Well, she got 12/20…looks like we have the makings of one genius, anyway”
“Buffy was telling me how William protected her, what was the lads name now…James? He kicked her – Gave our Will a bruise, she called him a…what was it she called him now…a ‘poopyhead’, that’s it, a ‘poopyhead’! Where did she get that from?” Joyce flipped over the page and smiled, glancing up at her husband.
“I’ve no idea…he does look after her. They don’t play much with the other children…don’t get me wrong, they’re not anti-social, just they seem to prefer each other’s company the best”
“Well, let’s hope the novelty doesn’t wear off! So, when we going to tell them where we’re going for our holidays, I can’t wait!” Hank said, grinning.
“At the airport…else Buffy’ll drive us all mad, that’s if you don’t first!” Joyce said, grinning.
The following Weekend.
“Right, water’s turned off, backdoor’s locked, gas is switched off…timer is set for curtains and lights…and Mrs Koprinski has the key so she can get the mail and water the plants…I think that’s it…only the alarm to do now” Joyce said.
“Does Mrs Koprinski know the combination to the alarm?” Hank asked.
“Yes…I’ve written it all down for her, and the name of the hotel where we’re staying…have you got the cases all packed?”
“In the trunk. I’ll just check the garage is locked, then, we can go!”
“Right, I’ll go wake the kids” Joyce said.
“William…come on kid, wakey, wakey”
“Huh…what’s the time?”
“It’s very early…still nearly the middle of the night really, but come on, put your track suit on quickly, were going on holiday!” He got out of bed and dressed, went for a wee.
“Buffy, come on love, wake up”
“Huh…what…where’s my William?” she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. Joyce smiled.
“Come on Buffy, we’re going on holiday!” William sounded so excited. Buffy bounded out of bed, and put on her matching tracksuit and sneakers, she too went to the toilet.
“It’s still night time! Where are we going?” Buffy asked. They bounded out to the car, leaving Joyce to lock up as Hank did up their safety belts. They drove off, and soon Hank was on the freeway.
When William saw the direction sign, and saw the little aeroplane motif, he smiled.
“Are we going on an aeroplane?”
“Yes!” Hank said. Buffy’s eyes went huge, then she and William looked at each other, and smiled.
“Are we going to see the queen?” Buffy asked.
“No, something you’ll like even better, we hope” Hank said.
“Where?” Buffy asked all excited, she’d never been on an aeroplane before.
“Where does Mickey Mouse live?” Joyce asked.
“Disneyland!” They both chorused, grinning like mad.
“We’re going to Disneyland?”
“Disney World, Florida!” Hank grinned, glancing at the children through his driving mirror, they looked so excited.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Okay for those who have asked me if this story is going to see our fave couple grow up....The entire story is actually already written, there are a few more chapters when they are small, we'll have holidays, illness, a wedding, then they grow.....get to college....trials and tribulations of teenage life...up to adult hood for them - hope that keeps everyone happy! -LoobyLoo