emma and denny get their new family!
WHO: Emma & Dennis Creevey with their adopted children, Jo and Adam WHAT: Picking up the kids! WHEN: Monday afternoon WHERE: Ministry RATING: PG STATUS: DONE!
Emma was over the moon. She had barely stopped smiling since she and Dennis had gotten the news that they were allowed to bring home little Adam and Joanna, the two orphans who had lost their parents suddenly. She had spent weeks making sure the rooms were perfect, the toys matched what the social worker said they enjoyed, and buying all the food that was their supposed favorites. However, today? Was the day they actually got to bring home the little angels. They had met them oh so briefly when they signed the papers, but Emma and Dennis hadn't really gotten to hold or play with. Really, Joanna had scowled mostly, but Emma just knew she'd come around in time. Walking to the spot in the ministry where they'd agreed to meet the worker and children, Emma clung to Dennis' hand. She swung it like she was twelve again. "Can you believe it's happening?"
Squeezing her hand gently, Dennis laughed at her enthusiasm. He was pleased that she was so excited, but he couldn't help but still be a tinge nervous. Yes, their new children were beautiful. The baby had worn a bright smile when they'd tickled him, and Joanna, though quiet, was a picture perfect child. But the fact remained that they were someone else's children, in the end. While they could give them love, give them a home, and give them guidance, they weren't a replacement for the parents that they'd lost. Who knew how accepted they'd be stepping into the roles only so recently given up?
Still, Dennis hadn't seen Emma so happy in a very long time, and he didn't want to put a damper on her mood. "It's about time," he agreed, releasing a long breath. They'd tried for more children for so long, that it almost felt impossible to think it was happening. "Are you sure you cleaned their rooms?" he teased again, because teasing was the only way he was going to get through this without passing out.
Emma rolled her eyes, giving him a playful shove in the side. "Brat." Yes, she had gone over-board. She knew it as well as her husband and baby girl. But they loved Emma enough to go along with it and placate her. For that? She knew she was the luckiest wife and mother ever. "I think this is it! Oh!" Fanning herself, she swallowed hard to keep back tears.
"Don't you dare pass out," Dennis whispered into her ear, taking in a sharp breath himself. There was no turning back now. For any of them. He offered the social worker, Mrs. Sanderson, as bright a smile as he could manage before letting his gaze drift first to the infant in her arms, and then to the little girl at her side. "Hi," he offered, feeling his chest clamp slightly. They were his now. Theirs. He should be able to say something more than just 'hi'.
Emma had let out a good-natured giggle at Dennis' words, but she felt her face absolutely melting as her yes landed on little Joanna and Adam. She practically waved the worker away as she held her arms out for the little boy, whose chubby body gladly accepted the warmth offered. Emma's gaze then flickered to Joanna. "Hi, there, sweetie." She reached a hand down to touch the girl's cheek, but Joanna glared and yanked away.
The worker shrugged. She had noted that it would take some adjustment. "Well, it's all settled now. Have a lovely life, you four. We'll check in with you in a few weeks." She smiled down at the children and then shook hands with Dennis before leaving the new family alone.
"My name is Jo," Joanna said as soon as the worker vanished behind the door. "I don't like
Joanna or…" She made a face. "Sweetie or anything! Just Jo."
A lovely life? Was this woman kidding? Still, he had to give her credit for knowing when to step away. "Jo," Dennis repeated, glancing at Emma. He hoped she hadn't expected a little ray of sunshine. Or a little girl, for that matter. "Well, I'm Dennis, and this is Emma, but you know that, don't you?" He squatted a bit so he was more at the little girl's level. "And we'll call you whatever you want, you don't have to worry about that."
Jo took a moment to study Dennis before nodding seriously. "Good then." Her little chin jutted up as she pretended to not be terrified. "That's Adam and you can call him that too."
Emma had been a little taken back by the harshness in the girl's tone, but she guessed it was to be expected. Holding the baby a bit closer, she nodded at her husband's words. "Right, honey, anything you want. I mean, uh, right, Jo."
Jo looked back up at Emma. She seemed friendly enough if a bit jittery. Truthfully, even at seven, Jo realized Emma seemed a lot like her first mummy. But there was the problem in and of itself. She looked back at Dennis. "They said you had another girl."
"We do," Dennis agreed with a nod. "Connie--well, her first name is Constance, but she doesn't much like to go by that, either--Connie's a little bit younger than you. Her birthday's in May. When's yours?" Of course, they'd been told all those crucial details about each of the children, but he wanted to keep her talking, hopefully to get her to feel a little more at ease.
"Connie's better anyway. Short and stuff." Jo actually smiled a bit as Dennis asked about her own birthday. "It's in March! We used to go to this place where they sang to you and gave you lots of ice cream and cake."
Emma was glad to see the smile and offered one of her own. "Oh, I think that sounds lovely! We'll be sure to do that, alright?"
Jo considered, cocking her head for a moment.
"Alright," she agreed at last, deciding it wasn't some trick. Adam gurgled then and Jo stepped forward. "He needs his bottle!"
"Emma's pretty good at bottle feeding," Dennis supplied with a slight grin, straightening up to rub the baby's back. "You sound like a pretty good big sister, too. I bet you're always a big help with Adam." He flashed a grin at Emma as he rooted around in the large bag the social worker had given them so she didn't have to move the baby at all.
Emma shot Dennis a grateful look. It wasn't that she had accepted taking Jo solely to have Adam as that was not true at all. She just wished the girl wasn't staring daggers at her. She really wanted to hug Jo and tell her it would be alright; it was Emma's instinct to coddle and soothe, but even she realized Jo would likely bite her just then. "Absolutely. A brilliant sister, Jo." She accepted the bottle, nestling Adam so he could relax while eating.
The look wasn't missed by Dennis. Not at all. He rested a reassuring hand on Emma's back, watching Adam eat for a moment. They'd have to take this slowly. Joanna was probably feeling alone and scared, but they couldn't overstep their boundaries too soon. "Emma and I both have siblings," Dennis supplied, glancing at the girl with a smile. "But neither one of us is the oldest, like you are. But there'll be lots of people who want to meet you, once you've had some time to get settled in."
"Like who?" Jo looked up at Dennis suspiciously. She didn't take well to strangers and it was bad enough she had to live with three of them never mind meet others!
"Well, we both have siblings who can't wait to get to know you," Emma cut in, doing her best to keep her voice low and comforting. "But, Denny's right. When you want to."
Jo's eyebrows rose. She was full of sass, that was for sure. "Denny?"
"We've got friends, too, and a lot of them have kids around your age." Whether she'd consider that a good thing or not remained to be seen. "And I know a lot of them are looking forward to getting to know you. But you know what?" Dennis tried to brighten his smile, but he was getting nervous, afraid he'd messed up. "We want to get to know you even more. They're going to have to wait for a bit."
Dennis smiled at that. "Well, you have a nickname, don't you? Emma's been my best friend since we were kids, so sometimes, she still calls me Denny. So does my big brother, when he's feeling silly." He knew his parents did, too, but he wasn't sure nicknames bestowed by parents would be a good subject to go over just then.
Jo found herself liking the pair which frightened her even more. She shrugged, giving off an 'hmph' sound before turning to check on her brother again. "He needs to burp too. After."
Was this how it was going to go? Jo barking orders about what Adam needed in between rolling her eyes? Holding back a sigh, Emma let Adam finish off his bottle before placing a cloth on her shoulder so that he could let out his gas. She chuckled a little at the sound that came. "That's a big boy."
Laughing slightly, Dennis reached to wipe the edge of the baby's mouth lightly. "There. All better, Jo?" he questioned, seeking the girl's approval in more ways than one.
"Guess so." Jo still remembered her early smile and refused to let her guard down again.
"Want to hold him?" Emma held the baby out to Dennis, hoping he'd take the cue.
Accepting Adam into his arms, Dennis let the little boy nestle into him before he allowed himself to relax. "It's been a long time since I held anyone this small," he commented with a laugh. "But we're definitely happy to know you're going to help, Jo. Every baby is different, after all, it might be a while before we know exactly what Adam likes." And her, too, but Merlin, he was starting to wonder if they'd ever know everything about her.
Feeling important, Jo crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay. I'll help. For Adam."
"That's very good of you." Emma knelt down so she could look into Jo's beautiful but sad eyes. "Though I bet Adam might not only be the hungry one. I was thinking we could pick Connie up and go out to lunch? Ice cream and everything." She held her breath, hope written in every etch of her face.
Jo was indeed hungry though it was on the tip of her tongue to refuse. But…ice cream. "Okay. That could be…okay."
"What's your favourite flavour?" Dennis questioned, tilting his head to watch Jo carefully. He could see the refusal that had flickered through her eyes, and knew she was trying her darndest not to like them. Well, too bad. If anyone could not like Emma, they had no heart.
Emma would have loved to hear Dennis' thought at that moment as she felt like the most unlikable woman ever as Jo glared at her. Still, she stayed at eye-level hoping the more she tried to relate, the less guarded Jo would become.
"Strawberry with bananas and whipped cream." Jo looked from one adult to the other. "I can still have that?"
Well if that wasn't heart-breaking. If she were anyone else, his biological daughter, one of his nieces, or even one of his friends' children, he'd have given her a hug just then. But he feared being pushed away as Emma had, and Dennis only offered a reassuring smile. "Of course," he said softly. "I think my favourite ice cream place in the world has that, actually. And it sounds really good, too. Mind if I try it?"
Again, Jo thought it over. "You can have some of mine. That way if you don't like it, you can still eat your own. Daddy used to do that." She blinked quickly, feeling treacherous again.
Heartbreaking indeed. Emma kept a calm expression on her face, smiling softly enough to show empathy, but not eagerness. "I think that's a very smart idea, actually." She stood ever so slowly, swallowing hard over what she had to say next. She held a hand out to the young girl. "Just until we get there?" She forced a small laugh. "Want to keep you safe and all."
Jo sighed, looking at the outstretched hand like it was a ball of flames rather than a soft and comforting gesture. Knowing she had to mind adults, especially when it came to safety matters, Jo finally accepted, but said nothing.
Dennis was grateful to see her accept the hand. Not only because it would help both of the girls heal, but because he hadn't felt comfortable with children out in public since the attempted kidnapping of James Potter. And he wasn't stupid. Jo's parents had been murdered. No sense in risking more. "We'll have a good lunch, then eat our ice cream. Connie likes chocolate best, I think. Then we can go to the house and you can see yours and Adam's rooms. I hope you like the colours, we tried to match your favourites, but if you don't, we can always repaint."
Jo was surprised by the offer and couldn't help the small smile that escaped again. However, realizing it, she sulked and looked down again. "Okay, sounds fine. I guess."
Instinctively, Emma reached over to kiss Dennis' cheek. "Sounds like a brilliant plan, love. Want the stroller?"
"Probably need it," Dennis agreed, bouncing the baby slightly. "This one's probably growing as we speak. He'll be a big boy, won't you?" he said, addressing Adam and touching his nose briefly to the giggling baby's.
For all of Jo's sourness, Adam was indeed a happy baby. Contentedly, he allowed Dennis to nuzzle at him, but took to the carriage just fine. He played with the little plastic toys on the bar, grinning up at the three who looked down at him.
Pleased to see Adam happy, Jo latched her free hand onto the stroller. She didn't want to be too far from her little brother.
"Well, then, suppose it's time?" Emma beamed too brightly for someone who was suddenly scared as hell.
Nerves churned the contents of Dennis' stomach, knowing only the first obstacle had been broached. Connie still had to meet her...not very pleasant new adopted sister, and adapt to having a baby in the house. There'd be dozens of firsts, including the first bedtime, the first breakfast together, and plenty more, within just the next twenty-four hours. Still, he wrapped a comforting arm around Emma's waist and squeezed before taking the stroller. "Come on, you two," he offered, keeping his smile firm as he glanced down and winked at Jo. "There's a turkey sandwich and cherry vanilla ice cream calling my name."