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 Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:59 pm
Ruth was at a loss to answer, and unfortunately it showed. She hesitated, considering, and fell back onto the brochure spiel. "All of the children here have been born from a biomechanical computer in the form of a cabbage..." Olivia already knew that, it was written in so many different ways in the waiting room and at the lab's reception desk. The plain answer was Ruth had no idea.
Adeline came to the rescue, coming up behind Olivia and saying brightly (but not too brightly), "She's adorable! Such a sweetheart. Have you any thought as to what you'll name her?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 3:23 am
Effectively distracted from her question by Adeline, Olivia tentatively nodded her head.
"I was thinking about naming her after my late grandmother, Ethel. Or my great-aunt Madeleine, or someone else." It'd been a family tradition to re-use names, and her mother had been hinting heavily ever since Olivia made it clear that she was going to adopt.
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:00 am
"You'll need one for the final form," said Ruth evenly, plucking a paper from a holder inside the door. Adoption approval papers on one side of the wall, adoption finalization papers on the other. It had a satisfying circularity to it.
"Or if you need more time, you can leave it blank!" offered Adeline helpfully.
With a pointed stare that said "down child" to Adeline, Ruth repeated, "We'll need a name for the final form and if necessary, it may be changed later."
"I like Madeleine," mumbled Adeline, chastised. "It's pretty."
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:12 am
"Yes, it is," Olivia agreed with Adeline. And besides, great-aunt Madeleine had always been much nicer to her than grandma Ethel had. "Changing her name later would be.. odd, so Madeleine it is, I suppose." Madeleine Taylor. Not a bad name, as far as Olivia was concerned - and it did have a nice ring to it.
"Should I fill out the final form then?" and hopefully once she was done, Madeleine would be ready to go as well.
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:15 am
"Please," said Ruth, handing the paper to Olivio. Unlike the approval forms, it was short and directly to the point. Ruth ushered Adeline over to little Madeleine's cribside to make sure she was ready for departure.
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:23 am
Filling the form took less than 10 minutes, and just to be sure Olivia tripled-checked everything. Yes, it seemed to be alright.
Handing the form over to Ruth and smiling a little, she waited for Adeline to get Madeleine ready for leaving.
"Thank you so much for this.." turning to look at Sister Ruth, Olivia grinned, "for letting me adopt Madeleine."
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:46 am
"Certainly," said Ruth, totally neutral, since it was none of her concern what the powers running the lab did or how quickly they processed and approved people for adoption. She took thi final sheet and went to go finalize it in the office with the official stamp of release.
Adeline waved Olivia over to the crib. "Do you want to pick her up or shall I? Do you need any instructions? I can give you a care tutorial if you like!" Absolutely Adeline, happily bouncing through things like a flitting butterfly.
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:57 am
Frowning a little, Olivia watched for a moment as Ruth left. She was cold, that one, no doubt about it - at this point in time, Olivia was more partial to Adeline, despite her cheeriness.
"Oh, I can take her, it's no problem." carefully scooping the still slumbering child up into her arms, it took a second to find a good position for the small child to lie in; Madeleine yawned and stretched her tiny fingers into the air before slumping down into Olivia's arms again. It'd been a tiring day, and a small thing like being taken up wasn't going to wake her.
The older woman smiled and cooed at the sleeping child, before turning her attention to the Sister's other questions.
"I've been reading a lot of children's care books, so I think I might have it covered. She, functions" Olivia made a small grimace at the cold word," like any other child would, right?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:29 am
"Poops, eats and burps!" giggled Adeline with the desensitivity of someone who has exposure to those three functions on a daily basis. Olivia would stop grimacing in a week or two. It was inevitable that parents learn to ignore the basic bodily processes in children, since they invariably ended up dealing with the cleanup. "So you have all the supplies? Nothing we can get for you? Ask now while the asking's open!"
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:39 am
Olivia smiled slightly at Adeline's way of putting it. The Sister really was a very happy person.
"No, I think I have it." she shifted the baby in her arms to get more comfortable; carrying a child around when your arms aren't used to it can be exhausting. "But thank you very much, all the same. You've been extremely helpful, Miss."
"Well.. I suppose if that's it, we'll be going now." Olivia had already plucked a flier from the waiting room and stopped it in her already overflowing handbag.
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:12 am
"It's really awesome to meet you and I know you'll take great care of Madeleine and I hope the two of you are very happy and have a lot of fun together!" said Adeline in one giant burst, waving her hand like a child at a parade. "Byee Olivia! Bye Madeleine! Take really great care of yourselves! Come back if you need anything, we're always here for you!"
Best to leave quickly, as Adeline seemed like she could continue this farewell all day.
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:50 am
"Bye and thank you so much!" hefting Madeleine up one more time to make sure she wouldn't fall off as they went home, Olivia waved to the exuberant Sister and made her way out of the lab.
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