The Little Girl

The next morning everyone got up and Jessica fixed breakfast for them. After breakfast Jessica let Harmony watch television as she fixed some bath water for her. When it was ful enough, Harmony got in the bath and Max went over and got her some clothes. The house was closed off but he knew how to get in other ways without anyone seeing him. While he was over there he grabbed some of the toys that she had along with some clothes for Harmony too.

"Jess?" Harmony said as she played a little in the water.
"Yeah?" She answered.
"Where am I going?"
"What do you mean?" She asked as she let some water drip off her fingers onto Harmony's left shoulder.
"Well the only time mommy and daddy give me bath is when we going somewhere or someone coming over."
"Oh well it's not like that anymore. You're not going anywhere."
"Pwomise?" (authors note: I wrote the word that way on purpose because this is a little girl and some girls Harmony's age isn't perfect on speech)
Jess sighs, she knew she couldn't promise that but she couldn't let the little precious girl down so she just went ahead and said "Promise."

There was a knock on the door and then Max's voice, "Babe?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm back with some clothes."
"Okay." She turned to Harmony, "I'll be right back okay?"
"O-tay." She nods.
Jessica kissed her forehead then stood up, dried her hands off and walked out.
"I promised her that she wasn't going anywhere but I don't know if that's true." Jessica whispered to Max once they were away from the bathroom door.
"We will make sure that, that statement is true. We're all she's got and it will hurt her worse if she goes into a home where she doesn't know anyone."
She nodded as she got an outfit out of the bag "Yeah it will." She got some clothes out and went back into the bathroom.
"You ready to get washed up now?" She asked the little girl and got a nod.

Jess washed her up got her out and dried her off with a towel. She then got her dressed and walked into the living room. She seen Harmony get all shy like so she looked over and seen two people she knew. There sat her friend Mandy and her beau, Zacky.
"Oh hey you guys." She smiles at him then looks at Max then back at them "Has Max filled you in?"
"Yeah he has." Zacky nods.
"Hi Harmony. You remember don't you? You've met me before but it was a quite a few months ago."
"oh...yeah I remember now. You...Ma..mandy and he is...Z....Zacky?"
"That's right." Mandy nods as Jessica put Harmony down.
Harmony sat down on the floor and began watching cartoons that was on the television.

"She's so precious." Mandy noted and everyone agreed.
Pretty soon there was a knock on the door and Max answered it.
"Uhm hi can I help you?" He asked the woman at the door.
"Yes hi my name is Heather Mills. I'm with the Division of Child Services. I tried making it here last night but wasn't able to."
"Oh...uhm come on in." He stepped aside so she could.
She nodded once then walked in and looked around.
Max introduced her to everyone and told her to make herself comfortable so she said thanks and sat down.
"We really want to keep Harmony. We love her to death and we've known her almost her whole life. We've helped taken care of her when her parents could care less at times."
"I understand that but as it said in the will she goes to her grandparents in Oregon."
"I don't have...grandparents. I never seen them they don't visit."
"So instead of us, the people she's known her whole life, she'll go to people she don't even know?" Jessica asked with a hint of a frown.
"I'm sorry, I don't make the laws."
"What if they don't want her?" Max spoke up.
"Then you two may try to adopt her."
"I want to stay with aunt Jessica and uncle Max."
"Are you two family of hers?" She asked when she heard Harmony say that.
They shook their head and Jessica spoke up "No but she's called us that for quite awhile now."
"Oh okay."
"Would it be possible to at least keep her until you contact those people? Please? I mean she just lost her parents which traumatized her enough and putting her in a home where she doesn't know the environment could add more to that." Jessica explained.
Heather thought about that a minute then nods "That is true. And I love how you guys are thinking about her well being more then yourselves."
"We always have been." Max spoke up.
"May I ask you two questions privately?" Heather asked Mandy and Zacky.

They said of course and they along with Heather stepped outside for more privacy.
"I so hope we get to keep her for good." Jessica said quietly.
"Me too babe me too." He said in the same volume as he wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her upper arm.

They came back in and all of them, mainly just Heather, Jessica and Max went over some paperwork then Jessica and Max signed some of the papers to show proof that she had spoke with them and had went over the important stuff. Heather gave them her card and told them she would keep in contact with them.

"Oh before I forget, I would like to take a tour of the house. It's procedure to do so when we have a child in the home who is in our system. We have to make sure the home is stable and non dangerous for the minor."
"Of course you can." Jessica smiled politely and stood up, "We understand that you've got to."
She then gave Heather a tour of the home. Making sure to show her every room there was to show off.
"Now we haven't child proof the home yet but if that's is a must we can do that right away."
"Well Harmony is old enough that she shouldn't be getting into too much stuff and knows what's right and wrong.

They had to sign a paper that stated that Heather did check out the home. She told them she would keep in contact with them and keep them updated. After she was done she left and went to her next destination.