So Everybody Loves You

Still Billie's POV

That night, after I'd put Maria to bed and gotten her calmed down, I decided I'd tell Adeline what was torturing her child once she got home from work. It wasn't too long after I'd gotten the kids to sleep when she came in around 9:45 PM. "Hi hunny." She said, walking over to me and giving me a hug and a kiss. "Hey babe. Have a good day at work." "Yes, as a matter of fact I did. And Adie's coming over again tomorrow night, is that okay?" "Yeah of course it is baby. But there's something I wanna talk to you about." "What's that?" She asked, with a serious, almost worried expression on her face. "It's about Maria." "Maria? Well what happened? Where is she? i mean is she alright? Is she okay?" "No, no, no babe she's asleep. But, I'm not so sure she's okay." "Well why? What happened." "Maria's friend Melanie at school ya know?" "Yeah the new little girl. I seen her once from a distance though. Adorable little girl." "Yeah well, Maria's seen her up close, and she's seen things she didn't need to." "What are you talking about Billie?" "Melanie's being abused by her dad. She won't admit it to anybody but Maria because she trusts her and she wants her to tell somebody because she's afraid of being hurt worse is she tells. Maria's been keeping this a secret for a few weeks because she's been confused and scared and she just did come to me earlier and tell me about it." "Oh my goodness." She whispered. "I-I can't believe this. We have to do something Billie Joe, we can't just sit back and wait around until she's dead!" "No, I know we can't." "I'm taking the kids to school tomorrow. I'm going in with Maria. I'm going to have a talk with her principle about Melanie and pray for the best." "Okay Billie. I'm glad you're doing this hunny. It's really sweet of you." I gave her a kiss and held onto her.

"She was so scared Adeline. The fear in her eyes was almost unbearable for me to take. I, myself, almost cried but I had to be strong for her." I sat there shaking my head looking down at the floor. "I really don't know why they say grown men don't cry Adeline. Because it's not true." I fell tears sting the back of my eyes again as I looked up at her. She wrapped her arms around me protectively and shushed me until I was calm again. Constantly reassuring me that it was going to be alright. That after tomorrow, everything was going to be okay. Right now I felt guilty, I felt as if I should be holding her or Maria, or both of them, but here she was holding me. I straightened up and looked up at the woman that I admired so much. "Your daughter's a brave girl Adeline, and she gets it from you." "She's yours too now Billie, remember that. And she's learning from you too." I smiled at her and rested my head against her shoulder again. I loved my family, I truly did.

The Next Morning

As Maria and I stepped into the classroom, we noticed there was an officer talking to her teacher and I immediately felt my gut twist into knots. I clenched Maria's hand tightly and pulled her closer to my side as we stepped up to the teacher. I cleared my throat catching her attention. "Excuse me, Mrs. Carter, I need to discuss something with you and the principle in private. It's about your newest student Melanie." I saw her eyes avert from mine much like Maria's had the day before and tears started forming there as well. "Yes, um, of course. Give me just a moment." She spoke a moment longer with the officer and then led Maria and I out into the hallway and down to the principal's office. She explained to him why we were here and he motioned for us to sit down. Maria explained everything that had happened with Melanie over the past few weeks and the little girl and the teacher were both in tears by the time she was done, but I knew the teacher's reasons for tears ran deeper than just Maria's words. "Maria, I'm sorry to say this sweetheart. But something bad has happened." There it went again, my gut twisting into knots. I clenched my jaw tightly and waited for her to finish. "Melanie, she-she's in the hospital. There was a bad accident at her house. there was a gun fire and-" She couldn't finish her sentence for the tears and now Maria was crying as well. I pulled her tightly to me and comforted her the best way I knew how. "Shh baby, shh. Daddy's here. Come on. Daddy's right here. I'm gonna fix this okay? Don't you worry. Don't you worry about anything baby."

We went to the hospital to see Melanie that day. I broke down at the scene. It reminded me of my dad when he was on his death bed. Adeline was right there at my side to comfort me once again. Maria sat, not crying, not flinching, just staring. In shock I suppose. And that scared me. The doctors said she'd be fine, but they said that about my dad too and look where he is now. The days and weeks passed and Melanie was actually getting a lot better. Everyday when we went to see her, she asked when she was going home. Then she'd ask where home was and if we'd make her go back to that horrible man. There was no way I was letting her go back with him. I told Adeline I had everything all figured out. She continued to ask questions about it but I told her she'd find out soon enough. Today was the day Melanie was being released from the hospital and she was scared. I was the only one there today, I had it all planned out. I was picking her up from the hospital and taking her back home. We signed her out and got into my car and she looked scared and wouldn't speak. "Ya ready to go home eh?" She didn't speak. "Come on Mel, talk to me." "Where am I going." "You'll see." We pulled up outside of a big building and I walked inside with Melanie at my side and met a lady in the front office where a bunch of kids were playing right across the hall in the next room. "Where are we?" "Just watch." "Hello Mr. Armstrong, we've been expecting you." "Hello!" "And this must be little Melanie." "It sure is." "Now is this all still a surprise to you hunny?" "I guess?" "Okay, well here's what's going on. When you were in the hospital Billie Joe here came and talked to us and told us all about your home life and what happened. He said you really just plain, and there's no other way to put it, but you hated there and you don't wanna go back. That true?" She nodded. "Well then, you two came to the right place! Mr. Armstrong here would like to adopt you hunny! Do you know what that means?" "Um, I think I do." "He wants to sign papers that claims you as his own daughter. So you'll be living with him if that's what you want." Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really?!" "Yes! So what do you say?" "Yes, yes! I'll do it! Can we sign now?" The woman laughed. "We sure can!"

"Hellooooo! Anybody home?" it was Saturday, everybody was home. "In here baby." I heard Adeline's voice. She sounded stressed. I walked into the dining room as she was going through the mail. "Hey hunny, so what did you do with-Melanie?" "Hi!" She chimed. "Hi sweetheart what are you-" I handed her the papers that would explain everything she'd been questioning me about over the past few weeks or so and her eyes went wide. I really didn't know how she'd take it. After all, this was her home in the first place. She set the papers on the counter and jumped into my arms squealing excitedly. She kissed my face again, and again, and again. "Billie, Billie, Billie! I can't believe you! that's what you've kept a secret?! She's-she's actually a part of our family now. Y-you rescued her! I'm so proud of you baby!" She hugged and kissed me again after I'd spun her around a couple times. "Another member to this lovely family, ain't it great?!" "Yes! Wait till Maria finds out!" "I know, she's gonna flip!" "Where is she?" "In the rec room with Coby." "Well let's call her down. Maria!" She came running down the stairs shortly after. "Yeah Daddy?" "Guess what?" "What?" "Melanie's going to be living with us now!" "Seriously?" "Yup!" "Awesome!" She shouted. Maria ran over and hugged Melanie gently. This was going to be the start of another new beginning I could tell.