Chapter 17
chapter seventeen
Morgan
The evening light fades to a warm orange as we finish dinner. Charlie has spaghetti sauce smeared across her cheek, a streak of marinara that makes her look like she's been in a paintball fight. I reach across the table with a napkin.
"You've got a little something," I say, dabbing at her face.
She squirms but lets me clean her up. "Morgan, can we watch a movie tonight?"
I look at Trenton and Matthew, who are clearing the plates. The adoption hearing is tomorrow, and I can see the tension they're trying to hide in their shoulders.
"Just one," I tell her. "But we need to get you to bed early tonight. Big day tomorrow."
Charlie nods seriously, understanding the importance of tomorrow in her own way. She's been to therapy all week to prepare for the hearing, and Dr. Elaine says she's handling everything remarkably well.
"Can we watch the one with the flying house and doggy?" she asks, already sliding off her chair.
Matthew catches her hand as she passes. "Only if I get to choose the snack."
"Popcorn?" Charlie's eyes light up.
"With extra butter," he confirms, and she throws her arms around his waist in a quick hug before darting off to the living room.
I watch her go, marveling at how much she's changed in just a few weeks. The shadows under her eyes have faded, her smiles come more easily now, and the nightmares have become less frequent.
"She's going to be okay," Trenton says quietly, coming to stand beside me. "We all are."
I lean into him, feeling the solid warmth of his body. "I know. It's just… tomorrow is such a big step."
Matthew joins us, resting his hand on my shoulder. "It's the right step. For all of us."
Together we move to the living room where Charlie has already arranged the cushions on the couch in her preferred configuration. She sits in the middle, Princess Sparklehoof tucked under one arm, remote control held like a scepter.
"I picked the movie," she announces.
I glance at the TV to see she's selected Up, one of her favorites. "Good choice."
Matthew disappears into the kitchen to make popcorn while Trenton and I settle on either side of Charlie. She immediately leans into Trenton, her small body fitting perfectly against his side.
"Trent, can you do the voice?" she asks, looking up at him with those big blue eyes.
He raises an eyebrow. "Which voice?"
"The grumpy man voice. From the movie."
Trenton's face breaks into a rare smile. "You mean Carl?"
Charlie nods enthusiastically.
"For you, I'll try," he says, and launches into a surprisingly good impression of the curmudgeonly character.
I watch them together, my heart swelling with emotion. When I first brought Charlie home, Trenton had been so careful around her, so unsure of himself. Now they have their own routines, their own jokes.
Matthew returns with a huge bowl of popcorn, the buttery aroma filling the room. "Movie's starting," he announces, settling between me and Charlie.
She immediately reaches for the popcorn, stuffing a handful into her mouth. "This is the best part," she mumbles around her full mouth.
We settle in to watch the movie, the four of us curled together on the couch.
Charlie's small body is warm between us, occasionally shifting to lean against one of the guys then the other.
By the time the movie reaches the emotional montage of the beginning, I feel Matthew's arm slip around my shoulders, drawing me closer.
"Family means you stay," Charlie says quietly, echoing her words from the cabin. She reaches for both my hand and Matthew's, forming a chain between us.
"Even when it's hard," I finish, squeezing her small fingers.
Trenton leans down to press a kiss to the top of her head. "Especially when it's hard."
The movie continues, but I'm barely watching now.
Instead, I'm memorizing this moment, the weight of Matthew's arm, the sound of Trenton's breathing, the smell of Charlie's strawberry shampoo.
This is what family feels like. Not the biological connection that will be formalized tomorrow, but this quiet certainty that we belong together.
When the movie ends, Charlie is fighting sleep, her eyelids drooping.
"Time for bed, sweetheart," I tell her softly.
"Can Trent carry me?" she asks, already reaching for him.
Trenton lifts her easily, her small frame looking even smaller in his arms. She rests her head against his shoulder, Princess Sparklehoof dangling from one hand.
"Up the stairs we go," he says, his voice gentle in a way I've only heard him use with her.
Matthew and I follow them up to Charlie's room, which we've transformed from a spare bedroom into her sanctuary.
The walls are painted her favorite shade of purple, with glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling.
Stuffed animals line the shelves, and photos of us together are arranged on the nightstand.
Trenton lays her carefully in bed while I pull back the covers. Matthew plugs in her night-light, a unicorn that projects stars onto the walls.
"Brush your teeth?" I ask.
Charlie nods sleepily. "Already did. After dinner."
I sit on the edge of her bed, brushing hair from her face. "Big day tomorrow."
"I know." Her eyes are serious in the dim light. "Are you nervous?"
"A little," I admit. "But excited too."
She reaches for my hand. "It's okay to be nervous. Dr. Elaine said so."
I smile. "She's right."
Trenton and Matthew stand at the foot of the bed, watching us with expressions I can't quite read in the darkness.
"Story?" Charlie asks hopefully.
"I think we're all a bit tired tonight," I tell her. "But how about we all say what we're grateful for today? It's a nice way to end the day."
Charlie considers this. "I'm grateful for Princess Sparklehoof. And popcorn. And you guys."
My throat tightens with emotion. "I'm grateful for you, sweetheart. And for these two," I nod toward Trenton and Matthew, "for helping me take care of you."
Trenton steps closer. "I'm grateful for this family. All of it."
Matthew moves to stand beside him. "I'm grateful we found each other."
Charlie smiles sleepily. "Can we do this every night?"
"Every night," I promise.
We each kiss her good night, me on her forehead, Trenton and Matthew on her cheeks.
"Sweet dreams, little warrior," Matthew whispers.
"Night, night," Charlie murmurs, already drifting off.
We leave her door slightly ajar, the night-light casting a warm glow into the hallway. The three of us stand there for a moment, absorbing the quiet of the house, the knowledge that Charlie is safe and happy in her bed.
"She's going to be officially ours tomorrow," I say softly.
Trenton's hand finds mine. "She's already ours. Tomorrow just makes it legal."
Matthew nods, his expression thoughtful. "We've come a long way from that night at the cabin."
I think back to those terrifying hours, the uncertainty, the fear. "I was so scared we wouldn't be able to keep her safe."
"We did," Trenton says simply. "We will."
We move to our bedroom, the three of us instinctively drawing together.
Tonight, there's no urgency in our touches, just comfort.
We change into sleep clothes and climb into bed, our bodies finding the familiar configuration with me in the middle, Trenton's arm around my waist, and Matthew's hand resting on my hip.
"We should get some sleep," Matthew murmurs against my hair. "Tomorrow's important."
I nod, but my mind is racing. "Do you think the judge will ask Charlie questions?"
Trenton's thumb traces circles on my stomach. "Dr. Elaine prepared her well. She'll be fine."
"And if Evan's lawyer objects again?" The worry I've been keeping at bay all evening surfaces.
Matthew's hand tightens on my hip. "The restraining order is clear. He has no grounds for custody. Not after everything."
I know they're right, but the fear lingers. So much has happened to bring us to this moment, the danger, the uncertainty, and the heartbreak. The idea that it might not work out is almost too much to bear.
"Hey." Trenton turns me to face him in the darkness. "No matter what happens tomorrow, we're in this together. All four of us."
"Five," Matthew corrects softly. "Can't forget Princess Sparklehoof."
I smile despite myself. "Five."
We lie in silence for a while, our breathing synchronizing naturally. I listen to the sounds of the house, the gentle hum of the air conditioning, the distant tick of the clock in the hallway, and the occasional murmur from Charlie's room as she talks in her sleep.
"I love you both," I whisper into the darkness.
Trenton's arm tightens around me. "We know."
Matthew's lips brush my shoulder. "We love you too. Now, sleep. Tomorrow will be here soon enough."
I close my eyes, trying to quiet my mind, but sleep remains elusive.
Tomorrow's adoption hearing plays on repeat in my thoughts: the judge's serious face, the legal documents, Charlie's small voice answering questions.
I've read the paperwork so many times I've memorized it, but still I worry.
The system can be unpredictable, and Evan's lawyers have been fighting us at every turn.
"Morgan." Trenton's voice is low against my ear. "You're thinking too loudly."
"Sorry," I whisper back.
Matthew shifts behind me, his arm tightening around my waist. "Want me to tell you about the security system upgrades I'm planning for the clubhouse? Guaranteed to bore you to sleep."
I smile in the darkness. "That might work."
As Matthew begins describing technical details in a monotone voice, my body slowly relaxes. Their warmth surrounds me, and their steady breathing lulls me. Just as I'm drifting off, I hear Charlie's door open and small footsteps padding down the hallway.
Our bedroom door creaks open. "Morgan?" Charlie's voice is small in the darkness. "I can't sleep."
I sit up immediately. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"
"I keep thinking about tomorrow."
Trenton is already getting out of bed. "Come here, kiddo."
Charlie climbs onto our bed, Princess Sparklehoof clutched in one hand. Matthew makes room for her between us, and she curls up, her small body warm against mine.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask, stroking her hair.
She's quiet for a moment. "What if the judge doesn't like me?"
The question breaks my heart. "Oh, sweetheart. The judge isn't deciding if they like you. They're making sure you're going to a safe home with people who love you."
"And you love me?" Her voice is so small.
"More than anything," Trenton says firmly.
"Even more than Princess Sparklehoof?" A hint of humor creeps into her voice.
"Way more," Matthew assures her. "No contest."
Charlie snuggles deeper into the blankets between us. "Dr. Elaine said families are made of love, not just blood."
"That's exactly right," I tell her, kissing the top of her head.
"Then why does the judge need to decide? We're already a family."
The simple wisdom in her question takes my breath away. "The judge just needs to make it official on paper. Like when you get a certificate for finishing something important."
"Like when I finished my art project and got the blue ribbon?"
"Exactly like that," Matthew says.
We lie there in silence, the four of us together in our bed. Charlie's breathing gradually evens out, her body relaxing into sleep. But I remain awake, watching over her, overwhelmed by the enormity of what we're about to do.
"Tomorrow, we become a legal family," I whisper, not expecting a response.
"We've been a family since that first night," Trenton replies quietly. "This just makes it real on paper."
"Real in all the ways that matter," Matthew adds.
I think about the journey that brought us here, finding Charlie at that gas station, the danger we faced from Evan, the nights spent watching over her while she slept. Now we're hours away from making it permanent.
"What if it goes wrong?" The fear I've been holding back finally surfaces.
Trenton reaches across Charlie to take my hand. "Then we fix it. Together."
"Always together," Matthew echoes.
Charlie stirs between us, mumbling something incoherent in her sleep. I stroke her hair, feeling the soft strands between my fingers. This child, this brave, resilient little girl, has brought us together in ways I never expected.
"I can't imagine our lives without her now," I admit.
"We won't have to," Trenton says simply.
The weight of his certainty anchors me. Whatever happens tomorrow, we'll face it as we've faced everything else together.
"Try to get some sleep," Matthew murmurs. "Charlie needs you rested tomorrow."
I close my eyes, letting their presence wash over me. The last thing I remember before sleep claims me is Trenton's hand still holding mine, and Matthew's arm draped protectively over both me and Charlie.
In my dreams, we're in a courtroom, but instead of the cold, formal setting I've been dreading, it's filled with light.
Charlie stands between us, wearing the purple dress she loves so much.
The judge smiles as she signs the papers, and when she hands them to us, they've transformed into a single word written in gold.
Family.