Chapter 41

They are packed and out of the hotel by five thirty. The girls sleep almost the entire way home. It only takes a few hours to get back to Connecticut, and most of that is spent getting out of New York City.

By nine they have already checked in with Nan and found the couch. Later, Christopher will have to find a neighbor or two to help him carry the dollhouse up to Hannah's room, even though it breaks down to multiple pieces, but for now they are home.

Sarah uses Christopher's computer in the living room to get the pictures together so she can show Nana their divine adventure. As the girls are sitting in the chair together, Sarah looks at the clock and says, "You know, it is still early enough for us to make swimming."

Christopher looks at the clock and bobs his head back and forth as he contemplates it for a second. "We already told them we wouldn't be there this week. They had already canceled practice because it would have been on the fourth."

"I don't want to race today. I want to stay here with mommy and daddy. Especially since mommy is leaving tomorrow and I have to go home tomorrow, too." Maybe it is because Hannah is still worn out from her birthday celebration, but she starts to cry. Sarah puts her arm around her to comfort her.

Christopher and Cathy look at each other sadly, and then Christopher gets up and goes over and picks Hannah up. He carries her over to the couch and sits down with her wrapped around him.

He holds her tight and lets her cry, while Cathy is caressing her hair and talking soothingly to her. "I know, baby. I know. I want you to know I really have enjoyed meeting you, and I couldn't find two better daughters to have than you and Sarah." Sarah comes over and sits on the arm of the couch. "I've only known you not even a week and I've already fallen madly in love with you."

"You have?" she says in a small voice.

"Oh yeah. More than I ever thought possible."

Hannah pulls her upper body away and wipes her tears away with the back of her little hand. "I love you, too. I love you and daddy and Sarah so much that I cry when I'm not with you." Christopher's eyes tear up and his heart skips a beat.

With tears running down his own cheeks, he says, "It'll be okay. Our lawyers say we will be able to make our move around August to try and adopt you away from your grandma."

"Why does it have to take so long?"

"Because not only do we have to state my desire and your desire to want to be a family, but we have to prove your grandmother unfit, in case she decides to try and fight. Considering she gets money for you that she uses on her alcohol, I assume she will.

"In a couple of weeks a social worker and a host of my lawyers will meet us over here to talk to you. You just tell them what your heart wants, and how your grandma treats you. I want you to start writing down specific times and dates that she cusses you out or doesn't feed you or whatever. Don't let her see it, though.

"Listen, my little Hannah, I have had you for eleven glorious days in a row now, and I don't want you to leave either, but we have to do this right because our situation is a unique one, so when we go to do it we are going to have to be perfect. Okay?"

Hannah isn't completely sure she just understood everything he said, but she smiles big and finds the happiness in her heart again as she says, "Okay, daddy." and then attacks him with a million little kisses.

Eventually the girls are ready to bring Nan over to show her the pictures. "Come on, Nana, you are going to love them."

"I'm coming, I'm coming. You know I'm getting old and don't move so fast anymore."

"Hi, Nana." says Cathy.

"Hey, Nan." adds Christopher.

"You sit here, Nana." Sarah stands on her left and Hannah on her right. "These pictures I took as we were coming into New York. Look how big the buildings are."

"I know. I lived in New York when I was a teenager for a few years when my daddy got transferred there for his job."

As Sarah keeps showing Nan the pictures, Nan allows herself to go back in time to a simpler way of life where there were so few true problems other than wondering if that boy likes me. Considering many many years later they had Sarah's real mom, I guess he did.

"And these pictures are of our sightseeing day. Here we got to go on a boat. What was it called, daddy?"

"The Staten Island Ferry."

"Oh yeah. It took us to the Statue of Liberty. See there? Isn't she big?"

"I wanted to climb to the top of it, but they wouldn't let me."

"Yeah, Hannah is our little daredevil." says Christopher. Once Hannah conquered the diving platform she was off and running. Years later she will go from swimming to high diving, and take Sarah with her.

"You wouldn't believe the fireworks, Nana. Here look at these."

"Oh, they are beautiful, sweetheart."

"And these pictures are of our hotel. Look at this huge chandelier. Isn't it pretty?"

"Yes it is."

"This is our room, it was big. We each had our own room it was so big."

"It was really high up. I looked over the ledge and it was really far down." says Hannah.

"So did I ... once, but I didn't like it at all."

"You must get that from me, because I don't like heights either."

"Oh, and look at these Nana, this is Coney Island. We went here for Hannah's birthday."

"Oh yeah, happy birthday, Hannah."

"Thank you, Nana." Nan is part of the family too.

"We had so much fun and we got to ride on the subway."

"That is a train." Nan smiles at Hannah.

As the time progresses, Christopher leans over to Cathy and whispers into her ear. She nods her head in agreement. "Hey girls, why don't you hang out with Nana for a little bit and we will go to the store and get some food for lunch and dinner. Sarah and Hannah, I don't think Nana has seen your bedrooms fully finished yet."

"Oh yeah!"

"Nan, we'll be back in an hour."

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Babe, do me a favor and move the truck, I'm bringing the hotrod."

As Sarah, Hannah and Nan are slowly making their way towards the stairs so the girls can show her their bedrooms, and as they are walking by the door that leads out into the garage, the sixty-seven Chevelle SS roars to life, and inside the garage it sound like a dragon on the attack. All three girls jump and then they laugh.

The girls revel in showing Nan their finished bedrooms. It doesn't take long for Nan to completely understand how everybody has fallen in love with Hannah's beautiful spirit. Nan shakes her head with a smile, because this is usually not how fairytales go, but one is definitely being told here.

As Christopher is carrying in the last of the groceries, he sees Nan getting ready to leave. "Nan, stay and we'll make lunch and you can keep the girls company. You can watch TV, rock out to some music, play a board game with them, or you can even go swimming. Do you like to swim?"

"I used to love it. You know I wouldn't mind going swimming again."

"Do you have a bathing suit or some shorts?"

"I have some shorts in my dresser."

"Sarah."

"I'm on it. Come on, Hannah." and the girls go flying out the door.

As Nan walks out on the deck to look around, Christopher turns to Cathy and asks, "Hey, babe, do you think you could run upstairs and get some shorts on so you can help Nan into the water, and just in case something happens."

Cathy looks up at him with adoring eyes and kisses him on his cheek. "I'm on it."

Christopher laughs and hugs her hard. "Have I told you today that I love you."

"I think so, but don't worry, my ego can handle hearing it more than a hundred times a day." As Cathy heads upstairs he sends her on her way with a playful slap to a very cute tush. She definitely fills out a pair of jeans.

"Here, Nana. You can change in here."

After Cathy helps Nan into the pool she comes back in and helps Christopher with lunch. Christopher thought it was hard to get Sarah and Hannah out of the pool. Since it is a beautiful July day they eat out by the pool.

"Well, thank you, that was wonderful."