Chapter 48

It takes the social worker Sue and an army of lawyers calling, knocking and filing twenty-four seven, but finally they get word that Hannah is able to compete in the finals.

But first, "Do we have Hannah's clothes together?"

"Yes, and I got her a Barbie doll, her Teddy Bear and her favorite hairbrush."

As soon as Christopher sees the hairbrush he almost loses it. "Good thinking, my sweet Sarah Ann."

"Come on, daddy, I want to get there."

"Yes, ma'am."

When Christopher and Sarah get there about ten minutes after eight, his lawyer John and six other legal workers are already there. "John, on the ball as always, I see."

"Hey, Christopher, and hello, Sarah."

"Hi."

"We have spent the last forty minutes talking with the protective services, which for us in this case is Susan Richardson and her section chief, even though I believe there to be one person above them that we have yet to meet.

"From here we are going to the courts to file a host of new papers we just got. Not the least of which is an affidavit from Susan Richardson saying she supports your desire to adopt Hannah. With the lead social worker on the case and her section chief supporting you, they have to get it past their one other boss and it will be a done deal."

"That is great, John. Well, we won't keep you."

"I'll be in town until it is completed."

"Hi, we are looking for a Susan Richardson, and were here to visit Hannah Carrington."

"Names."

"Sarah Kelly and Christopher Turner."

"Identification, and I will need to see what is in the bag." As Christopher is pulling out his I.D., Sarah hands the bag to the dark haired man in his forties. "Let's see, we have some clothes, a Barbie doll, teddy bear and a hairbrush."

"Here you go," says Christopher, as he hands him his identification.

After the man writes down the info from the driver's license he tells them. "Please have a seat in the waiting room and I will see if I can find Sue."

"Thank you."

"Thank you," adds Sarah sweetly with a smile that makes the man smile.

Not two minutes later Sue comes out into the waiting room from the secured off areas of the rest of the building. "Bright and early, I see. Good morning, Sarah."

"Good morning, Sue. Is Hannah okay?"

"Sad not to be with you two, but otherwise she is okay. Please come this way into the visiting room, and I have some good news."

As soon as Sarah and Christopher walk into the visiting room Hannah is walking in from another door. Sarah and Hannah run to each other. "Hi, Sarah." says Hannah, cheerful and still wearing the Harley shirt.

Sarah starts to cry. "I heard you got kicked, are you okay?"

"Yep." Hannah looks over and up at Christopher and smiles. She runs over to him as he is sitting down and flies into his arms. She crawls into his lap.

"Look, Hannah, we brought you some clothes, a Barbie doll, your teddy bear and a hairbrush."

"Thank you, Sarah."

"We tried to get her out of that Harley shirt last night, but she was not going for it."

"She can be quite the stubborn little girl, can't she?"

"Yes."

"I saw my lawyer out front, and he told me you and your section chief are supporting Hannah being mine."

"Yes, but that is not what I am talking about." As Hannah is looking through the bag she pulls out the hairbrush and hands it to Christopher, who promptly starts brushing her hair. "I talked with my boss's boss and she has said that I can take Hannah to the swim finals."

All three of them look at Sue. "Oh, Sue, that is great news. There is a practice today, any chance she can attend that?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, but we have set up a court hearing for today that will expedite you getting Hannah. She will have to do several interviews throughout the day, and I have just talked with Nan a few minutes ago. I am going to send a car for her and she is going to come down and testify on your behalf, which will also be the next step to you getting Sarah when ... when it is time."

"Well, that takes precedent over swim practice. Hannah, when you go before all those people I want you looking adorable and being sweet, but your same stubborn self."

"Okay, daddy." she says, standing up looking around the room to see if anybody else is in there, and then she pulls off her Harley shirt. While Hannah is gently pulling on her underwear, Christopher gets the dress ready to pull over her. Once she is squared away he carefully picks her back up into his lap and starts brushing her hair again.

The social worker Sue has a smile on her face. "She certainly is not shy, is she?"

"Not with people she trusts, which says something about you. I am so grateful to you for everything you have done and are doing for us. Can Sarah and I be at the courts with Hannah?"

"The first one, no, it is a closed session, but the second and third one you and Sarah will have to be there. It is at the juvenile courthouse on Constitutional Way. The room is 214 and the time is 1PM."

Sarah and Hannah start chattering away while Sue and Christopher continue talking. "Any chance I can have Hannah by this Sunday?"

"Doubtful, what's this Sunday?"

"I have to leave for Hollywood on Sunday for a while." Both Sarah and Hannah stop talking and look at him. "I have been hired as consultant for turning my book into a movie and I have to go."

"Do I get to come?"

"No, baby, you have to stay here and take care of Nana." Both of the girls have known this for a while, but now since it is all happening in conjunction with Hannah's new situation, they both tear up. "Girls, you knew this was coming up. Now, Sarah, originally we had hoped that Nana would be strong enough to travel with us, but she hasn't been feeling well of late so you have to stay with her."

"Okay." Sarah says in her small voice.

"If she starts feeling better I will fly both of you out to me right away. As for my Hannah, I had hoped to have you by now, but that isn't going to happen. We are going to have to endure a while longer. Who is my little tough daredevil?"

"I am," says Hannah, in her sad little voice.

"That's right," says Christopher, hugging both of the girls. "The very second they say I can come get you I will be here, and any day I get off I will be here to visit you. I will make sure that Sarah and Nana can come by to visit everyday that they can."

"Everyday if I okay it and am willing to be here." All three of them turn to her. She laughs and says with a smile. "I'll be here everyday."

The girls hug her, and then Hannah gets a look in her eyes. "But we can call you, right, daddy?"

"Actually no." The girls get horrified looks on their faces. "We are first shooting out at a ghost town in Arizona, and as I understand it there is no cell phone service out there. I will give you all a number of a person that you can call, and they can drive the many hours out to the location and give me any messages, and as soon as I hear that I can I will be here to get you." The girls are looking at him accusingly. "Don't look at me like that. We all knew this was going to happen. Not the Hannah being in here and Nan too sick to travel, but everything else."

"I bet you Nana will let me come with you."