Page 76 of Creed

She smiled. “Not at all.” She reached for my ID and pulled out a tiny little scanner to scan it into her computer. After that she typed a bunch of stuff.

“What address should I use for you?” She looked up at me, but Creed cleared his throat.

“Creed’s Lake PO Box 317 Cold Springs.”

She gave him a nod. “Thank you, but when a PO box is used, we do ask for a physical address as well.”

I thought he was going to tell her no, but that wasn’t what happened.

“It’s 9184 Creek’s Lake Path, Cold Springs, Indiana.”

He squeezed my hand for the tenth time already that day. He was always trying to reassure me.

She had me electronically sign paperwork, gave me back my driver’s license then gave me a smile. “Okay, that’s everything. Are you ready?” She looked at both of us.

“We’ve been ready.” I then squeezed his hand like he always did mine.

She opened the door and walked out, but didn’t shut it behind her. I looked up at Creed and he pulled me in for a hug. “She’s going to be okay.” He kissed the top of my head. “And so will you.”

Then we heard a little voice coming toward us. “Is da big guy here too?”

I looked up at Creed and he smiled.

“Auntie Morgan lubs me. Mommy always days so. I taught she wad coming for me and I waited. I wad scared, but mommy said Auntie Morgan wud take care ob me.”

Tears started building up in my eyes. She still had that little speech issue, but it was so cute.

“Da big guy pwomised Auntie Morgan wud come for me.”

I looked up at Creed and his eyes were a little more wet than usual. When I looked back at the doorway I saw a tiny little girl with big blue eyes and blond hair. I had to take a sharp breath because she looked like Callie and nothing like Shane. I always knew that, and things were a little crazy that horrible night, but it still hit me pretty hard. She looked at me and then to Creed, then to me again. I knelt down and she let go of Barbara’s hand before shyly walking toward me.

“Addie, I came as soon as I could get here.” I held out my hand and she took it before I pulled her into a hug. The little back pack was still attached to her and it felt pretty full.

“Da big guy come too?” She asked.

I looked at Creed and Addie did too. He knelt down and his eyes were still super wet. “You pwomised and…” She sniffled. “Now I lib wif you and Auntie Morgan?” She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

I had to study Creed, because he was looking at Addie in a similar way that he looked at me.

He nodded his head. “Yeah kid, you and Auntie Morgan are going to stay with me.” He put his hand on her shoulder, but she jolted toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck, then tried to wrap her legs around him, but was unsuccessful until he stood with her in his arms.

I looked at Barbara and she had a brown paper bag and a manila envelope. “This is a copy of her birth certificate, but we are still waiting for her Social Security card. We will forward that too you when it’s received. Her Medicaid card is also in there with all the paperwork we have received from them. We’ve also included her school records in case you don’t send her back to the same school. We also have her vaccine record and her eyeglass prescription. We did get her new glasses, but from what I understand, she wasn’t happy with the choices available through Medicaid.” She then handed me the brown paper bag. “She has mostly toys in her backpack, and these are a few outfits I bought her the day after her placement.”

“Thank you, I appreciate everything you’ve done.” I couldn’t shake her hand with mine being full.

“I wish it would have been sooner, but there’s a protocol in place. I hope you understand.” She said.

Addie held on to Creed all the way to the car. He fastened her seat belt, and I hopped in back with her.

“Da big guy has a big car.” She was moving in her seat to get comfortable. “Miss Hope had a big car too and I got to ride in it. Mommy has a widdle car.”

“Was Miss Hope your foster mom?” I asked.

“Yep.” She pushed her glasses up again.

“I hope you knew I was coming for you. We had to do some things before we were allowed to come for you.” I explained.

“Da big guy pwomised. Mommy pwomised. We are going there now. The big guy say so.”

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