Page 34 of Ronny

She leans forward and signs a couple of different documents without hesitation or really reading them.

Then we are waved forward, and we sign the papers next. I catch the glimpse of the words “signing over parental rights” to me and Ronny.

But I really don’t care and I’m sure that this is all not legal. Ronny eyes his aunt, a disgusted look on his face.

It’s hard to believe that Ronny is from that family—no, he’s Maverick and Bell’s through and through.

The money is slid over in front of her, the papers are stuffed back in the briefcase, and that is that.

“Can I smoke now?” she asks, arching an eyebrow.

I close my eyes, fighting with myself to not knock her out. “Do you have her papers?” I ask her, knowing that it would help to have some records of Madeline or I’d have to chase them through the system.

And I’m calling into work for a vacation because there is no way I’m leaving this little girl until she is situated and content in her new home.

She nods her head over to a broken dining room table where there is a folder, and I’m glad she didn’t throw it all away.

Ronny walks over and takes the papers. He doesn’t look at her again, and we all walk out of that house with a baby girl in my arms.

She never once tries to stop us, not giving a damn about the baby.

Maverick looks at Ronny. I know he is making sure he is okay. He opens the truck and pulls out the car seat, looking over the directions to make sure he is placing it correctly in the truck.

Lane, Smiley, and Maverick help him, and I can’t resist the urge to take a picture of all of them working together and send it to their wives.

An idea hits me, and who better to help me get everything I need than Elle? I shoot her a text while I wait. She texts back and offers to go shopping for us with Christopher.

Ronny takes Madeline from me and gently sets her in the seat, his hands moving gently as he moves her little arms into the seat belt straps. “Fuck, how do you keep from breaking them?”

I laugh and help him get the straps to the correct place on her chest. “I asked Elle if she could help us get what we need.” I don’t have the first clue what a baby needs. “She offered to go get everything for us.”

We need to get this sweet girl checked out and settled. “I will follow behind you to the clinic.” I kiss Ronny on his lips softly, looking into his eyes to make sure he is good.

He kisses my forehead, letting me know he is okay. I go to my car and get inside, ready to call my boss to take the time off. That goes over poorly since we are understaffed.

8

OLIVIA

We were at the clinic for hours where baby Madeline got every test under the sun. We learned she hasn’t been fed properly and has a horrible diaper rash that she needs medication for.

The doctors have put her on a round of antibiotics to fight off any infection as a precaution and got her records from the hospital, which show she was healthy at birth but was born a couple of weeks early.

The doctors also gave a feeding regime to help put some weight on her, but otherwise she is okay. Elle and Christopher had been doing shopping for us while we were at the doctor’s.

The doctor had some newborn clothes at her clinic so we have since changed and cleaned her up as best we could until we can get her home.

Now we are pulling up at the house and I let out a sigh of relief. Ronny has her in his truck with him. My back is killing me from how tense I am.

My boss threatened to fire me for the sudden vacation that I asked for, so I told her to let me go because this is more important to me and I know I’m the best she’s got.

She then closed her mouth and told me to come back to work as soon as I can. I believe it was fate that I got this case today, because the way this angel was living, I don’t think she could have made it too much longer.

Christopher runs out of our house and hands Ronny his credit card back. “Thanks for helping us out,” I say to him.

He smiles at me then turns around to look at where Elle walks to the door holding her daughter.

God, that kid is so in love with the two of them. I sigh happily, I love love.

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