Chapter 4: Responsibility in Great Measures

The social services representative arrived ten minutes early.

Lia and Mallory were surprised that Jean was a man. They had expected a woman who looked a little more professional. Instead, Jean was an older man, with gray hair and a uni brow, wearing clothes that looked ancient.









"Welcome to our home, please come in," Lia greeted him. In his hand was the hand of a little girl. In his other arm was a basket carrying an infant boy.

Lia knelt in front of the little girl. "Hi there," she said, "my name is Lia."

The girl put her arms up, wanting to be held.

"You're not very shy, are you?" Lia said, smiling. "What's your name?"

"Mckennah," she replied. Lia and Mallory both squealed at the sound of Mckennah's adorable voice.

"She's very friendly," Jean told them. "The boy was born yesterday. His mother ran off. He was, by default, given to social services by the hospital. We have no idea where his mother is. He doesn't have a name yet."

"That's so sad," Mallory gasped.

"I have all of the paperwork right here, if you're completely serious about adopting the two," Jean stated.

"That's a little fast for an adoption process, don't you think?" Lia asked.

"Well, I'm just doing my job. Mckennah needs a place to call home. She's been in this foster-care program for too long. I have their papers, social security cards, everything. I just need to see and make a record of yours, too."

Mallory smiled widely, scooped the boy out of his basket, and brought him into the living room. Lia led Jean into the kitchen to sign papers.

"You look like an... Aaron, to me," Mallory told the infant. She knew he wouldn't understand, but that was okay. "You have such a sad story..."

"Mall! Come on! Papers!" Lia called from the kitchen.

Mallory went into the kitchen and set the boy back in the basket. Jean asked the two to get their papers. They went upstairs, and in a couple minutes came back down with their papers. They signed whatever papers Jean pushed at them, and handed over whatever papers he needed. Both were glad they had put in hours of work putting together the kids' bedroom. When it came down to it, the girls had to agree on a name for the boy.

"I like the name Henry," Lia told Mallory.

"I like Aaron better," Mallory replied. When Lia considered this, she saw Mallory's hopeful face and gave in.

"Oh, alright," she said, finally, "you can write it if you like babe."

Mallory grinned and wrote down his name, in fine penmanship, on his birth certificate.