NOVEMBER 15, 1861

“Aslan, please put on your Sunday best for the judge.” Simon instructed the lad.

“Yes, Sir.” Aslan said as he went into Javier’s old room to change his clothes. He came out in the brand new suit that Simon had got for him. He sure hoped that the judge would let him stay here. Mr. Cromwell was the nicest man he had ever known. Matter of fact Mr. Cromwell was the only person to ever be nice to him. OK, Javier and Lilly had been nice to him and had been treating him like a little brother. He really hoped that he could call Mr. Cromwell, Pa at the end of the day and have a big brother and big sister. And if Javier and Lilly had their way, Aslan would have 7 nieces and nephews! He would like that. He was already friends with the children that Lilly and Javier wanted to adopt.

Over at Javier and Lilly’s house things were busy. “Sarah Honey, after you get dressed, I’ll need your help.” Lilly said.

“Yes. Ma’am.” Sarah said as she looked at herself in the mirror. Mrs. Cromwell had bought her the most beautiful Sunday Dress. Well, Mr. and Mrs. Cromwell had bought them all new clothes, both for school and for church on Sunday. She went down to see what Mrs. Lilly wanted. 

“Can you finish this hem for me? It’s for Lilly Anne. I have to go fix your sisters’ hair.”

Sarah gave a small smile, “They’re not my sisters yet.”

“Hush, don’t talk like that. Think positively. They will be by the end of the day.” Lilly smiled.

*I hope so.* Sarah thought. She could tell Lilly anything. And so could the others. They had found out that Lilly had been through it, too. She knew what they going through, and she and Javier helped to keep the nightmares away. At first Sarah, Rhonda and Anne Marie were waking up with nightmares but then slowly the nightmares started to go way.  Now it was just once a week that they would wake up and not every night.

Rhonda had fixed her hair half pulled back in a nice lace bow. Lilly curled the part that was pulled back and let it hang on the half that was straight. She then curled Anne Marie’s hair in ringlets and pulled half back in a lace bow. Sarah finished the hem and fixed her own hair. She put a lace bow in her hair, too. Her hair was already curly so she didn’t need Lilly to curl it. 

“Here you go, Mrs. Lilly.” 

Lilly smiled, “Sarah you really have a gift here. There is no way I could have finished this so quickly. You look great and did a wonderful job on Lilly Anne’s dress.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said modestly. “I know that Anne Marie was pleased to hear that you took her name with your name for the baby.”

“I’m glad. I was worried that she would get mad that I used her name.” 

“Oh no, Ma’am. She’s been telling everyone at school how you named the baby after her.”

Lilly smiled. She was glad that Anne felt special because of something that she did. She would have to try to do something for the other two girls and the boys.

Thomas came out of his room in a brand new suit. “Mr. Javier, would please help me with this tie? I can’t seem to get it right.” 

Javier smiled, “Sure.” He showed Thomas how to tie the tie and then went to check on Eric.  

“Eric, how you doing, son?”

“Don’t call me Son!!!!” Eric saw the hurt look on Javier’s face, “Take it back! Please, Mr. Javier take it back. If you don’t it won’t happen. IF you don’t take it back, the judge will tell us we have to go back. You can’t call me son until he says that you can or you’ll jinks it!”  Eric buried his head in Javier’s chest trying not to let Javier see the tears.

Javier smiled. The boy was just afraid that he wouldn’t be adopted if Javier called him son right now. He pulled Eric back and noticed that the boy had been crying but decided not to say anything about that, instead he just replied, “Alright then, I take it back, Eric.   Do you need any help?”

Eric looked up and said, “Yes sir.” Javier tied the tie on Eric’s new suit also.

Simon, Javier and Lilly had scheduled their appearance with the judge at the same time, since they were all family and would be waiting to hear each other’s news anyway. 

The judge started with Simon first. “Sir, I see that you are a widower.”

“Yes, Sir.” Simon answered.

“And you want to adopt Aslan?” Simon nodded. “Aslan could you please stand so that I know which child I’m talking about?”

Aslan stood and the judge said, “Alright young man, you can sit down now. Mr. Cromwell, I’m sure you are aware that it’s not usual for single men and women to adopt children.”

“Yes, Your Honor I am. However, I think that Javier here turned out pretty good. I raised him up all by myself, and Sir, to be quite frank with you, I think that one parent is better than no parents, and I just can’t see myself letting this young man go back to that horrible place.”

“I understand this is most defiantly a strange situation. I’ll tell you what I’m going to do, if Aslan wants to stay with you, then I’m willing to allow that for six months then when I come back in six months we’ll see how everything is going, and then draw up some adoption papers if everything is still going well.”

Aslan hugged his new pa. And they both said unison, “Yes, Sir.” Simon added, “Thank you, Sir.”

The judge nodded and then continued. “Now Javier and Lilly Cromwell, I see here that you are married and are asking for seven of these children.” The young couple nodded.  “I’ve talked with the people of this town and have found out about your character. You have just married this past Easter, and both of you are well liked by everyone in town.  The doctors of the town said that Lilly has just gone through a major and experimental operation to save her life. They also said that they see no reason why you couldn’t take care of two babies and five children. And I see here that there is an 11-year-old girl that can help you out when she’s not in school. To be honest this is the first time in this town that a married couple has asked me to adopt. But I’m going to be treating everyone the same. We’ll try it for six months, and if all goes well, then I will draw up adoption papers when I get back here – IF the children all agree to be adopted and want to continue staying with you.”

“Yes, Sir,” they all said in unison.

Javier and Lilly smiled. Lilly was relieved that the judge didn’t know about her past and that they were going to keep the children.

“Mr. Judge, Sir?” Eric said.

“What can I do for you?”

“Does this mean that I can call them Ma and Pa now?”

The judge looked at the young boy standing in front of him and said, “Yes it does.”

Eric ran over to Javier and Lilly and said, “I love you, Ma and Pa.” 

Lilly and Javier could hardly keep the tears of joy away when they heard Eric say that.

“Well, let’s all go over to the Silver Spoon and celebrate!” Simon said. “I’m buying.”