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Post by skyeknight on Nov 17, 2017 19:39:33 GMT
Namine took a deep breath. Elsa was going to come over with the last draft of the adoption papers. All she would have to do is sign the papers. She would then no longer be her father's daughter in name but Omar's. She smiled. They had come a long way since they first met. She had been terrified of him at first, but then, when she needed someone the most (namely in just support) he was there, even when he didn't have to be. He was everything a parent was supposed to be. He was there (unlike her mother) and he was kind (unlike her father). He was polite, sweet and thoughtful. He was completely and utterly selfless.
She smoothed over her dress, hoping that she looked okay. Aqua had contacted Elsa and let her know that Namine would be off today, simply because Namine had yet to work up the nerve to bother the woman. Her roommate decided to make herself scare by trying to get ahold of Omar so they could talk things over. She smiled to herself. Things were finally starting to go right. Everyone would be happy. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she waited for Elsa.
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Post by Zuyuri on Nov 17, 2017 19:51:16 GMT
Well, here it went. It was the final part of adoption. Elsa’s heels clicked along the floor as she entered the apartment building. Ralph had told her ofvthe positive work she had done. The recesses of her sorrow were melting, and when her phone buzzed, reminding her of the finalization process in adoption.
Elsa had never met Namine’s parents. She had only met the girl who Omar would take under his wing. She adjusted the paperwork folder and found the door, pressing the doorbell.
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Post by skyeknight on Nov 17, 2017 20:40:00 GMT
Namine didn't flinch when the bell rang. This time she was expecting it. She let out a shaky breath, trying to feign some form of confidence. She still felt like she was bothering Elsa with this request, but after a pep talk from Jane she felt she had to do this. So she went to the door and opened it. A shy smile crossed her lips when she saw Elsa. The door opened wider to let the frosty woman in. She could feel her stomach churning, like live butterflies. She was nervous, but not in a bad way. This was a good thing.
"H-Hello Elsa," she greeted.
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Post by Zuyuri on Nov 17, 2017 21:45:05 GMT
The seemingly sculpted face of Elsa became warm. Her lips curved into a genuine smile. She entered the apartment, taking in the delightful decor. Simplicity was always one of her favorite styles to admire. How many of the pieces were done by Namine?
“Hi, Namine,” she greeted.
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Post by skyeknight on Nov 18, 2017 0:17:36 GMT
Namine shyly glanced away. She might have been gaining confidence around her friends, but she wasn't entirely cured of her timid nature yet. Once Elsa stepped inside, she closed the door. She had to remind herself that despite the fact she did not know Elsa well the woman was helping her after all. By moving on, moving past her father, she could finally get on with her life, start anew with people who truly cared about her. The shock of finding out she had a half brother of all things was a bit much for her, but luckily, Adrien was kind and was giving her space to think things over. He wanted to get to know her. She supposed ultimately, she wanted the same thing. Though, she just had to figure out how to break this to Omar before people really started finding out.
"W-Would you like something to drink?" she asked. "W-We can talk in the kitchen?"
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Post by Zuyuri on Nov 20, 2017 22:18:05 GMT
Elsa adjusted her paperwork. Namine was nervous, which was both normal and understandable. It was going to be difficult despite it just signing a hunchback or contracts. If her conversation with Jenna had showed her anything, contracts of life changing experiences could not be taken lightly. The blonde asked her to the kitchen, and she walked into the room. With a quick swipe of stray hair from her cascading braid, she answered,
“Yes, some water would be nice. Thank you.”
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Post by skyeknight on Nov 21, 2017 15:28:56 GMT
Namine nodded. She went to the kitchen and fetched a glass of water for Elsa. She then put on the teapot for herself. Aqua had picked up a tea with rosemary after she met some guy, but she said it was really good. Namine did, in fact, find herself fond of it. It helped, particularly when she was feeling overwhelmed. She offered Elsa a tentative smile and sat at the kitchen table. A pen had been set out for her. She wasn't sure if that was Aqua's doing or Jane's. It was a little embarrassing since they did so much for her in an attempt to ease her nerves. But it had to be weird for Elsa to be working on something like this - an adult woman being adopted. Granted, Omar was 700 plus years old so everyone was a child to him. However, this was just one way for her to put her past - namely her father - behind her once and for all.
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Post by Zuyuri on Nov 22, 2017 6:21:51 GMT
Elsa smiled warmly up at Namine, silently thanking her and wanting to calm her nerves. Despite popular belief, Elsa could be quite warm. Just because she had powers over ice didn't mean she had to live up to the name. The closest to having ice all around was having a passion for sparkles in her ensemble most of the time, like the snowflake pins adorning her platinum blonde braid. As she waited, her eyes fell on a pen. It looked as if it were waiting for Namine. Whoever set it up was probably just as happy to get the signing done as possible.
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Post by skyeknight on Nov 22, 2017 15:15:18 GMT
Namine gripped her little cup of tea. She still couldn't believe this was happening. A little offhanded comment (one she hadn't even intended to blurt out around Omar) had led to all of this. It left her overwhelmingly happy. Perhaps it was even better than her own familial relationships because Omar actually chose her. Just like Adrien. The other blond didn't have to contact her and let her know his findings, but he wanted to reach out to her and get to know her. She smiled at Elsa. She was just glad she wasn't crying from the sheer joy she felt. She couldn't remember the last time she was this happy.
"W-What do we have to do?" Namine asked.
She was fairly certain it was just sign here, sign here and send it in to get notarized or something. But did she have to explain herself to Elsa? Did she have to make a statement against her father again? She had thought that her case against the man was public record.
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Post by Zuyuri on Nov 23, 2017 22:47:25 GMT
“I want to go over what you’re getting with this,” Elsa said reassuringly.
“This does put you in Omar’s care, legally, but unfortunately it can’t protect you from your family. I can try and get a restraining order on them, but that would require another trip to the court.”
That was the real big thing in the contract. In a perfect world, it would have meant Namine’s family wouldn’t ever come near her again and continue to hurt her. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen.
“This also ties you with Adrien Agaste as a family member. Should anything happen to Omar, you’ll be with him.” She smiled at the blonde. “He’s a sweet boy.”
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Post by skyeknight on Nov 23, 2017 23:38:39 GMT
"I've... a-already got a restraining order." Namine said. "A-And the person's in jail anyways."
That had been one of the first things she did. The police officer who arrested her father was a nice man. He walked her through each step, wanting to make sure this was a solid order. That there was no loophole. She felt better knowing there was an entire prison keeping him away from her. That even though he tried to escape in that big riot a few months ago, he didn't get away. He got caught and locked back up with more time tacked to his sentence. Besides, she had a feeling if he did try to come after her, Omar would have more than just words for him
"Y-Yeah," she admitted. "H-He is really nice."
She had just found out that Adrien was her brother. She was still in shock herself. Adrien was a nice guy though. She didn't think she would mind getting to know him better.
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Post by Zuyuri on Nov 25, 2017 19:40:34 GMT
"...Oh. Well," Elsa smiled wistfully.
Of course, there had been a person arrested and thrown away in prison. Louisiana laws were incredibly strict about physical and domestic abuse. The person being locked away saved her so much trouble. Whoever helped Namine through it had done is homework on Louisiana law...the only other cops she thought of who handled it seriously was the Others Unit. But relief was flowing through that soe officers that weren't on her unit were capable of doing some good in the world. It seemed fewer and fewer each year.
"Have you ever spent much time with him? I never had siblings growing up."
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Post by skyeknight on Nov 27, 2017 0:17:06 GMT
"I-I haven't gotten to talk to him much," Namine said.
It was not for lack of wanting to. They just had different schedules, but Adrien was doing whatever he could to be flexible. It was something to be said, since according to rumors. His father hadn't been as accommodating. But Adrien was nice. He wanted to get to know her. It was a little overwhelming (in a good way) to have so many people who wanted to be a part of her life.
"I d-didn't know about him... So I don't k-know how to be a good sibling." she said.
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Post by Zuyuri on Nov 28, 2017 5:53:48 GMT
"There's no rule book on how to be a sibling. If there was one, I probably would have recommended it."
Well, Elsa was exaggerating. There were guides on how to bond written by psychologists that came out every year, but in a strange way, they continued to recycle the same formulas. It was all so...wooden. These were people with hearts, not puppets you could control. With a reassuring smile, Elsa placed a hand over Namine's. Contrary to popular belief, her hands were warmed and smelled of the snowdrop lotion she applied.
"Namine, the most you can do is be there for him when you feel he's overwhelmed. Weiss Lafayette and I have made a similar connection despite not knowing each other through blood. It comes with time, and it'll be okay."
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Post by skyeknight on Nov 28, 2017 18:07:36 GMT
Namine shared a tentative smile with Elsa. It was no wonder Aqua had recommended Elsa to the case. Granted, Aqua didn't know many lawyers, but not many was as versatile in their fields as Elsa. Normally, they stuck to one field and that was it. Not many lawyers would step out of criminal law and assist with an adoption. She was a kind individual, warm and welcoming despite her ice powers.
"Thank you," she said softly.
Never in her life did she expect such support from the people around her. She had half expected to live her life like the little wallflower she tried to be. Remain invisible and out of sight until she was needed, except people were seeing her, noticing her and caring. It was a bit much for her. She swiped at her eyes when she felt moisture gathering there. She wasn't upset. This was the first time she remembered feeling so happy she could just explode. She wanted to keep that feeling.
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