//------------------------------// // Bulletproof // Story: Three Dazzling Daughters // by BG9 //------------------------------// After that perfect Christmas, the rest of the trip went by without incident. The three girls wore their new gems with pride, knowing this time they weren't a sign of ugly envy, but beauty and wisdom. And now came the real fun: making the adoption official. Anon had spent a while filling out the paperwork the best he could. He was sure he could figure a way to get the blanks sorted out. He could feel his heart race and his eyes water just at the thought. He was becoming a father! An actual, real father! Someone who was done with humanity, people, love, and life in general, was about to become a father. It was amazing just how much three little girls could turn ones life around. Anon never imagined in a million years the three demon sea monsters from another dimension would melt his heart of stone. Anon sat on the porch step, watching the sun sink beneath the horizon. Adagio walks out and sits beside him. "Hi, dad." "Hey, sweetheart." "What're you doing out here?" she asked "It sure is cold out here." "Just thinking a bit is all." Anon hugged his soon to be official daughter closely. "So what happens now?" Dagi asked "Well I suppose the first thing for me to do is finalize the adoption." he said "Then the next step is to make sure you all going to school." Adagio seems puzzled "What's a matter?" "Nothing in particular." "You don't seem very happy about this. Almost somber." "I wouldn't say that. More just in disbelief. If someone would've told me a year ago I would be the father of three little girls and love every second of it, I would have laughed in their face. It's just unbelievable is all." "I love you, dad." "I love you too, Adagio." The two sit outside for a while, watching the beautiful stars cover the heavens. There was nothing better than sitting on the porch with he sweet little girl. But as all good things do, they had to end. "Why don't you go get some rest Adagio? I'll be up soon." "You sure you're alright out here all by yourself?" That was little Dagi for you, always concerned for everyone else. "Of course I am. Go ahead and get some sleep." "Alright." She kisses him on the cheek "Night Dad." "Night." Anon just sat out there for a while longer, looking up towards the sky. It was amazing how much more beautiful the world was when you weren't deep in depression. Even in this darkness, everything just seemed brighter. Anon wondered up to bed and sat down. Sonata was resting there peacefully, like a little angel. He pushed the hair from her eyes and snuggled up close. He feel asleep quickly, with a big smile on his face. The next morning Anon is awoken by loud stomping and running throughout the house. He could only guess as to what shenanigans were taking place. He cracks open his eyes to see the girls flash past the doorway. They were playing a game of tag. Sonata rushes back and sees him. "DADDY'S AWAKE" she yells at the top of her lungs Aria and Adagio immediately run back to his bedroom as well, peaking from the sides. Aria had a wide smile on her face and was wearing the dress she got for Christmas. It was so good to see her be herself for a change. It seemed to make her a lot happier. "Did you have a good sleep daddy?" Aria asked "I did indeed, Aria." "It's about time too." Anon looked at his clock. It was one in the afternoon. Anon quickly got up. "You girls must be hungry huh?" The three of them nodded and Anon went down to the kitchen to quickly make some sandwiches. "Alright girls. Quickly eat this. Then we'll go make you my daughters." Aria's smile couldn't be wider "We're really doing it then?" "Yes. I wouldn't lie about something like this." Aria just looks at you with her eyes sparkling "This is going to be so fun." The three of them wolfed it down and were ready faster than you could say daddy "You ready to get a new father?" "Aye, sir!" Adagio said "Aye!" Sonata parroted "Yes!" Aria sounded off "Well then we better get going." They all gather up in the car and Anon debriefs them "Alright girls. All I need to do is fill some paperwork out, do and interview, and then you'll legally be under my wing. I need you three to be on your absolute best behavior." "Right." Adagio says "They may ask to interview you three as well and all you need to answer as honestly as you can ok?" "Aye!" Sonata chirps Sonata was so excited she could barely sit still. But it would be well worth the half hour drive. The building was remarkably ugly, just a tall red brick monstrosity. They get out and head towards the door. "I am so proud of your girls. This is going to be great." Aria held his hand "I love you daddy." "I love you too." It didn't take long for the clerk to get them set up, Aria clinging to Anon's side all the while. In only five minutes they were ready to be seen. The receptionist leads you back to the office. Just then Anon's blood ran cold. The woman awaiting them had black hair, blue eyes and glasses with a small, familiar scar running just below her chin from childhood. Bella, his ex fiance'. The color drained from his face as she looked him dead in the eye. Dagi pulls on his sleeve "You alright dad? You're as pale as a ghost." Sonata shivers "There are ghosts here!?" Aria sighs "No dumb, dumb. She said he looks like a ghost." Anon giggles a bit. That was just what he needed. Bella looks disinterested, just as she always did. "So I assume you here to adopt those three cuties there?" she sighed It infuriated him that Bella referred to them as 'cuties' and even more so as if you two were complete strangers. But this was like her. She was sweet as honey at first but had a bad habit of leaving a nasty after taste. But who was he to think a girl that left him at the alter would be anything else? She had only gotten more insufferable. Though he wanted to open up on her, he had to keep his cool. He was here for to adopt the three best things that ever happened to him, not get caught up in some pointless squabble. "Correct." he said through gritted teeth Bella smiled at this. She was clearly trying to goad him. "Well first you need to fill this paperwork out." Anon hands his already filled out paperwork and she looks it over with a fine tooth comb. "So now what happens?" "Well, now we need to process your paperwork. If everything checks out, then they're yours. After that we will need to meet with you on a weekly basis to check on how they are doing and if all is well you're home free." "Alright." "Thank you for coming in." She extends her hand to shake and Anon begrudgingly accepts it. Just as he was about to leave, she twists the knife a little further. "I do, I do." she says in a mocking tone, as if she was finishing he wedding vows Anon clenches his fists and quickly goes outside. "Daddy?" Sonata asks "Who was the lady?" "Nobody you need to worry about Sonata." "She wasn't very pretty." Aria gives her a hard elbow. She must've known who she was after seeing the pictures still present in the spare room in which she slept. "What was that for?" Sonata whines Aria gives her a "shut your stupid mouth" look and motions to Anon. Sonata quickly gets the message. "It's fine." he said "Let's just go home and forget about it alright." Adagio looks at him sympathetically "Are you sure?" Anon rubs her poof "I'm sure." he lied Adagio, with her cunning intuition, could still tell something was bothering her soon to be father, but she left it alone. He had so many questions. Why was she there? Why would they allow some so vile, so repugnant to work so close to children? Why was she treating you as if you were some business partner? And most importantly of all, what did she hope to gain by this? She was clearly after something and it was obviously not to help him. Would she try to throw a wrench in the adoption plans? Or maybe try to get something out of him in exchange? Just thinking about it was making him angry. He put on some music to ease the tension. Whatever happened though, he had his three little girls by his side and that was all he needed in this life.