To China for Mei Mei

[justagirl4fun]

Jack and Anne Ahern were in the civil affairs office in Changsha, the capitol of the Hunan province of China, with their 12-year-old daughter Ruby. On this chilly, overcast early December day, the family was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the child they were adopting, a tiny, very sick little girl they had decided to name Harper Jade. They had adopted Ruby from China as well, though she was from a small town in the Guangdong province. They had gotten Ruby just before her first birthday and had meant to adopt again while Ruby was young, but life got in the way. Now, though, after several promotions, Jack was pulling in a high six-figure salary. He strictly worked 9-5, Monday through Friday, and Anne was able to quit her job. They had a nice house in a good neighborhood, with a prestigious private school nearby that Ruby attended and finally felt ready to add a second child to the family.

[Ishigreensa]

Anne had been diagnosed with a disease when she was around fifteen that left her unable to bear children of her own.

[justagirl4fun]

The family got settled and before long a string of nannies entered the room, each guiding or carrying a child to meet their new parents. Jack immediately spotted Harper. Her dark, almost black, almond-shaped eyes were huge in her tiny, delicate face and he could tell that, even though she was bundled up against the cold in many layers of clothing, as was the Chinese custom, she was very small for a child that had just turned three. He figured she was about the size Ruby was at 18 months. Of course they'd been told she was small for her age, but it didn't really sink in until he saw her in person.

[Ishigreensa]

Anne reached up for her little baby smiling.

[justagirl4fun]

"Yes, Ruby, that's Harper. She's three. But her heart is very sick, and it makes it hard for her to grow and gain weight," Jack explained before Ruby wandered off. He shrugged and turned his attention to his new daughter, who was clinging to the nanny and crying hysterically as Anne tried to take her. It wasn't that Harper was particularly attached to this nanny, or anyone, really, but at least the woman was familiar unlike these strange, pale, fair-haired people standing in front of her.

"The nanny says take her. It is best to get it over with quickly," their translator/guide instructed Anne.

[Ishigreensa]

Anne nodded and took Harper and stood up with her to try to calm her while rocking her.

"It's okay," she said in a smooth almost melodic singsong voice.

[justagirl4fun]

Harper let out a blood curdling shriek as the nanny walked away and tried to escape Anne's grasp. Finally she gave up and went limp in Anne's arms, carefully avoiding eye contact with the strange woman. It was clear even through the multiple layers of clothing that the girl had wet her pants, probably several times, on the long bus trip from her rural orphanage to the civil affairs office.

[Ishigreensa]

Anne shook her head to be given the child in this state and she looked at Jack.

"Do you know where the bathrooms are?" she asked.

[justagirl4fun]

"Honey, these kids leave the orphanage with nothing. They probably didn't have anything to change her into," Jack said, trying to calm Anne down. He pointed to a hallway across the room. "I think the bathrooms are over there."

[Ishigreensa]

Anne nodded, and having turned the right way, unlike Ruby who had turned the wrong way, she found the bathroom right away and took Harper in to change her into some panties and pants they had brought for her.

[justagirl4fun]

Harper sat still and silent as she allowed Anne to change her, but did nothing to help her.

[Ishigreensa]

"Oh," Ruby blushed scared he'd think she wasn't even trying to use the bathroom now.

[justagirl4fun]

"All set? Let's get out of here," Jack said, hoping Harper might open up a bit once they were away from all the commotion. He put an arm around Anne's shoulders and led his family outside to where the can was waiting to bring them back to the hotel.

[Ishigreensa]

Ruby got into the van which would take about twenty minutes to get to the hotel.

She looked up at her dad hoping that he wouldn't be mad if she went to the bathroom at the hotel.

[justagirl4fun]

Jack waited for his wife and daughters to get settled before getting in the Van. He hoped for a quick, uneventful trip back to the hotel where they could spend the rest of the day getting to know Harper in the peace and quiet of their room. He watched sadly as the little girl sat on Anne's lap, maintaining as little body contact with her as possible and staring solemnly out the window.

[Ishigreensa]

Anne was nervous because of how much the little girl tried to avoid getting close to her.

[justagirl4fun]

Harper stiffened as Anne pulled her close. She wasn't used to this much contact and it was making her nervous. Her eyes were wide and her breathing started to speed up as they drove towards the hotel.

"Ruby, what is the problem?" Jack asked as he watched his older daughter fidget. "Can you not sit still for twenty minutes?"

[Ishigreensa]

"S...s... sorry," she said scared to tell him what the problem was, and that he would get mad if she told him.

[justagirl4fun]

Harper seemed to relax a little and sat silently for the remainder of the trip. "Almost there," Jack said, forcing a smile.

[Ishigreensa]

Ruby's legs suddenly started to slap back and forth at the knees as she tried to keep from wetting again, and she started to scoot in her seat just as the bus pulled up at the hotel doors.

[justagirl4fun]

"Ruby, what is the matter with you?" Jack asked as he observed his daughter's odd behavior.

[Ishigreensa]

She shuddered afraid she had been caught, and when she shuddered, the dam opened and she poured pee all over her pants and the floor of the bus and seat.

[justagirl4fun]

"Ruby! You just went to the bathroom!" Jack said as he shook his head. "Come on. Get inside."

[Ishigreensa]

Ruby continued to cry all the way into the room thinking her dad was mad at her now.

[Ishigreensa]

Ruby waited there at the door for her mom or dad to take charge and to either get mad at her and scold her into the bathroom, or take her by the hand to go clean up like the toddler seh had just acted like.

(Sorry, not sure if you saw the reply since you keep missing it, so added a little bit to it.)