Bringing Home Mei Mei

[justagirl4fun]

Despite her best efforts, the movement of the van soon lulled Harper to sleep. Within minutes she was sprawled across Anne's lap.

[Ishigreensa]

Anne was happy that Harper was finally getting some much needed sleep.

[justagirl4fun]

(sorry, I should have mentioned that Harper is supposedly potty trained and out of diapers)

[Ishigreensa]

(That's okay, Anne hasn't really known much from not reading, so maybe she checks her anyway, but find she's wearing panties and not a diaper?)

[justagirl4fun]

(yes, that's fine.)

When Anne went to check Harper's diaper, she found that the girl was in panties which were completely dry. Harper slept right through it, being exhausted not only from crying but from getting up early for the long bus trip from her rural orphanage to the Civil Affairs office in the city.

[Ishigreensa]

Ruby glared at her daddy.

[justagirl4fun]

"Ruby, calm down," Jack said, embarrassed that she was making a scene in front of the 3 other families in the van. "Of course we love you, that's why we brought you with us instead of leaving you home with Nonnie and Pop for two weeks. I didn't pick you up because then my clothes would have gotten all wet. And you wouldn't have had to hold it so long if you just told us you had to go!"

All the ruckus woke Harper, who of course was cranky and confused after dozing off. She started wailing all over again.

[Ishigreensa]

Anne sighed and patted Harper's back.

"Jack, please be a little undestanding.

[justagirl4fun]

"I'm not mad, I didn't tell at you, I just told you you're too old to be sucking your fingers like that," Jack corrected her, which was true. He hasn't raised his voice at all. He didn't realize that Ruby didn't understand he had simply meant for her to take her fingers out of her mouth.

Harper continued her frenzied cry; the more Ruby cried and argued, the wore worked up Harper got. After a few minutes she emptied her bladder, but seemed not to notice at all.

[Ishigreensa]

Ruby just kept crying and shaking her head.

[justagirl4fun]

"Oh good, we're here," Jack said with a sigh of relief as they pulled up to the hotel. As soon as the van was parked he hopped out, grabbed Ruby, and carried her inside where he waited for Anne by the elevator. "Ruby, calm down. For the last time, no one is mad, we don't love Harper more than you, so take a deep breath and stop crying. You're fine," he said in a calm, even tone.

[Ishigreensa]

Anne smiled and patted Harper's back.

"Daddy is right, honey.

[justagirl4fun]

Jack just stood red-faced as Ruby yelled at the onlookers, and ducked into the elevator as soon as the doors opened. "Ruby, for the last time, calm down. Mommy can defend herself," he said as he pushed the 6 button to take them to their floor. Between Ruby telling and Harper crying his head was starting to throb and he was hoping they could convince

[Ishigreensa]

Anne kept trying to sway and rock her baby in her arms.

"It's okay, sweetie.

[justagirl4fun]

"Ruby, it doesn't matter what they said, or why. It's okay. Mommy is fine. Right, hon?" Jack asked, glancing at Anne as they arrived on their floor.

[Ishigreensa]

Anne's face was a little red, but she smiled.

"it's fine.

[justagirl4fun]

"Okay, no more tears," Jack ordered as he opened the door to their room. "Let's let mommy get Harper cleaned up quick, and then you can have a bath while mommy tries to get Harper to sleep, alright?"

[Ishigreensa]

"Honey?" Anne asked Jack.

[justagirl4fun]

"Ruby, stop it for just a minute," Jack said, pulling away from her. Before Anne could get in the bathroom he went in and wet a few washcloths and grabbed a hand towel. "Okay hon, go ahead. Go get the two of you cleaned up. Ruby, take your pants and underwear off."

[Ishigreensa]

Ruby nodded and stopped when she was told.

She looked down until she saw he was carrying some wet towels to clean her off with.

She started to undo her pants, but the button kept slipping out of her hands because she was nervous and it was wet.

[justagirl4fun]

"Okay, okay, I got it. Calm down," Jack said, starting to feel like a broken record. He was certain he was going to lose his mind if Ruby was this high-strung the entire trip, and began to second-guess his decision to bring her. He knew Harper deserved as much of his attention as he could give her as she grieved the loss of everything familiar and learned to trust them, and worried he wouldn't be able to give her what she needed If Ruby was this needy the entire time.

Once he had her sodden garments off he wiped her down with the washcloths, careful to get her privates as he didn't want her to get a rash or infection, and dried her. "Go get dressed," he said when he was done, and got up to toss the towel and washcloths back in the bathroom where Harper was struggling as Anne got her undressed. "Oh my God," he muttered as he stated at her tiny, naked body. Her little arms and legs were barely more than skin and bone and he could count every rib. "I...I know they said she was underweight but..." he trailed off, completely speechless.

[Ishigreensa]

"You know how it is in the poorer parts of the country," Anne said to Jack as he saw her getting the little girl's panties off of her at last.

[justagirl4fun]

"Of course," Jack said as he took the screaming child. Despite her frail state it took all his strength to hold on to her as she fought to escape his embrace. "I know. They said it's her heart, mainly. It has to pump so hard that it burns calories as fast as she takes them in. I just...it's just reading that, hearing it from someone else...it doesn't quite compare to seeing it first-hand," he explained over the noise. He turned and squatted down when he heard Ruby. "No, honey, you weren't this small. You weren't sick the same way she is. I know it looks bad, but she'll be okay once we get home and see the doctors there," he assured her.

[Ishigreensa]

Ruby rubbed her hands on the baby's naked ribs.

"Harper?

[justagirl4fun]

Ruby's voice and touch wasn't enough to silence Harper completely, but she settled a bit as she turned to look at her sister. "I don't know, Rubes. It's hard to say right now, since she can't tell us what's wrong. I'm sure she probably doesn't feel too good, but you have to remember that she's been in the orphanage her whole life, and it has to be pretty scary for her leaving even if it wasn't a very nice place to live. She has no idea who we are or why we're taking her away, and can't understand anything we're saying. Don't you think you might cry if the same thing happened to you?"