“Come on, I’ll take you back, Dawn.” She nodded her thanks and followed him to the exam room, where a nurse was holding Treasure as she drank juice from a sippy cup. As soon as the girl saw Dawn, she squealed in happiness and held her hands out to be picked up. Doc nodded to the nurse, and she handed the baby over after Dawn had sat in the chair.
The three left, leaving Mark watching his wife as she bonded with the little redheaded girl who had already stolen their hearts. Whatever it took, he vowed, he would do it. They would be a family.
When the knock came on the door and they had to hand her back to Melody, they barely made it out of the room before Dawn broke down. She cried the whole way home on the back of the bike for her little Treasure by the side of the road.
Six Months Later
“The minor child Jane Doe is hereby declared to be abandoned under Minnesota Statute 260(C)301 and the parental rights of her have been terminated,” the Family Court Judge said as he signed the papers. “I understand there is a petition for adoption?”
“There is, your honor,” the attorney said.
“Bring it forward.” The bailiff brought the petition to him as he looked at the Social Services representative. “Will the petitioners stand, please.”
Mark and Dawn stood nervously, their foster daughter in front of them. Mark was in his State Trooper uniform as the hearing had been on short notice and he had to come to court directly from his patrol. Dawn was in a dark blue dress, and Treasure in a matching dress with her red hair braided back. “Mark and Dawn Olson, your honor.”
“It is your wish to adopt the minor child?”
“Yes sir. We have loved her since we found her and have cared for her the past four months as her foster parents.” Treasure lifted her hands to him, and he kissed her cheek as she hugged his neck.
“Does the State concur,” he asked Melody.
“The State has no objection, your honor. The Olsons have provided adequate care for the minor child as foster parents and she has bonded with them.”
He looked at the little girl and smiled. “What is your name, little girl?”
“Trea-sure,” she said with a smile.
“Treasure, do you want them to be your forever parents?”
“Yes, please,” she said as Dawn hugged her, her arms wrapping around her husband’s waist.
“The adoption is approved,” he said. “What name would you like on her birth certificate?”
“Treasure Charlotte Olson,” Mark said.
“Is her birthdate known?” He was looking down at the papers.
“No, your honor. The pediatrician thinks she was about a year old when she was found, so we are asking for a birthdate of October 9th, 1999,” Mark replied.
“Anniversary of you finding her.” He wrote a few more things on the form. “Congratulations, Trooper and Mrs. Olson, and to you, young Treasure. May your family be blessed and happy.”
“Thank you, your honor.” The judge gaveled the proceedings to an end, and the family and friends in the gallery rushed forward to congratulate the new family.
“I’m yours now, no more moving,” Treasure asked her Mommy.
“You’re our daughter now,” Dawn said as she kissed her.
2012, Rochester, Minnesota
The precocious pony-tailed and red-haired freshman striker was starting to really piss off the two varsity defenders on her side. Five times in the first half of the scrimmage she had gotten free behind them or made them look stupid with her moves.
“REA!” The center midfielder with the blond ponytail called her best friend and teammate over during a break. Treasure, who had gone by Rea since elementary school, huddled with Jenny and her teammates as the coach talked to the Varsity players. The two freshmen at Rochester John Marshall were the only ones from their class still playing with the older students, the rest of their classmates having been sent to the Freshman team on another field. Jenny and Rea had played together for five years, and both showed the talent to be not just good, but great players. Jenny’s growth spurt over the last year, to just under five foot ten, gave her an advantage in the air. The five foot four Rea was smaller but had great ball-handling skills and was faster than lightning. “Their left back can’t catch you. The next time I get the ball in our end, make a run for the right corner of the penalty area. Just stay onside,” she said as the coach whistled them out of the time out.
“They aren’t manning me up, so I’ll move towards the middle then break to the corner,” she said with a smile before they bumped fists and got into place. The goal kick went to the left side, and Rea worked her way between the defenders as the midfielder brought the ball up towards the center line. The zone defenders lost her across the middle, and a quick look at Jenny had her moving to fill the hole she created by running across the zone. Rea got the ball, pushing it out to a streaking Jenny down the right side while she ran the gap between the center back and the striker.
She didn’t need to raise her hand, she was quick, and Jenny was precise. The return pass was right on target, and after controlling it she cooly fired the ball into the net from twelve yards out.
The coach blew the whistle and went to chew out his defenders while Rea’s team celebrated her goal. This was only a scrimmage, but they were beating the Varsity starters and it felt damn good. “Nice shot, Rea,” Jenny said.
“Thanks Jenny,” she said as they jogged back to the middle. “Do you think we can make the team?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Becky was all-conference at right striker last year, and she’s a senior. There’s so many good players here, but if they can’t handle us, they have to let us stay, right?”
“Right!”
The two went back into position as the older players kicked off. Working the ball around the top of the penalty area, Jenny stepped in front of a pass and started the counterattack. The moment she was clear, her left foot sent a long ball curling down the right side of the field.