Making it Official

Epilogue: Three Months Later


“Dees tights awe itchy.” Paige whined, she had yet to let up on her grumbling and Phoebe was getting irritated.

“Too bad; if I got wear ‘em, YOU gotta wear ‘em. ’Sides, you don’t wanna hurt Piper’s feelings, do ya?”

“No, I ‘pose not, but they’re still itchy!”

“Girls… it’s time to go see Judge O‘Leary.” Prue called out; as she entered the sitting area, she saw both girls wiggling and pulling on their uncomfortable leg-wear.

“Aww, don’t you two look adorable AND miserable, itchy tights, eh?”

“Yeah.” Came the irritable response from both children.

“I know, Piper went a bit over board…”

“Nooo, ya think? I MUCH rather have on my blue jeans and my favorite pink t-shirt. Why we gotta get all girlified, anyway?” Phoebe huffed - all the while tugging and twisting on the colored nylon material.

Prue was sympathetic to a point, but sometimes Phoebe’s mouth needed to be reined in. “OK, li’l miss wiggle worm, how ‘bout we take that attitude of yours down a notch. You know very well this is a special day. Piper and I want you to look your best. But, if it helps any, I rather be in jeans, too.” Prue sat down on the coffee table and gave each girl a wink, to which Paige giggled and Phoebe scowled. “Piper made me where a dress too, which means I have to put on panty hose and they are just as itchy.”

Instantly Phoebe‘s facial expression changed to one of utter shock. “Piper made you wear a dress?” Asked the incredulous six-year-old. “I didn’t think anybody could make you do nuttin’ ya didn’t wanna do… WOW!”



“Well, first off, it‘s not nuttin’, it‘s nothing, and second, how about we just keep that bit of information our li’l secret, OK? Cuz, if Pipe finds out… well, let’s just say I have an big, tough, sister image to protect…” Prue attempted not to laugh at her new sister. Phoebe was a rainbow of attitudes. As much as the child tried to annoy her and drive her insane, she also knew how much the little girl admired her and looked up to her, as so often she could be spotted unconsciously mimicking her biggest sister’s ways.

“If Pipe finds out what?” Piper asked, staring at the oldest, “should I be worried?” Her eyebrow raised in skepticism.

“Nope, nuttin’ to worry on, Piper. Just a little heart to heart with my kid sister, here.”

“Well, first off, it’s not nuttin’, it’s nothing, and second, I don’t believe you for a minute. Now, let’s get going or we will really be late.” Piper then turned her attention to the pair of preened urchins sitting on the sofa - she couldn’t help but smile at her two precious angels.

As she lifted up the youngest, Paige whispered in Piper’s ear, “I’ll tell ya what Pwue said wader, K?”

Piper gave her a wink and a quick hug then quickly headed on out to the car.

“Sumthin’ tells me your secret ain’t gonna be a secret for long. Paigey can‘t keep a secret to save her life.” Phoebe said, as she slipped her tiny hand into Prue’s. “Don’t worry though, cuz I always got yer back.”

“Thanks, Pug.” Once again, the dolled up ragamuffin melted her heart.

“Welcome.”


IN THE JUDGES CHAMBERS:


The judge sat behind the desk, his twinklie gray eyes dancing from one child to the other.

“Let’s start with you Paige. Do you understand why you’re here, today?”

No longer the shy child she once was, she walked over to the judge and climbed up into his lap.

“Uh huh. We’re here to make Prue and Pippy our ’fficial mommy and daddy.”

“Close enough to legal guardians, I suppose. How about you, Phoebe, do you understand why you are here?”

“Yes Sir. We are here so that my sisters can give us a real home, wiff no drugs or hittin’ or yellin’ - Juzz like Phoebe’s Island - a home filled wiff lotsa love. Oh yeah, and so they can eaglely boss us ‘round without goin‘ ta prison .” Phoebe didn’t say this to be cheeky, it was truly the best way she could describe what legal guardian meant, from her perspective. Phoebe then turned and looked at her sisters to see if she had done alright. Both Prue and Piper were trying hard not to laugh so they just gave her the thumbs up; Phoebe gave them one back and a proud smile that filled her face.

The judge was wiping at his eyes. He had never met such an adorable duo as these precocious little tots. “Ahem,” he cleared his throat in order to regain his serious face once again. “Now, before I can make this official, I have to ask both of you some very important questions, OK.”

“OK.” came the unison voices of Paige and Phoebe, who was now on the other knee of the magistrate.

“Do you like living with Prudence and Piper Halliwell?”

“Ooooh, I wouldn’t caw her Pwuedence if I was you, Mizzer Judge Man, she no wike when peoples call her dat.” Paige offered, sincerely looking out for the kind Justice.

“I see. Thanks for the heads-up, Paige.”

“Welcome.”

Michael O’Leary was glancing at a very embarrassed Prue, but he could she, the humor in the little girl’s attempts at saving the 6’ 4” judge from the wrath of her biggest sister, who stood all of 5’ 4” tall. “Well then, shall we try that question again? Do you like living with Prud… Prue and Piper Halliwell?”

“It’s da bestest! We get ta play, and go ta da park… I even get to swing on the big kids’ swings, but Piper won’t let me go too high, cuz I could get hurt and then she’d be sad, and she doesn’t like to see us get hurt, and…”

A simple yes would have been fine with the judge, but the oldest youngster’s exuberant rambling was a delightful respite from many of the cases he had worked on over the years. “That’s wonderful, Phoebe, thank you.”

“Welcome.”

“And what about you Paige, do you like living with Prue and Piper?”

“Uh huh… what she said,” pointing to her sister, Phoebe, “’cept I don’t swing on da big kids’ swings yet, cuz I too widdle.”

“Very good. Now, can you tell me if you have experienced anything that would make you feel uncomfortable, while staying with the Halliwells?” The judge immediately became concerned when both little ones looked at each other and became a bit nervous. Prue and Piper were now staring, confused as to what the little ones would be so anxious about.

Trying to figure out what it could be the judge began to ask a series of questions, typical for determining if the child‘s security and interests were being at all jeopardized. “Have you been spanked unnecessarily?”

“NO!!” Both children adamantly shouted. “Day never hitted us!”

“Have you ever been mistreated or left alone?”

“NO!! One of dem are always dere, and if not, day have Mizzer Andy, stay with us. ” Paige answered for them, Phoebe nodding her head in full agreement.

“Has Mr. Andy ever tried to hurt you?”

“NO!! He’s the bestest baby-sitter in the whole wide world, cute too. He just needs to ask Prue out on a date, cuz he has the hots for her and so does Pr…”

“PHOEBE!” Came the mortified voice a now very red Prue.

“Kids, what are ya gonna do?” She offered the judge, who smiled understandingly at her.

The questioning of the two children went on for some time as he tried to figure out what could have been done to cause such angst. Finally, he just came right out and asked them. “So, tell me, what is it that Prue, Piper and/or both of your sisters have done, that has made you two so uncomfortable?”

Again, the two small children looked at each other and then answered the man, pooling tears in their eyes, fear filling their hearts.

“It’s, it’s, it’s Piper.” Both blurted, now the salty droplets were coming down in anxious torrents.

“ME?? What have I done to make you feel uncomfortable?” The accused asked, shocked and near tears herself.

“You made us ::sniff:: wear these yucky tights and they are very itchyyyyyyyyy.” Phoebe couldn’t take it any more. She dragged out the last word, as well as, jumping off the judges lap and straight onto Piper’s.

“Yeah, dey maked ::sniff:: us feel weal uncomfyyyyyyyy.” Paige followed suit and ran, hurling herself into Prue’s arms.

“Please do make him take us away, we promise to wear them, if it makes you happy, but please don’t give us up… we… we… love you!!!!” Phoebe was now gulping and sobbing loudly into Piper’s neck.

“Yeah, pwease no make us goed away. We wove you and… and… we… want you to be our mommy and daddy.”

So much progress had been made, yet so much more lie ahead of them. The adults in the room sobered, saddened that these little ones still feared so easily, taking the word ‘uncomfortable’ to the very edge of literal.

“Oh, my precious little loves, we promise never to let you guys leave us. We love you too… very much.” Prue said, her gentle side brought forth by such vulnerability. “Don’t we, Piper?”

“You bet, you guys are stuck with us. I tell ya what, I make you a deal… I will never make you wear tights ever again, unless you want to, OK?!!” Piper proposed, her heart filled with both love and pain.

“Pwomise?” Came Paige’s tiny voice - soft and so unsure.

“Yeah, ya pinky-swear promise?” Phoebe asked, while trying to reposition her prickly leggings. Her eyes brimming with an ache to be genuinely loved.

“I pinky swear!” Piper managed to get out between tears. She lifted up her manicured finger and two little ones wrapped theirs around hers.

“YAY!!” Came from the now, happy children. So skeptical, yet so willing to trust. What a delicate balance to walk as care givers, yet Prue and Piper were more than ready to face the challenge.

“Hey, Mizzer Judge Man, can we get married know? I’m hungry and Piper promised to cook my favorite when we get home, and I‘m starvin’.” Phoebe’s stomach confirmed her hunger by loudly growling.

“You’re always hungwee.” Paige giggled.

“It would be my pleasure! By the power invested to me by the state of California, I now declare, on this 23rd day of June in the year 2005 that Phoebe Marie Bennett and Paige Abigail Bennett, shall henceforth be known as Phoebe Marie Halliwell and Paige Abigail Halliwell.”

Tears, cheers, hugs and sloppy kisses were shared as Mike O’Leary signed the adoption papers; forever linking the four sisters - a bond that would remain unbreakable as the years ahead would so overwhelmingly prove.

The end!