abcnovels
Chapter 233
Chapter 233
Chapter 233
Chapter 233
Anastasia hadn’t really considered the kid’s name yet. Pattie used to take Leo’s last name. She held Pattie’s small hand, thought for a moment, and said, “Why don’t you pick? I really don’t know what name to pick in the spur of the moment.”
“Okay, then I’ll think of some names, and let Pattie pick when she wakes up tomorrow. Once she’s picked, we’ll go handle the adoption paperwork.” Herman held Anastasia’s shoulder and whispered, “You’re tired too, rest up a bit.”
Anastasia lifted her head to look at him, feeling comforted inside. She leaned into him and whispered back, “Mmm.” No matter what happened, she never felt like she was fighting alone with Herman by her side. It felt really great.
As Anastasia rested on the hospital bed, watching Herman care for Pattie, she felt a bit guilty. Herman was really patient with Pattie. He must really like kids. The only regret was that she couldn’t bear children for him. She didn’t know how disappointed Herman would be if he knew she was infertile.
With Herman there, Anastasia could sleep easy. In the middle of the night, she heard Pattie having a nightmare. She was about to get up to comfort Pattie when she saw Herman had beat her to it. He was walking around the room holding Pattie, soothing her with a soft voice, incredibly patient. Anastasia lied back down, watching Herman gently comfort Pattie back to sleep. Pattie must’ve felt safe; she fell back asleep quickly.
Moonlight poured through the window, casting a gentle glow on Herman. Anastasia smiled, thinking that if Herman had his own child, he’d make a great dad.
The next day, Pattie woke up. After running a fever for a whole day and night, she looked pretty weak and spaced out.
Anastasia held her gently and softly said, “Pattie, from now on I’ll protect you. You don’t have to be scared. You’ll live with me from now on, okay?”
Pattie’s eyes moved around. Anastasia had said this before, so Pattie didn’t fully believe her. Pattie was really scared of Penny now. She still remembered the beating, her body twitching from time to time, her expression blank.
“Pattie.” Herman came back with breakfast, in his hands were a few pieces of paper with some names on them. “Pattie, Ana wasn’t lying to you. Once you’re better and out of the hospital, you’ll live with us. Let us be your new mom and dad, okay? I’ve picked a few names for you. From now on, you’ll take my last name and be our daughter. How about that?”
Pattie didn’t fully understand. She looked at Anastasia and Herman, only understanding that they wanted to be her new parents. Herman and her favorite Ana wanted to be her new parents?
Pattie’s voice was tender and with a hint of caution. She asked, “Really?”
Anastasia laughed and said, “Of course it’s true.”
Herman held up the pieces of paper and said, “These are the new names I picked for you. Paradise, Pamina, which one do you like? You can still go by Pattie.”
Pattie couldn’t read, but she understood what people said. Herman had a new name for her, were they really going to be her new parents? Then… what about her old parents? “Herman, where are my parents?”
There were some things Pattie couldn’t fully understand yet. Anastasia and Herman exchanged a glance and Herman explained, “They won’t be your parents anymore. Ana and I will be your new parents, okay?”
Pattie’s gaze moved back and forth between Herman and Anastasia. In the end, she nodded and pointed at the name Paradise. “I like this one.”
Seeing Pattie had picked a name, Anastasia excitedly kissed her. Pattie smiled, and Anastasia excitedly said, “From now on, you’re my daughter. Herman, go handle the paperwork.”
Just to be safe, Anastasia would only feel reassured when Pattie was officially under Herman’s custody, and she and Herman became Pattie’s legal guardians.
Herman smiled and kissed the mother and daughter on their foreheads. “Okay, I’ll go handle it now.”
Even though Pattie wasn’t his biological daughter, seeing Anastasia holding Pattie and how happy they were, he felt the urge to protect them both. From now on, they were a family of three. Whether they had their own child or not, he didn’t actually mind.
The Salstrom family still had Flynn. With Flynn to carry on the lineage, the Salstrom family wouldn’t be without descendants.