The Holloway Residence, St. Louis (NFB-Distance)
Eleanor had never actually celebrated Christmas before. Her mother had been happy to exploit the religious beliefs of many in Rapture, but had herself only promoted cold rationality. Besides, religion had been against the law in Rapture -- one of the few laws Rapture even had -- so any celebrations took place in a rather clandestine nature, and not as openly as the rest of the world.
She hadn't known what to expect, but watching Louise open presents and shriek with glee had been delightful. Louise still had eyes that were older than they ought to be, but she no longer had the pale, underfed look of the girl they had saved in Rapture. One might mistake her for any other girl at times as she excitedly giggled and threw wrapping paper aside.
And there were gifts for her, as well, and Eleanor couldn't help getting into the spirit of it. She was holding up shirts in front of her torso and insisting that she was sure they'd fit. She was oohing and aahing over the adorable little knick-knacks Grace had found, so that she might properly decorate her room.
The gift she opened last was, Grace insisted, the most important. But it was simply an envelope, from the state of Missouri, with lots of paperwork inside. She tried scanning it quickly, and caught the word 'adoption.'
"Louise's papers?" she asked, her eyes lighting up. But that was before she saw the name, in bold. Eleanor Lamb. And a little lower, repeated, except this time, it was Eleanor Holloway.
"Louise's papers been settled for months," Grace said, softly. "I -- I hoped you wouldn't mind, that I took the liberty. If you do, I can have it all undone. I just thought --"
And then Eleanor couldn't read any more, because the words were blurring together. But she didn't need to read to know what the papers said. That the three survivors were really a family, now. Legally.
She couldn't make words, but she could hug Grace. And Louise. And that seemed to be response enough.
(NOTICE! As of this post, Eleanor's been adopted, and her name is changing from Eleanor Lamb to Eleanor Holloway. I'll mark it as both so as not to confuse people, but I desperately wanted to do this, and Christmas seemed like the perfect time. NFI, NFB, OOC is fine by me, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!)
She hadn't known what to expect, but watching Louise open presents and shriek with glee had been delightful. Louise still had eyes that were older than they ought to be, but she no longer had the pale, underfed look of the girl they had saved in Rapture. One might mistake her for any other girl at times as she excitedly giggled and threw wrapping paper aside.
And there were gifts for her, as well, and Eleanor couldn't help getting into the spirit of it. She was holding up shirts in front of her torso and insisting that she was sure they'd fit. She was oohing and aahing over the adorable little knick-knacks Grace had found, so that she might properly decorate her room.
The gift she opened last was, Grace insisted, the most important. But it was simply an envelope, from the state of Missouri, with lots of paperwork inside. She tried scanning it quickly, and caught the word 'adoption.'
"Louise's papers?" she asked, her eyes lighting up. But that was before she saw the name, in bold. Eleanor Lamb. And a little lower, repeated, except this time, it was Eleanor Holloway.
"Louise's papers been settled for months," Grace said, softly. "I -- I hoped you wouldn't mind, that I took the liberty. If you do, I can have it all undone. I just thought --"
And then Eleanor couldn't read any more, because the words were blurring together. But she didn't need to read to know what the papers said. That the three survivors were really a family, now. Legally.
She couldn't make words, but she could hug Grace. And Louise. And that seemed to be response enough.
(NOTICE! As of this post, Eleanor's been adopted, and her name is changing from Eleanor Lamb to Eleanor Holloway. I'll mark it as both so as not to confuse people, but I desperately wanted to do this, and Christmas seemed like the perfect time. NFI, NFB, OOC is fine by me, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!)