Saving the Silent: Part Eight

Welcome to GoMC's Story Fest! For the next couple of weeks (possibly) I'll be posting my writings, only breaking for weekends and Fridays, when I do Randomness Friday.

If you missed the first seven parts, go to the following links, or just scroll down to part one. This is the last post of Saving the Silent. I hope you've enjoyed it, I had a fun time writing it!

Missed the Previous Posts? Go to the below links:

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven

PART EIGHT:

“Look out!”
Dawn ducked Sean’s flying football and shared an eye roll with Emily. She grunted and heaved a full basket of food on a picnic table, and Mom winked at her when she turned from watching Dad trying to catch a fish on Cedars Lake. Dawn smiled and sat down, watching Josh, Emily, and Sean play with the ball.
  “Be careful, Josh!”
She stared at his cast until he got the message. Josh had broken several bones in his arm, but he was the same Josh who had begged his parents to adopt Bugs, who was being gentled and looking forward to a career in jumping.
  Emily jogged over to Dawn and sat next to her on the table’s adjoining bench. She held her cell phone in her hand.
 “Guess who was on the news?”
Stifling a giggle, Dawn pretended to be clueless. “Well, I don’t know, but it looks like you’re going to tell me.”
  “You, Josh, and the animals!” Emily looked as if she was about to burst. “It’s so good to know those criminals are behind bars.”
 Dawn nodded. “You can say that again.” The brother and sister duo, who had been involved in horse abuse and a huge dog fighting ring, were behind bars, and they were going to be for a long time.
  Emily grunted. “But I can’t believe I was left out, yet again!”
Mom cupped her hands around her mouth, interrupting the girls’ conversation. “Gather round, everyone!”
  Josh’s family, Emily’s family, Dad, and Sean hurried over to the picnic table. Emily stared at the Pattersons with a sentimental look, and Josh was grinning from ear to ear.
 Mom spoke up. “Our family has been through a lot these past few weeks, and there are some extra things that Dawn and Sean don’t yet know about.”
 “We planned on telling you kids later, but what happened three days ago told us differently.” Dad put an arm around Mom. 
 “We’ve decided that we want you to officially be our son and daughter,” they said in unison.
  Dawn stared at them, speechless.
“Of course, if you two want to,” Dad quickly amended.
  “Are you kidding me?” Sean whooped. “Totally awesome!”
“Dawn?” Mom looked at her, smiling, but with doubt in her eyes.
  Dawn Patterson could feel the tears coming when she yelled, “Yes!”


God Bless,