—Rita Weiss, www.creativepartnersllc.com

The adoption went through rapidly and with ease, thanks to Evelyn Boyle, who smoothed the process for us. Only a month had passed, and now Brad, Cody, Casey and I stood before a judge to make legal what had begun from almost the moment Casey had arrived in our home.

Evelyn was with us as the judge asked a few simple questions, then declared Casey Marie Goetz to be our daughter. The courtroom was respectfully quiet except for my sister, Margaret, who sat in the front row and wept like a baby. I was emotional myself, but managed to hold back the tears until the judge made his declaration. Then I sniff led and turned to throw my arms around Casey.

She remained dry-eyed. But what I read in my daughter was joy—pure, profound joy. She hugged me back, squeezing hard in her enthusiasm. Then she hugged Brad and Cody and f inally, to everyone’s astonishment, she spoke to the judge.

“Would it be all right if I hugged you, too?” Casey asked, ready to bound up the steps.

At f irst the judge seemed taken aback. “I’ve never received such a request,” he said formally. Then he grinned and added, “I do believe I’d like that very much.”

Casey bolted up the steps and the judge stood and accepted her embrace.

“You’re a very fortunate girl,” he told her.

“I know,” she said, locking eyes with me.

Margaret continued to wail in the background and I couldn’t help it, I burst out laughing. So did Cody and Brad. You’d think my sister was at a funeral instead of a celebration. I suddenly saw that Alix and Jordan were in the courtroom. I was touched that they’d come, along with some of our other friends. Susannah from the f lower shop sat next to Alix, and of course Anne Marie and Ellen were there, too. As Brad, Cody, Casey and I paraded out of the courtroom, Margaret and Matt followed, with our friends trailing behind them.

“We’re treating everyone to lunch,” Brad called out. “It isn’t every day a man gains a daughter.”

“Especially one who can order off the adult menu,” Casey told him smugly.

“I want to order off the adult menu, too,” Cody insisted. Someone suggested we go to Chinatown and as it happened, Brad knew a good restaurant that was on his UPS route. We’d eaten there once, and I’d found it delicious. And that way, everyone got to order from the adult menu.

As we left the courthouse, we ran into Hutch and Phoebe. To be honest, I’d forgotten the “Candy Man Trial,” as it was being called in the media, was still going on.

“We won!” Phoebe cried jubilantly. “The jury came back with their decision less than half an hour ago.”

“Was there ever any doubt?” Hutch asked, raising his eyebrows.

“You’re joking, aren’t you?” Phoebe said to Hutch. She turned to me. “I wish you could’ve seen Clark’s face when I walked into the courtroom this afternoon. He assumed I was there for him. ”

I’d been following the case in the news and getting updates from the local TV station. In my view, Clark Snowden, the plaintiff ’s attorney, was exceedingly full of himself. He seemed to pose for the camera and struck me as both overconf ident and egotistical. Even if the case itself hadn’t been so ridiculous, his attitude alone would have swayed my opinion. I knew from talk around the shop that others shared my feelings. I’d recently learned how Phoebe was linked to Clark, so of course I’d studied him on TV with avid interest.

“Phoebe’s presence shocked him,” Hutch was saying. Her eyes gleamed with exhilaration. “When I walked over and sat behind Hutch, Clark didn’t know what to think.”

“He did once I told him you’d agreed to marry me.”

“Congratulations!” I said, but I could see they were bursting with news from the trial and I was anxious to hear what had happened.

“It’s a good thing you waited to show Clark your engagement ring until the recess—otherwise I’m betting the judge would’ve expelled him.”

Phoebe agreed with an exaggerated shudder. “I thought he’d start frothing at the mouth.” She went from jubilation to a moment’s sadness. “I do feel bad for his father, though. This was yet another humiliation for Max. Clark’s performance in the courtroom today was nothing to be proud of.”

“Yeah, his closing argument was as weak as any I’ve ever heard,” Hutch said. “It’s no wonder the jury decided in my favor.”

“I’d like to see anyone try and take my chocolates away,”

Margaret said, stepping up to join us.

I would, too. Clark Snowden was a fool if he expected to come between a woman and her chocolate. Having seen both men in action during the trial snippets on TV, I was f irmly convinced that Phoebe had made a wise choice in Hutch. I loved seeing them together. They seemed a good match in so many ways, and I was thrilled to discover I’d been right in my assumptions of a romance between them.

“We came over to tell you the news and congratulate you, too,”

Hutch said. “This seems to be a day for celebrating.”

“It is.” Brad invited Hutch and Phoebe to join us for a celebratory lunch. Unfortunately, Susannah had to get back to the shop. When the rest of us entered the restaurant, Brad explained to Mr. Wong, the proprietor, why we were there. In short order we were ushered into a private room.

Mr. Wong said we wouldn’t need menus, and before long, plates and chopsticks were distributed and tea was poured.

“To family.” Brad offered a toast, lifting his teacup. Everyone around us raised theirs.

“We have an announcement,” Jordan said, smiling fondly at Alix, who actually blushed.

“I’m pregnant,” she said. “Jordan and I are having a baby.”

“Congratulations!” everyone yelled.

“To enlarging families,” Brad offered next.

“We have an announcement, too,” Hutch said, taking Phoebe’s right hand in his.

“You’re pregnant, too?” Margaret asked, sounding shocked.

“Not yet,” Phoebe said with a laugh. “But I hope to be soon after Hutch and I are married. The wedding’s in October.” She held up her left hand to show off her diamond engagement ring.

“Can I be the ring-bearer?” Cody asked.

“Cody,” I whispered, “you should wait to be asked.”

“Oh! If Cody’s the ring-bearer, can I be the f lower girl?”

Ellen squealed.

“Ellen!” Anne Marie said, obviously embarrassed.

“It’s okay if I’m not,” the nine-year-old assured Phoebe. “I want to be in another wedding, but if I’m not in yours I’ll be in Mom’s.”

Anne Marie’s face reddened. “Ellen!”

“Is your mother getting married?” Brad asked in a teasing voice. Ellen blew on her tea and sipped it carefully. Then she nodded.

“Only we don’t know who she’s going to marry yet. There’s my dad and then there’s Mel. But I like my dad better.”

“I think it would be a great idea for both of you to be in the wedding,” Phoebe told the children. She spread out her arms to include everyone at the table. “I want you all there.”

“Guess what? Our wedding cake’s going to be chocolate,”

Hutch said.

The group laughed.

The food started to arrive then, platter after platter brought by an entire staff of waiters. As the dishes were set on the table, I saw that Casey had gone very still. She sat next to me and I reached for her hand.

“Is something wrong?” I leaned close to ask her.

“No.” She shook her head. “I was just wondering if I’d always feel this way.”

“What way?”

She pressed her free hand over her heart. “Happy,” she whispered. “Really, really happy.”

“I hope that happiness never leaves you,” I whispered back.

“I belong,” she said with such emotion that it was hard for me to swallow. “I belong.”

“Yes,” I said, slipping my arm around her shoulders. “You belong with us.”

I shared my daughter’s feeling. I’d found belonging, too—a husband, a home, a family. A whole world with all my friends on Blossom Street.