E I G H T ~ L E G A L

J A C K S O N

~ ~ ~

Today was the big day.

Nerida's 18th birthday.

After today, I was no longer Nerida's foster parent as she's now 'grown out' of the system. My baby was an adult now, and I genuinely felt like a proud yet worried parent.

I was proud that she's survived all the trials of her childhood and made it this far. But hell if I wasn't worried about her. As a legal adult, Nerida was warranted to make her own decisions. I couldn't make her stay here if she didn't want to, regardless of how much I wanted to keep her safe.

However, I didn't want to think of all this negativity on her special day. So I pushed it to the back of my mind and continued preparing her favorite breakfast. Waffles with every possible topping. As a bonus, I even put ice cream.

I balanced everything on the tray and walked back to my bedroom where Nerida was still knocked out. I placed the food on the dresser and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching over to brush her curls away from her face.

She shuffled around and latched onto my arm, hugging it to her body.

"Hey birthday girl," I murmured, receiving a sleepy whine in return. I lifted her off the bed and placed her on my lap, knowing that she secretly loved to be woken up like this.

I started humming the birthday song as she rubbed her eyes with both fists. I hugged her tightly, placing a kiss on her forehead.

As if now putting two and two together, Nerida perked up with a squeal and threw us down to the bed.

"It's my birthday!"

The smile on her face was blinding and I was completely enchanted by her. All her hair fell forward, blanketing me in her velvety curls and giving me the most amazing close up. This was heaven, I was sure of it.

"Happy Birthday Nerida," I wished as I placed my hand on her back and sat up. "You birthday ice cream is melting," I teased, watching as her eyes dilated.

"I get ice cream for breakfast on my birthday?"

"Even better," I smirked and nodded towards the dresser. She dived off of my lap for the food and immediately dug in. I told her to enjoy her breakfast and get ready for today, and I'll be waiting for her in the living room.

Thirty minutes later, Nerida joined me on our couch but she'd changed out of her previous pajamas and into new ones.

"Neri, why are you wearing your pajamas?"

"Because, on every special day you have to wear your pajamas all day. Like for Christmas and New Years and St. Patty's Day."

I threw my head back and asked the big man upstairs to give me strength.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

When I was changed into pajamas, we took a seat on the couch and I began telling Nerida about the plans for today.

"Before I start, here's your first present." I handed her the tiny white box and she shrieked with joy. This girl had a serious love for receiving gifts.

She pulled the pink ribbon and opened the box. I held my breath, knowing that this could go really badly. I really shouldn't have gone to that jewelry store.

She pulled the necklace out of the box carefully, and then she threw herself at me.

"I love it! I love it! I love it!" She cheered, bouncing up and down. "Thank you Jackson. I've never owned any jewelry before."

Well that's good to know

"Anything for you Nerida." She turned around and held up her hair so that I could clasp it around her neck.

She spent a few minutes playing with it and I could tell she really appreciated it. The necklace was simple, just a thin pure silver chain and a diamond embellished heart pendant. Nothing extraordinary but Nerida looked at it as though she was holding the queen's crown. That look on her face is what made it worth it for me.

"So, we can do whatever you want to do today. But I must tell you, I got some things for us to decorate the house with." Her eyes widened and she looked at me in awe.

"Like, party decorations?"

"Do you want us to have a party? Although I have to warn you, it'll only be the two of us. Unless you want to invite Dr. Francis?"

"No, I want it to be just the two of us today. We could invite Noah for dinner this weekend though?" Nerida answered.

"If that's what you want, then that's what you get."

We set about decorating the apartment for the next two hours. I may have gone a little overboard with the amount of decorations I bought. By the time we were finished, my bachelor pad looked like the site of Barbie's sweet sixteen birthday party and Nerida never looked happier.

"Okay, what do we do now," I asked Nerida, wadding my way through all the pink balloons on our living room floor.

"Well, how about we watch a marathon of every episode of iCarly ever?"

"Every episode of what?" Confusion laced my tone and I prayed that it wasn't some animated Barbie spin-off. I don't mind watching television with Nerida but animations are the death of me.

"You don't know what iCarly is?" She cocked her hip to the side and folded her arms, looking at me like I was incapable of basic comprehension.

"Well I know it's a show," I playfully rolled my eyes at her in a 'duh' tone and she snorted at my childishness.

"Oh you're going to like this one."

Before we got started with our marathon, I gave Nerida another present. I've been gifting her every other hour and it was time for another.

Right on time, the doorbell rang and I went to the door to pick up the delivery. I signed for it and I directed about five guys into the apartment, all balancing medium sized boxes in their arms.

"I think somebody is about to be very happy," I teased, leading Nerida into the kitchen after they left. All the boxes were on the countertop and I worked on removing the little flaps of tape.

"What is it Jackie?" She climbed on the countertop and sat with her legs crossed, eagerly waiting for me to open the boxes.

I'd become so accustomed to her reacting with immense joy, that when I finally uncovered them, the tears in her eyes took me by surprise.

"Baby what's wrong." I lifted her off the counter and sat her on my hip. I thought she would like all the cakes and pastries, I didn't take into consideration that maybe she hates cake because she never got birthday cake? Or maybe I got too many cakes?

Seven birthday cakes is a lot...

Whatever it is, I'm worried.

"Nothing is wrong Jackson. Everything is perfect, just perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday."

Ohhh, tears of joy

"I will do anything for you Nerida, anything. This is nothing in comparison to what I would do to keep you protected and happy."

She wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a huge kiss on my cheek, dragging out a flustered blush from me.

"So this cake is only for us?" She queried, looking down at all the cakes.

"If you want, you can eat the whole thing for yourself."

"Really? That was always my dream." She paused for a second before her face lit up. "I'm going to change my dream just for you. My new birthday dream is to sit down and eat an entire cake with the kindest man in the world, Jackson Colt."

It became more and more apparent to me that Nerida was becoming the most important person in my life, when those simple words did more to my heart than anything else ever did.

~ ~ ~

"... and then he got me cake and I cried and then we cuddled on the couch and Jackie was finally able to appreciate the greatness that is iCarly. And then we cuddled some more and then at night he gave me my final present which almost gave me a heart attack. I think I'll show it to you so you can feel as happy as I did," Nerida ran out of the dining room, her short pink dress flowing behind her as disappeared down the hall.

It was a few days after Neri's birthday and as requested, we were having a nice dinner with Dr. Francis.

Nerida and him spoke on the phone frequently but they both looked quite excited to see each other, Nerida more so than Dr. Francis.

Nerida made us all get dressed up for the evening, just to request a two course pizza meal with Dr. Francis' leftover piece of birthday cake and some breadsticks.

I was turning this kid into a possible diabetic.

Sorry, this adult.

"So, you guys certainly did a lot of cuddling for her birthday." I knew he wanted to get that one off his chest from the moment Nerida left the table.

I didn't gratify him by looking up but I could see his smug smirk from across the table. I focused on cutting a bread stick with my knife and fork, acting as though this was the most important task I would perform in my life.

"I'm just saying, she's legal now."

I dropped my utensils to the table with a loud clatter, ignoring his boisterous laughter.

"You're an asshole," I growled at him. "I do not think of Nerida that way,"'

"You're a pussy."

"Oh yeah, wanna come across here and say that to my-"

I paused my statement when I heard Nerida coming back in to the dining room. My mood went from complete annoyance to satisfying bliss when I saw her trying to drag out her massive canvas to show Dr. Dickhead.

"This... is what... Jackson... bought me," she said through heavy pants. We just started going to the gym together yesterday and it was clear we had a long road ahead of us.

"I take it you're into art Nerida?" Dr. Dickhead inquired.

No, I would buy her a ten foot canvas so she could sleep on it.

"I love art and Jackson bought me all the tools I could ever need to practice my art. Isn't that nice of him, he's the best."

I winked at her and she turned into this shy little girl, completely opposite to the courageous thing she really is.

"Nerida, leave the canvas there. I will carry it back afterwards, come eat your dinner."

She ran book to her room and I waited curiously. When she returned, she had her sketch book clutched tightly to her chest. It was one of the things we saved from the fire and I'd already gone through it with her extensively.

She was incredibly talented at both realistic and non-realistic art.

I encouraged her over with a smile and she came back to the dinner table. She proceeded to go through all her work with him and I could tell how happy she was to do so. She hasn't gotten a lot; actually, any opportunity to show her work.

Afterwards, Nerida set about doing the dishes (only because I promised her a bag of gummy bears) and I asked Francis to speak with me privately as there was something pressing I needed to discuss with him.

"What's wrong, is Nerida okay?" He was a dick otherwise but when it came to Nerida's health, he turned into an overprotective father.

"Physically, she's great. She's excited about learning, loves going out and seeing her surroundings, as expected. After the holidays, I'm going to get her a tutor that'll help her get her high school diploma. What I'm worried about, is her mental health."

Although Nerida seems to be blossoming outwardly, every night she still wakes up screaming in terror. I thought that by now, she would realize that she is away from the clutches of her unfortunate past. But the night terrors haven't stopped and I'm worried sick.

I related all of this to Francis who nodded along but stayed silent in thought.

"I think you should take her to see a therapist. Yes, she may be away from the source of her trauma but her mind may still be festering in that pain and neglect."

I reeled back slightly at his suggestion, having had my own stint in therapy. After my father past away, I obviously didn't take it too well and my mother was too busy grieving to pay attention to the fact that I was in pain too. Her solution, slap me in therapy.

It didn't work and if anything if sent me spiraling even further. I felt like a mental patient and my therapist never truly helped me process my grief.

She just kept asking me how did my father's death make me feel.

Oh I don't know Karen, you tell me

I wasn't about to express my deep dark secrets to Francis, obviously, so I kept my face neutral.

"Do you really think that's such a good idea? I mean she's not that good with new people."

That was a lie, yes I know.

It was wrong of me to lie on Nerida, yes I know.

"I think we should try it and see. You and Nerida have a very solid relationship. If therapy isn't working out, I'm sure she'll tell you."

I hated to admit it but maybe Francis was right. Therapy probably wasn't right for me because my wounds were so fresh and my emotions were constantly manifested as rage.

Nerida, however, needed to acknowledge that the experience that she had growing up was not right. She was deprived of society and her life was confined to four walls for eighteen years.

She still had a long way to go when it came to overcoming all of that but if it's one thing I know for sure, I was going to be with her every step of the way.

~ ~ ~

the end

jk

we still have a little bit to go again