Despite the Angels - By Madeline A Stringer Page 0,162

back and with her was an old friend.

“They are on their way. They are looking for you. Remember what we discussed,” said Trynor and he was gone again. ShengYue looked at the doorway, at the other side of the room, with two cots between her and it. She looked at Mohmi, uncertain. There were footsteps on the stairs and then they could hear a woman’s voice, speaking a language that was unfamiliar.

“Oh, David, I’m nervous. Or excited.” There was an answering mutter in a deeper voice. Then a group of people came into the room. The director of the orphanage, carrying a big file, an unfamiliar woman who was talking to the director and then the two strangers. Strangers with light hair and big noses. ShengYue looked at them and began to smile tentatively. Lucy and David stood just inside the door, looking around at all the little cots, only half listening as the director explained the wonders of the orphanage and was translated. They were holding hands, squeezing each other as they prepared to make a momentous decision.

“All these babies suitable for you,” said the translator, “we can give you detail of each one. Which one you like to start with?”

“We want a very young baby, don’t we, David?” asked Lucy, “so that he or she is really ours.” David nodded and the translator talked to the director for a moment. Then she pointed to the cot near the window.

“This little girl just three weeks old,” she said. “You want to hold her?” Lucy moved to the cot and looked in. The baby looked around with uncoordinated eyes. Lucy put down a finger and touched the little head. The fine downy hair was soft.

“She’s lovely.”

“Or this one is five weeks. Bigger. Stronger girl when older.” This baby’s eyes were beginning to focus and she seemed to look at Lucy with a solemn stare.

“Hello, beautiful” said Lucy. David, beside her, said nothing, but reached out to the baby’s hand. The little fingers grasped David’s and he was plunged back through the years, remembering his twins and all the difficulties of those times. He shook himself, trying to return to the present.

“Here another little baby. Not sure but think one month old. Good health.”

“Are they not all in good health?” Lucy was alarmed.

“Oh yes. Very good. Good food, clean, all injections. Is all on papers.” She indicated the file in the director’s arms.

“Oh, David, how do we choose? How can we say come with us to one and leave all the others? What will happen to them?”

“I don’t know, love. But I’m sure it’s not like the Cat and Dog’s home. They aren’t going to put them down.” He was trying to stay light, but privately he agreed with Lucy. How could they choose?

“Come on David,” said Jotin. “We’ve got you this far, don’t go forgetting on us now. You’re here for a special baby, not just any baby. Look around.”

“Maybe if we spend some time and just talk to each one, something will come clear,” said David, beginning to walk between the lines of cots. Lucy followed, looking at each child, thinking how beautiful they were, with their dark almond eyes and black hair. How could their mothers bear to part with them? She turned to the translator to ask this, but the translator either did not understand her, or chose not to.

“No mothers. No fathers. Orphans. Most left at doorway. Some with some clothes. Some wrapped in paper.”

Lucy felt worse than ever. Her Aisling and Robbie had been so lucky, she thought. And David’s girls.

“And one of these. Come on, girl. She’s here. Look for her.” Trynor was nearly dancing with frustration. He turned to Jotin. “They are still so deaf! They want her, they’ve come all this way for her and now they decide they want an infant and get all worked up about the others, who are nothing to do with us at all!”

“No, but they don’t know that. And they are good people, full of compassion. That is how it should be. There is no learning if they know too clearly. Now, come on, what can we do?” Jotin, Trynor and Mohmi came together for a moment, and then, smiling at each other, each went back to his own person. Trynor nudged Lucy. Lucy turned and walked away from the cribs with the tiny babies. She thought she would clear her head by looking at some of the older ones, seeing what condition they were in.