Chapter 4

Heart Surgery

2.20.2005
1:30 pm

Joy. Excitement. Fulfillment. This is everything we ever wanted, thought both as one. Happy sadness. Tears filled their eyes as they sat in the office waiting for the lady they had spoken with two hours earlier. The door knob turned and their hearts suddenly became a elevator and hit the top floor within point-zero-two seconds.

The lady stepped into the room. Her hair was touched with wisdom, and speckled with brown and grey hairs as well. Her face was aged though it had gone though the process delicately. She looks to be decades younger then she actually was. She had a smile on her face, and a glow to her complexion that wasn't obtainable without the use of makeup. This was the glow of true happiness, who wouldn't be happy if you gave parents what they long to have the most . . . children. She was more beautiful then a model, and she was seventy-six. She looked to be not a day over thirty-six. She filled the room with a joy that warmed your heart and your soul.

Someone who would embrace you with a hug, come home with you, and call you two, "Mom" and "Dad", oh the joy those words could bring to your soul . . . yet they could still bring unbearable heartache.

~

The envelope was addressed to the orphanage. The label was addressed with the most delicate process. The typed portion crafted with an ancient typewriter. The words were without mistake, the label placed squarely enough that the human eye couldn't see any error. This was sent by a couple with pains for children, they had carefully crafted the letter together whereras most other couples didn't. Not that she didn't like the applications, which were accumulated together in the most slipshod manner. She could tell the longing for children in any letter, whether they took on the facade of an ancient text or a letter sealed by royalty.

They had a need, she had the answer. She had a need, they had the answer. She took the letter opener in her hand, and delicately slid it across the sealed flap at the top in one quick and easy motion. She had done these thousands of times throughout the decade of her work. Some she could meet their needs, other she had to reject. This was the only thing she hated about her job.

Before lifting the application out of the envelope, she looked at the front one more time, as a smile crossed her face:

Little Hope's Foundation

Attn: Ms. Eliana Greison King

9745 Black Well Drive

Fort Dodge, IA 50501

The paper was easily accessed from the envelope. She took it out and unfolded the trifolded paper. The letter had the applicants address in the top right hand corner of the typed portion of the application. They included a cover letter and resume of each parents background. They were an exemplary couple, the perfect adoptive parents.

Wife opened a children's care center five years ago, and Husband was a children's advocate for the county. Two months after they married, they opted to be Foster parents, now they wanted children to call their own. Not that they hadn't treated each foster child as their own. Wife was physically unable to bare children, so they wanted to adopt a child. They specifically wanted a girl, not a boy. That was between the ages of three to five. They had one strange specification, which was that the child actually looked like she belong in the family. Wife wanted a blond with blue eyes, and adorable figure. Husband didn't really care.

She had the perfect child. Not exactly what Wife wanted but exactly what they needed.

She picked up the phone and called the number, which was listed below their address. Wife picked up, "Hallo?"

"Hello. This' Eliana King from Little Hope's Foundation . . ."

"Oh my goodness, that was a quick reply. Did we get accepted already? I can't believe you called already. I'm just about speechless, yet about drawn to tears at the same time. Thanks for getting back with us so soon," Wife continue to speak in the I'm-so-excited tone for about two minutes straight, until she used up all the oxygen in her lungs and couldn't possibly go on explaining her blissful state. Gasp.

Eliana finally got her disappointing words in. "I'm sorry Miss but you have not been approved yet, but don't give up hope. I'm sure you will get approved, you two have great references, I can't imagine why you wouldn't get approved. Just keep praying and I'm sure God will vouch for you two. I was just calling to see if you and your husband would have time this week to come in and see the great child I have personally picked out for you?"

"Oh my, would we ever!!! Could we do it later today?"

"Sure, just name the time."

"Would one-thirty work?"

"Sure thing, Honey. See you then, can't wait to meet you two!"

~

"Hello," said Eliana.

Wife could no longer hold back the levee of sorrow the was collecting at the edges of her portals. A tear streamed down. It was a gradual consummation of the dryness on her check, as Eliana consumed the hurt and loneliness of her heart.

Wife ran to Eliana and greeted her with her embrace. Her tears rested on Eliana's shoulder. After a few minutes, Wife allowed Mrs. King to breathe and eventually her brain was re-oxygenated.

Husband arose and strolled over to Eliana. He grasped her hand in a firm gesture of greeting, "Hello, the name W-Ole, just call me Ace, James, Ace is what everyone calls me." He rolled his eyes thinking of the stupid name that his father had thought up for him, he couldn't image what his father was thinking about when he named him. Or maybe he was high or drunk? Who knows. "Oh, and this fine woman I call my Wife is Kris, short for Kristen."

"Great to meet you, Ace JAMES, Ace. Kris, how 'bout you take a burden off and take a seat, please," she motioned her arm toward the comforting chairs, they apply practically no pressure on the cushion of your body. "The girl, I have personally chosen for you, will come in soon. She was getting dressed in her best garments."

Kris wiped her tears and blew her nose on a tissue, she had located in a box on Eliana's desk. She sniffed and finally spoke, "His name is really Wall . . ."

"Sshhhh," she was interrupted by Ace. "Don't tell her like you tell everyone else, the name is Stupid. I mean my name's not stupid but it's a dumb name. Just please let me seem cool or sweet or whatever the kid's say these days, and DON'T tell." He had even furnished the floor with his knees to beg her to not tell. "Please?"

Oh, the lame puppy eyed long-winded pleeese. How it melts my heart, sometimes! Not falling for it this time. Some one needs to brush the dust off this old kite and fly it. I can't image why, I married such a kine-to-the-cool fellow.

"I can't believe you actually acknowledged his lame James Bond imitation. No one, and I mean no one has even picked up on it, since well some crazy woman, such as myself, fell for his pathetic "hip" charm and his cunning smile. Really you don't have to be so kind, I mean look at what it's gotten me because I acknowledged it. He might look like a man on the outside but on the inside he is secretly hoping to be acknowledged as Superman or James Bond in his case. Well really you can just call him a Headcase for all I care. But his name is really Wallace."

"D'oh. Man, what's come over you, did someone force feed you soured curds? OK, I really don't know what curds are but it sounded good. Don't worry this is really just us kidding around, and pulling your leg."

"Don't you wish. Could you just grow up for a minute?"

Kris sat starring at the ceiling looking seriously angry. Ace sat there staring at her, then looking at Eliana with her much surprised look, her eyes looked like they were going to pop out of there sockets. Ace lipped her a message, I really don't know what the matter with her is. She isn't usually like this.

"Well, let's lighten the mood a little for the kid," Eliana suggested, scratching her head in confusion. She thought this was the perfect family. Maybe she had judged a little off, once in all her life. They sat not speaking for quite some time.

"HAH," loudly broke the silence. "Got you all. And you can blame Ace for this little charades game. He is always telling people that I can't be cool or ever take time for fun or games."

"Thank God, you had me scared the for a moment," said the observing in unison.

"You two really though I was serious?" She busted out in laughter.

"How about we bring in the precious little one? And please no more heart attack catalyst, please? I thought I was going to drop over dead there for a little while with how you were talking about him."

"Uh, Sorry."

"Please. Come in, honey." yelled Eliana in a tender sweet tone.

The door creaked open, and someone stepped in. Little footsteps reverberated through the air. The future parents-to-be turned around slowly and were astounded by the beauty surrounding the subject standing before them. She had a natural glow of beauty. Smiles inched across their faces, a diligent parade of happiness, she was perfect. She was blond with brown eyes, beauty was her strong suit. A cute disposition settled her body. Most of all she had his nose, and her face. She was the completion of their family.

The orphan tilted her head in humility, after a moment of them staring down at her beauty. Darkness covered her beauty though sadness covered her facade. She was broken and Kris would fix her, or so she hoped.

"She's perfect, " they said in unison.

For the rest of the day, they played with her, talked to her about everything, spent time with her, took her out to a fancy restaurant with permission from Mrs. King, and finally folded her in the thin comforts of the orphanage's bed. They felt sorry about how much they had and how nice it was, and how all the orphans were content just to have what they did, not one complaint from one of them.

They went to shut the door to her room, a voice broke the silence, it was a new voice they were unfamiliar with. "Please, come back. Please, I need to tell you something. Please, I need help."

They soon figured out that it was the orphan they had spent the day with. She had not said a word all day. The words brought wetness to their forefronts and slowly slipped down Wife's cheek, Husband quickly batted it back.

They walked back in and sat on the bed, "Honey, tell us what's on your mind."

Wife could barely get the words past the mound in her throat.

The orphan explain her life to them. That she had been raped by her father after he had killed her mother, then turned the gun on himself in the aftermath of doing the deeds. She went on to tell them that she had been switch from one set of parents to another because of the night terrors she experienced from witnessing the "bad things" her father had done. They, she quoted their heartless words, said, "We just can't take the screaming, and the caring that this child needs is unobtainable. We didn't sign up for this! We don't want her anymore. We can't stand her!"

That's a terrible thing to hear from someone that is supposed to love and care for you, no wonder she has so much pain. Who could deal with what she saw at age six, I don't think I could handle it at the age of eighteen make that at any age, thought Kris.

"And . . ." she burst into tear.

"Please tell us," they said again in unison. "We want to help you."

"I can't. He said he would kill me, he said it would hurt more next time, He said he would make me bleed like a p . . . pi . . . pig."

Kris and Ace looked at each other shocked by the words coming out of this dear little one.

How could all of these terrible things happen with a loving God in existence? Because he doesn't exist! I have been frustrated with faith since, well I can't even remember a time that I wasn't! How do You allow all this suffering, thought Ace.

"Tell me I will ki . . . I'm a lawyer and I can help you, but you have to tell me who."

"I can't . . . I just can't." Fear gripped her mind and wasn't letting go.

Ace took her in his I'll-be-your-shield grasp, "I will never let him hurt you again. Listen to me once you tell me, we, my wife and I, will go talk with Mrs. King and get you out of her tonight, under protection of the court. I'm calling a judge to send a . . . well to put it in a way you will understand honey . . . it will keep you safe. But you have to tell me."

"The uh, the um, the gardener and the chef both . . . they both uh," she burst into tears. He took her in his arms again, this time she recoiled at the thought of a man touching her again. She had jumped the first time he held her too but Ace hadn't noticed it. This time it was noticeable, Kris had even see it.

"They raped me."