It was cooler than usual this morning in Phoenix. Almost everyone was wearing a sweater. Emily had on a faded pink sweater that had seen its best days long ago. It barely kept the chill out because of all the holes. Her pink dress was threadbare and two sizes too small. This one was her favorite dress. Her mother had bought it a year before she died. Her mother used to tell her she looked beautiful in her pink dress. She looked like a princess. Every time she wore this dress she imagined her mother was standing next to her telling her again how beautiful she looked. Then she would remember and cry.
At eight years old she was the head of the house. Her brother Mark was three years younger and worshipped Emily. Little wonder, since she spent every waking moment caring for him. She loved her brother more than life itself. Her mother told her that family was the most important thing in the world.
“Friends may come and go, but family is forever. You never turn your back on the family,” her mother said. So Emily believed that with all her heart. She proved it every day to her brother. And he knew he was lucky to have her.
Each morning just after dawn she would get up, build a small fire and fix breakfast from whatever she could scrounge up, which wasn't much. They had no refrigeration, no heat or cooling, very few clothes and no home. Emily and her brother lived under an overpass next to a small creek. Her mother had died six months ago in the hospital. Emily and Mark were by her side when she passed away. Just before her mother had closed her eyes for the last time, she made Emily promise she would take care of Mark if something happened to her.
After breakfast Emily would sweep and mop a neighborhood store for which she was paid $5.00. It only took her a couple of hours. Then she would ask around the neighborhood for odd jobs so she could make a little extra money or score some food for the two of them. She usually managed to make $6 - $8 and a little food. They ate sparingly. Emily had become an expert when shopping for the best deals on food. She knew when each store was having a sale and which ones had the lowest prices. And she knew who she could sweet talk out of some candy once in a while.
There was a gang in the neighborhood that helped them. One day the gang came under the bridge and saw Emily and Mark sleeping. The leader of the group was a young man named Juan Sanchez. He recognized the kids from seeing them in the neighborhood. He knew Emily worked for food and what little money she could get. He didn't know they lived under this bridge. He woke them and immediately Emily grabbed the knife she had hidden in the sand beside their bed. Juan stepped back and told her he would not hurt them.
“Where is your mother or father?” asked Juan. Emily didn't answer. He could see in her eyes that she would protect herself and her brother. “I won't hurt you. I have a little sister and brother.”
“Our mother is with Jesus in heaven. So is our father “, said Emily.
“You mean you live here by yourself?”
“Yes.”
He looked around and saw very little. This little girl was not only a worker, she was also a fighter. He couldn't believe they lived here alone. Even he would have trouble living out here. He had been running the streets from an early age, but he had a mother who cooked for him, his brothers and sisters. His father was also dead. He couldn't walk away from here and leave them alone knowing this area like he did. Anything could happen.
“Miguel, go to the clubhouse and get the small chest of drawers and bring it here. Take three others with you. Juanita, come here. Take this and go get them something to eat. Stop at the store and get them a pie and a twelve pack of drinks.”
Miguel and three others left and were soon followed by Juanita. She returned in twenty minutes with some food from the local Burger King, an apple pie and a twelve pack of grape drink. Miguel and the others returned about twenty minutes later. They carried a chest of drawers with them. They placed it beside the bed against the base of the bridge.
“This will keep your clothes looking better than those boxes. Here is $10 for food and drinks. We will check on you once in a while. If anybody bothers you, come to me. Okay?”
“Okay,” said Emily. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome, little senorita.” They left Emily and Mark eating. On the road above Juan turned to Miguel.
“Pass the word. The boy and girl are under our protection. Nobody bothers them. And I mean nobody. Understand?”
“Si, Juan. I will tell everyone. Why do you get involved with these little ones?”
“They have no momma to watch over them and cook for them as we do, Miguel. We may not admit it, but we are lucky we have a home and a mother who loves us. Those two do not. They do not have a club who watches their backs as we do. From now on, we will be their club and watch over them. If they are harmed by anyone, that person will beg for death. Now go tell everyone.”
Juan knew he couldn't get the children the help they needed because it would look like he was soft or a snitch. But he also knew he couldn't leave these two alone any longer than possible. They were much too young to be living on their own, especially like this. He had an idea. He would talk to his mother. Maybe he could get her to call somebody.
The biggest problem they faced, in Emily's mind, was the heat of the day. They managed so far by going to stores and walking around, or sneaking into a theater to watch a movie. They had to walk about five miles to get to a movie. But it was worth it. They always managed to watch two movies before leaving. The snacks and drinks were too expensive to purchase at the movies so they would wait until leaving and, when they had the extra money, they would buy a drink at the store and split it. That happened rarely.
What Emily didn't know was that people were getting curious about her and Mark. They were seen every day when other kids were in school. Someone finally called the school and talked to Delbert Grey, the Truant Officer. For a week he had been trying to find the children. He had been unsuccessful, so he decided to contact Children Services. Maybe with their resources the children and their parents would be found. Then they could find out why the children were not in school. He never could understand why parents refused to send their children to school. They had to know how hard it would be on the kids if they didn't have an education. You can bet if he had kids they would be in school.
The next day he saw the kids and decided to follow them for awhile. Hopefully, they would lead him to the parents. He had been following them for about three hours before he decided that something wasn't right. The little girl seemed to be panhandling for food. Well, he guessed there were a lot of families in need of food, but usually the parents did the begging, although he had known a few with the whole family begging. Delbert decided he would follow awhile longer to find out where they lived.
Two hours later he was behind them when they started to walk out of the neighborhood and toward a barren area. They walked off the road but parallel to it. He had to park his car and follow on foot. There was nothing to hide him so he decided to stay about a hundred yards behind them. Hopefully they wouldn't look back and see him following. It took about fifteen minutes before he realized where they were headed. About one hundred yards ahead there was an underpass and they were going under it. He decided to get on the road and get above them to keep from being seen.
When he was above where the children had gone under the bridge he crossed to the other side and looked over. The children were nowhere to be seen. They had to be under the bridge. Perhaps they needed to get out of the heat for a break before going on. He waited for about thirty minutes before deciding they must have fallen asleep. He walked down the small slope and when he saw them, he was stunned. They were asleep, but on a mattress. And there were sheets and blankets on the mattress. There was a small plastic table, such as one of those toy kitchens for girls and a small chest of drawers. A small blackened area several yards away appeared to be where they did the cooking, although they only had a small cooler to keep food in. Two one gallon jars held water for drinking. They were living under this bridge! But he saw no sign of an adult, or that an adult had even been here. Surely he was mistaken.
Emily awoke and saw a stranger a few feet away and immediately she woke Mark. She got in front of him and grabbed the knife she had beside the bed. She confronted the stranger without saying a word, but her eyes showed she would do whatever had to be done to protect her little brother. Delbert put up his hands and backed away to let her know he meant no harm.
“I am not here to hurt you. My name is Mr. Grey and I am the school Truant Officer. Someone saw you and called me. I've been looking for you for a week. Where are your parents?”
She didn't speak. He knew she must be scared so he sat down. “I just want to help you. Can you tell me where your mother and father are?”
“They're dead. Me and my brother live here. What do you want?”
“Do you mean to tell me you and your brother live alone? How long have you been living here?”
“I'm not sure. My mom died in April I think.”
“April? But that was six months ago. What have you been doing all this time? What have you been eating?”
“I work every day and I ask people for food or money. Most people give us a little change or some food. We ain't been going hungry.”
“My God, are you hungry?”
“We didn't eat supper yet. But I don't know you, and mom told us never to take anything from a stranger.”
“Your mother taught you well. She was right. You should never trust strangers. But your mom probably told you to trust the police, didn't she?”
“Yes, but you are not a cop.”
“Well, I kind of am. Like a school cop.” Delbert couldn't help but smile. Here were two young children who must be starving and still they were listening to their mothers' words about strangers. Very smart.
“Oh. I didn't know the school had cops.”
“Well, we don't wear uniforms and we can't arrest anyone, but we are something like a cop. It's kind of hard to explain. But I have my badge and ID if you want to see them.”
“You have a badge?”
Handing them the badge Delbert said, “I sure do. See?” They took the badge and looked at it for several minutes before handing it back. “Now that you know who I am and that I won't hurt you, would you like to get something to eat?”
“I guess so. I still don't know you very good.”
“I understand. I'll tell you what, I'll walk on one side of the street and you walk on the other side. When we get to my car, you can sit in the back. How would that be?” He didn't want to frighten them.
“I guess that will be okay.”
“By the way, I told you my name but you haven't told me yours.”
“I'm Emily and this is my brother Mark.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you both. What is your last name?”
Mark spoke for the first time. “Jenkins.”
“Emily and Mark Jenkins? It has a nice ring to it. May I call you Emily and Mark?”
“That's our names. Ain't nothing else to call us,” said Mark. ” What do we call you?”
“Well, since we're getting to know each other, and we are going out to eat, you can call me Delbert. How's that?”
“Okay, I guess.”
Delbert smiled. He liked these kids. Their mother had obviously tried to raise them with good manners, and they seemed well behaved. But how in the world had they survived out here on their own? They couldn't have been eating very much. They were both very thin. He had to give them credit though. They both were clean. Six months on their own. He couldn't even imagine what they must have endured, being alone, sleeping under a bridge and going hungry most of the time.
They got in the car and he drove them to a nice restaurant where they could go in, sit down and order a good meal. Once seated he ordered a salad for each of them, followed by a roast with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, carrots, chocolate milk and a piece of chocolate cake for dessert. As hungry as they must have been, they took their time eating, finishing everything on their plates. When the waitress refilled their glasses with more cold chocolate milk, both kids grinned and drank half the milk before putting the glass down. No child should have to go without milk for as long as these two must have suffered.
Delbert was doing a lot of thinking while they ate. And he was making some decisions he hoped would appeal to Emily and Mark. The first thing he would have to do is talk to his wife. For that he had a plan. After ten years of marriage, he knew his wife. After Delbert paid for the meal, they got back in the car and he made sure they were buckled in. On the way home Emily remarked they were going the wrong way.
“I thought you and Mark might want to meet my wife Jennifer. She loves children and I know she would want to meet both of you. She would never forgive me if I didn't take you to visit with her. Do you mind?”
“No, I guess not. I wouldn't want her to be mad at you, especially after you bought us dinner.”
Delbert smiled. She was going to love these kids. He could hardly wait to see her reaction when he told her his idea. Delbert and Jennifer Grey had met in junior high school. They began dating during their freshman year and had been inseparable ever since. They married right after graduation and attended the same college. Both had scholarships, he in football, she in track. After graduating from college Delbert enlisted in the Army. Jennifer went on to get her Masters Degree in Psychology. She wanted to work with underprivileged children. She was now a Supervisor of nursing at a local hospital. Delbert was head truant officer for the Phoenix school district.
Six years ago they decided to have a child. After three miscarriages they were ready to give up. They had discussed adoption but had not followed through with it. Jennifer had always hoped to have a little girl so she could dress her up in beautiful clothes. Pink was her favorite color. Delbert was sure she would fall in love with Emily. He had always wanted a son to take fishing and play ball with. Mark was quiet but Delbert was sure with time and love he would open up. He was excited about the possibilities of his plan.
“What about our clothes and everything? Somebody might get them,” said Emily.
“They will probably be alright. If anything happens I'll buy you some more clothes. Will that be alright?”
“But my favorite dress my mom gave me is there. I don't want to lose it.”
Delbert didn't want to upset them so he turned the car around and drove to the bridge where he found them. “Alright, I don't want you to lose that dress. We'll get it and anything else you want.” That seemed to make her feel better.
As they started under the bridge Juan stepped out and he had a switch blade knife. “What are you doing with the kids?”
Delbert put the kids behind him. “I am here to help them. Who are you?”
“I am a friend of theirs and I don't like people bothering them. How do I know you won't hurt them?”
“We just finished eating and I was taking them to meet my wife. She likes children. She's a nurse who helps children. Would you like to come with us to see for yourself that they will be safe?”
“Maybe. Let's talk, you and me. Little seniorita, you and your brother wait here.”
They walked up to the road and Delbert told him who he was and showed him his badge and ID. Juan immediately knew who had called the school. He was glad the little ones would get some help, but he had to make sure they would not be put away in some lousy foster home and forgotten.
“How do I know you will not put them away and leave them?” asked Juan.
“Listen, my wife and I cannot have children. These two need a mother and father. Do you agree?”
“Si. How do I know you will be a good father?”
“Well, I guess you don't know. But you can come with us and see where the children will live. We want to adopt them. How about it?”
“Si. I will come with you.”
They walked back to the kids and Delbert helped them with their belongings. The two children got in the back and Juan and Delbert in the front. They finally pulled into the driveway and he honked the horn to let Jennifer know he was home. Jennifer looked out the window and saw the kids in the back seat. She came out and hugged her husband and turned her attention to the children.
“And who do we have here?” she asked as she helped them out. Then she saw Juan.
“This is Emily and Mark Jenkins. They will be spending the night with us. Emily, Mark, this is my wife Jennifer. She is a nurse. She works with children. And this is Juan. He's a friend of Emily and Mark who just wanted to make sure they would be safe.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you Juan,” said Jennifer as she held out her hand to shake his.
Juan took her hand firmly and said, “Nice to meet you, ma'am.”
“And it's a pleasure to meet you, Emily and Mark.”
Marks eyes got big as he looked up at Jennifer and asked, ”Do you really have kids working with you?”
Jennifer laughed. “No Mark, my job is to work with children who are having problems and to help them.”
“How do you help them?” asked Mark.
“Well, in different ways. It all depends on what problems they are having. We can talk about that later. Are you four hungry?”
“No honey. These two and I stopped and ate on the way here. Juan may be, though. Are you hungry, Juan?”
“No, thank you.” Juan was good at reading people and he could tell these people were decent. He believed the children would be okay.
“I thought since we have the weekend off, we might go to a hotel with a pool and do some swimming. Would you kids like that?” asked Delbert.
“We don't know how to swim. We have never been swimming,” said Emily.
Jennifer feigned shock and said, “You have never been swimming? Oh my, we'll have to fix that. Let's go inside and pack a few clothes.”
“I think I will go home, now,” said Juan.
“I'll take Juan home, honey. I'll be right back.” Delbert and Juan left. On the way, Juan told Delbert he would keep tabs on the kids. And if he decided the kids were being hurt in any way, Delbert would not like what would happen then.
“Juan. I can appreciate you watching out for the kids, but don't threaten me. I don't scare. Besides, I was telling you the truth about wanting to adopt them. My wife cannot have children and we love kids. We will give them everything they need and want. You have my word on that.”
“That is good. I hope they will be happy.”
“I will do everything in my power to make sure they are happy.”
“Good enough. Take care of them. Bye.”
“Juan?”
“Si?”
“Would you like to visit them once in a while? Just to make sure they're happy?”
“I may do that. Thank you.”
“You're welcome. Take care.”
Delbert got back quickly and they all piled into the car. Mark sat up front with him and the girls in the back.
“We don't have nothing to wear to swim,” said Mark.
“Well, we'll just have to fix that, too. Honey, let's stop at the mall to buy a few things before going to the hotel,” said Jennifer.
“Alright, we can manage that.” Thirty minutes later they were at the mall where they shopped for clothes and swimming outfits for the kids. Jennifer found two beautiful pink dresses for Emily, one of which was almost identical to the one her mother bought her. Emily wanted to wear it right then. After she put it on Jennifer hugged her and told her she looked beautiful. Emily thought of her mother and how she used to tell her she looked like a princess, and she cried.
Jennifer hugged her and told her everything would be alright. She asked Emily why she was crying. Emily told her about her mother and how she died six months ago. Jennifer began to cry also.
“Your mother was a very good mother. She must have loved you both very much.”
“Yeah, she did. And we love her, too. She was the best mom in the world. Mark doesn't remember but there were times when mom went hungry so me and him would have enough food to eat. I hated to see my mom going hungry. But I couldn't do anything. I tried to get her to eat some of my food, but she just smiled and said she wanted her two favorite children in the world to eat.”
That brought more tears to Jennifer's eyes as she hugged Emily tighter. “She was a great mom. Always remember that.”
They made one more stop for ice cream cones before going to the hotel where they rented a suite with two bedrooms, kitchen and living room. Both bedrooms had a TV and the living room had a large screen TV. The kids were fascinated by so many televisions, especially with having one in their bedroom. But they spent most of the weekend in the pool. They both learned to swim by the end of the day on Saturday. Emily followed Jennifer everywhere. Mark loved it when Delbert put him on his shoulders and let him ride. Everyone had a great weekend.
On Sunday evening, after they returned home, Delbert and Jennifer sat the kids in the living room and told them they needed to talk with them. They explained that they had discussed it and they wanted to adopt both the kids.
“What's adopt mean?” asked Mark.
“That means we want you to come live with us. We want to be your mommy and daddy,” replied Jennifer. “We know this is a lot to think about, but I want you to know, we don't want you to forget your mother and father. We just want to be your new mother and father. Do you think you could come live with us?”
“We never knew our daddy. Why do you want us to live with you?” asked Emily.
“We can't have children and we want to have a little boy and girl so much. I promise we would love you more than anybody or anything in the world,” replied Jennifer as she began to cry. She had begun to love these children very much. She really wanted to adopt them.
“Can you take us to where our mother is buried? I need to talk with my mom about this. Please?”
Delbert and Jennifer looked at each other. “Of course we can. Do you know where it is?” asked Delbert.
“I know where it is,” said Emily. They drove to the cemetery and Emily showed them where the grave was. She and Mark got out and knelt at the grave. They bowed their heads and Emily prayed for a moment. Then she began talking to her mother.
”Mom, it's me, Emily. Mark is here with me.” Mark looked up at Emily then bowed his head again. “Mom, we haven't been doing too well since you left. I been working some, and I'm trying to take care of Mark like I promised. But it's hard, mommy. We've been living under a bridge and sometimes we don't have much to eat. I'm tired, mommy. I'm really tired. I don't know how much longer I can do it. I promised I would take care of Mark, and I will keep that promise. But I need help,” said Emily as tears fell on her new pink dress.
“These people in the car are Mr. and Mrs. Grey. They are really nice people, mom. They want us to come live with them. They want to adopt us. What should I do, mommy? I don't want you to be mad at me, but I like them. It would be so much easier living with them. I miss you mommy. I promise I won't forget you. I love you. But I need someone to help me. Would it be alright if we live with them?”
Emily and Mark stayed for another fifteen minutes with their heads bowed before they got up and came back to the car. “Do you still want us to come live with you?” asked Emily.
“Oh yes, we do. We want that very much,” replied Jennifer.
“I think it will be okay. Can we visit my mom sometimes?” asked Emily.
“Of course you can, Sweetheart. Anytime you want. I think your mom would love for her little princess to visit her.” They drove home and Jennifer and Delbert showed the kids their bedrooms. Jennifer and Emily made plans to paint her room pink with pink bed accessories. Delbert and Mark decided his would have a race car bed with sports paraphernalia.
Later that night after the kids were in bed, Delbert and Jennifer made plans.
They both knew the children would have to go to a temporary foster home until the adoption was finalized and that might be a problem. Emily and Mark had accepted the move into their new home, but might not like having to go to a different home with strangers. And Delbert and Jennifer were not happy about it either. They both knew there were some homes in the system that was not fit for children. If the children should fall into one of those, there could be irreparable mental damage done to them. They could lose their credibility with the kids. Jennifer was not willing to risk that. Delbert, while not wanting to risk that possibility, knew they had no choice.
“There might be one way out.”
“What are you thinking, Jennifer? You're not going to do something stupid, are you?”
Grinning sheepishly she asked, “When did you ever know me to do something stupid, honey?”
“Oh Lord. What do you have in mind? Out with it.”
“I need to check on a few things, so give me a couple of weeks.”
“Give you a couple of weeks for what?” asked Delbert with more than a little anxiety.
“If everything works out, we might not have to put the kids in a foster home while we wait for the adoption to go through. Maybe we can apply for a foster home license. When we get it, we can tell them about Emily and Mark. Then they can live with us for awhile before we adopt them.”
“Honey, they investigate every home before licensing them. They will go through all our finances, our home, our background and everything. We can't get away with this. They will talk with the neighbors and find out we have the children.”
“I've always wanted to live in a rural area where the nearest neighbor was about a quarter mile away. What if we sell this house and either buy or build one away from town? Then we can hide the children until the license comes through. What do you think?”
“I think you're crazy and I think I'm crazy for even considering going along with you on this. We could get into a lot of trouble if we're caught. You do know that, don't you?”
“Aren't they worth the trouble?” asked Jennifer.
“But if we are caught, we will lose the kids forever. Do you really want to risk that?”
Jennifer got up and walked around the room for a few minutes and finally said, “No, I guess not. You're right. Anything could happen. But how do we tell those two innocent children in there that we didn't tell them the whole story? How will they react?”
“I don’t know. All I know is that I don't want to lose them for any reason,” replied Delbert.
“We'll have to talk with the kids tomorrow and let them know what's going to happen. I just hope they don't get scared or upset. They've been through so much already. I don't want to be responsible for getting their hopes up only to let them down.”
“I have a friend in Human Services. You remember Janice, don’t you? Let me talk to her and see what I can do. Maybe we can work something out so we can keep them with us during the adoption proceedings.”
“Oh Delbert, do you think we can? That would be so wonderful. Thank you, honey.”
“Hold on now. I said maybe. But I'll try.”
“I have confidence in you. You've never let me down so far.”
“Oh, no pressure there. Thanks.”
Jennifer laughed and kissed him tenderly on the lips. “You're certainly welcome.”
The next morning Jennifer made breakfast before waking the kids. When she went to their rooms she found Mark sleeping with Emily. They had slept together for the last six months, so it might take awhile to get him used to sleeping in his own room. She woke them and helped them to dress. They had bought them some clothes at the mall so they had several outfits to choose from. Emily seemed to have a knack for matching her outfits, even though she probably didn't have many clothes to choose from after the death of their mother.
After breakfast Jennifer told the children she had to go to work but she had hired a babysitter to watch them until she and Delbert got home.
“We don't need a babysitter. We've been taking care of ourselves ever since mom died.”
“Well, I guess you have, but the law does not like for children as young as you to be alone. I know you have been alone for awhile now, but you don't need to be alone any more. We are with you now. We have to work, but we will never leave you alone because we love you. Do you understand?”
“I guess so. But when will you be home?”
“I will be home about six o'clock but Delbert will get home about four. I think he might have a surprise for you. Would you like that?”
“Really?” asked Mark. “I've never had a surprise.”
“Well, you will have a lot of surprises from now on,” said Jennifer as she laughed and hugged both children. Mark felt a little warm.
After checking in with the school board, Delbert made a visit to his friend at Human Services. Her name was Janice Linden and she loved children. That was the biggest reason she was so good at her job. She loved helping people and she wasn't above bending a few rules to get them the help they needed.
After exchanging small talk for a few minutes, Janice asked him why he was there to see her. “I know you didn't come down here to ask how my day is. You usually do that on the phone. Out with it. What's going on?”
“You always were too smart. Alright, I have a problem and I need some advice from someone on the inside. From someone I can trust. Jennifer and I need your help.”
“ I don’t think I like where this is going. Please don’t ask me to do something that will get me canned. It took me a year to get back in the good graces of my boss the last time.”
Delbert grinned and replied, ”Yeah, but you liked it, didn't you?”
“I liked helping that child, but I didn't like the trouble I got into, thank you very much. Now what do you need?”
“Advice only.”
“Advice I can give you. Now spit it out. It's almost my lunch.”
“Make it an early lunch and it's on me. I'll even drive.”
“Oh, brother, the free lunch routine. Well, this is going to cost you, mister. And don't think it's going to be fast food, either.”
“Fair enough. Let's go.”
“Do you think you can start the story before we get there? I'd like to enjoy part of my meal.”
“Alright. I promise.”
In the car he told her he had found the little girl he had called her about, only it was two children, not one. “And they are brother and sister. The worst part is they are homeless and the mother died six months ago.”
“Where are they? Why didn't you bring them with you?”
“They're at our house. Now, Jennifer and I want to adopt them. How do we do that without the children being put into a foster home while we await the decision? And don't tell me it can't be done.”
“Fine, I won't tell you. But I will tell you that you are crazy if you think I am going to help you keep those kids during the adoption process, when you know it's illegal.”
“Be serious, Janice. We want to adopt them. Both of them are scared and they don't trust anyone. The little girl promised her mother before she died that she would take care of her little brother. And she has done it for six months, without any help. They've been sleeping under a bridge since the mother died. She works every day and earns five dollars cleaning a store. Then she begs for more work around the area and accepts food or money. They had a mattress and even a few pieces of furniture. She had built a small fireplace to cook and a small cooler to keep food in.”
“Wait a minute. When did you find them?”
“Friday evening.”
“And you are just now coming to me? What did you do with them over the weekend?”
Clearing his throat Delbert answered, “We kept them at our house. We bought them some clothes, took them out to eat and spent the weekend at a motel where they had a pool. The kids loved it.”
“I didn't just hear that. Are you crazy? Do you know how many laws you broke? Both of you could lose your jobs. Not to mention the possible jail time. I don't want any part of this.”
“So you don't want to see the children? Their names are Emily and Mark and they are the cutest kids you've ever seen. They need our help, Janice. I mean it.”
She shot him a look that would have dropped a bull elephant at a hundred yards. “You had to tell me their names, didn't you? Delbert, so help me, one of these days I will shoot you. I want a fancy lunch, with wine. I need to get drunk.”
“Oh, would you hush. You're not getting drunk until after you help us.”
“This is your last favor, mister. Don't even think of ever asking me for help after this. Lose my number. I mean it. Throw it away.”
“Sorry, I've got it memorized. Besides, it's in the phone book.”
“I'm having it changed and unlisted when I get back to the office.”
“Would you listen to yourself? Get your number unlisted. Of all the ridiculous things to say. It's a government office, you dope.”
“Then I'll transfer out of state.”
“Now who's crazy?”
Janice hit him on the arm and said, “If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black. Shut up and get me to lunch.”
During lunch Janice was especially quiet and Delbert left her alone. He knew her well enough to know she was thinking about their problem, and as long as he let her think, she would come up with a solution. She didn't get drunk but she did have more than she needed, since she had to go back to work. But it wasn't long before he found out she had that covered. Back in the car she laid out the plan she had worked out.
“Alright, there is one thing we can do. You and Jennifer contact your attorney. You do have an attorney, don't you?”
“We've never needed one till now.”
“Knowing you the way I do, I find that hard to believe. But, okay. Get an attorney that is familiar with adoption laws. Start the process to get approved to adopt. Once you are approved, you can say you've been taking care of the kids because you are their Godparents. Normally, you would need a letter stating you and Jennifer are the godparents signed by the mother, both godparents and notarized.”
“But the mother is dead. How are we going to get a letter now? She would have to sign in front of the notary.”
“I'm a notary you big oaf,” said Janice as she hit him in the arm again. “You just keep getting me in deeper and deeper, don't you? Boy do you owe me big time. And don't think I'll forget about it, either. And don't think I'll let you forget it. Hey, where are we going?”
“I'm taking you back to work. Where do you think we're going?”
“Oh no you don't, I'm not going back to work after drinking all the wine I had. I'll call the office and tell them I have a field visit to conduct. I don't have any appointments this afternoon.”
“So where do we go from here?”
“To your place if you want me to see the kids. But stop at a store so I can get some breath mints.”
They pulled up to the house and saw Jennifer's' car was still in the garage. When they opened the door, Jennifer met them and hugged Delbert before turning to welcome Janice. They had met only once before but had liked each other instantly.
“Hello, Janice. It's nice to see you again. You should come by more often.”
“Hi, Jennifer, how are you?”
“Good, thanks. Has Delbert told you?”
“Oh yes. He has me involved up to my eyeballs. How are the kids?”
“Emily is great. Mark is a little under the weather so I stayed home today. I think we should take him to the doctor. I'm worried. He hasn't eaten and he slept most of the day.”
“Does he have a temperature?” asked Janice.
“A slight fever. It was 100 when I last checked him. He won't drink anything and he needs fluids.”
“Have you called the doctor to see if they can fit him in today?” Delbert asked.
“I was about to call when you drove up.”
“Go ahead and call. I'll check on him. Janice, would you follow me, please?”
They walked to the bedroom and saw Mark was asleep under the covers. He was beginning to sweat and was shaking.
“Forget the doctor, Jennifer. Let's get him to the hospital. He's sweating and shaking.” He picked Mark up and carried him to the car. Jennifer, Emily and Janice followed. On the way to the hospital Janice had a great opportunity to watch how they interacted with each other. And she saw all she needed to see. These two really loved the children. And Emily seemed to really care for them. She was holding tightly to Jennifer. She was a beautiful little girl.
Mark was so frail, but you could tell he would grow up to be a handsome young man. He was awake now, and his little hand was holding Delbert's as though he didn't want him to get away. She knew from that moment she would help them in any way she could. She knew about Delbert and Jennifer trying to have children, and about the miscarriages. She knew they desperately wanted children. And these two seemed a perfect match for them. They were already a family.
“When we get to the hospital, let me talk to the doctor. Children Services will pay for the hospital bill. You don't need to start your new life broke.”
“Thanks, Janice. That really isn't necessary.”
“Yes it is, if you want my help. This is a good opportunity to establish you as the godparents.”
“Emily? From now until we adopt you, you will have to tell anyone who asks that we are your godparents. I'll explain later. But for now, will you trust us?”
“Yes sir. I trust you. I'll remember.”
“You don't have to call me sir, Sweetheart. It won't be long before you can call me dad, if you want. But for now, you can just call me Delbert.”
“But mommy told us to respect adults and not call them by their first name.”
“And your mom was right, honey. But there are always exceptions to almost every rule.”
“Exception?”
“Let's see. It means that sometimes you're allowed to break the rule because the rule does not really take care of a problem. But always make sure you are right before breaking the rule. If you have any questions, just ask. Does that help?”
“I guess so.”
Jennifer tried to help Emily understand. “Honey, your mommy was a very good mother. She tried to teach you respect and right from wrong. But she knew you were probably too young to understand back then. She would have explained it to you when you got a little older and smarter, when you would have understood better.”
“Oh, I see. Alright. Godparents.”
Jennifer hugged her tightly. Janice was moved by this display. These two were going to be excellent parents. Even during a stressful situation they took the time to carefully explain every detail to the children. And Emily was a doll. She was very strict about following her mother's instructions. It said a lot for her integrity. She was definitely a keeper.
They arrived at the hospital. Delbert and Jennifer went into the exam room with Mark while Janice waited with Emily in the waiting room. It was an hour before Jennifer came out to talk to them. The doctors were waiting on the blood tests and x-rays before they would tell them anything. As they were talking the doctor came out to discuss his diagnosis.
“Mrs. Grey, I'd like to keep Mark overnight to watch him. And I'd like to run a few more tests.”
Janice asked, “What's wrong with him?”
“I'll be honest, we don't know yet. He has a temperature of 101 degrees, he's chilling, sweating, shallow breathing, his electrolytes are low, his red blood count is low, and his sugar level is low. We need to run some more tests before I can even attempt a guess. We have several empty rooms so you all can stay with him, if you'd like. The little girl can sleep in the other bed and we can give you a couple of cots, blankets and pillows. The nurse will take care of you. I'll check in on Mark again in a couple of hours and again tomorrow morning. Do you have a family physician?”
“Yes we do.”
“You need to call him so he can refer you to a pediatrician.”
“I'll call him immediately.” Jennifer made the call while Janice talked to the doctor.
“Doctor, I am Janice Linden from Children Services. We will be taking care of the bill for Mark. Whatever he needs, give it to him.”
“I thought the Grey's were the parents of the children?”
“They are the godparents and are in the process of adopting them. But for now, they are getting help from us until they can adopt the children and get insurance.”
“Good enough. I'll see you in the morning.”
“Dr. Woods is calling a friend of his to check Mark. He is already here making his rounds. Do you mind if I go back in until he gets here?” asked Jennifer.
“That will be fine. I'll wait out here. Emily? Would you like to go down to the restaurant with me to get something to eat or drink?” asked Janice.
“I would rather be with Mark. Is he going to be alright?”
“Yes, sweetheart, Mark will be alright. The doctors will do everything they can to help him.”
Tears filled her eyes as Emily remarked, “That's what they said when mommy got sick and went to the hospital. And she died.”
“You mustn't think that way, Emily. People get sick all the time and get well. Let's pray everything will be all right,” said Jennifer as she hugged her. ”You can come back with me and see Mark. He might like to see you, too.”
A couple of hours later Delbert came out to take Janice back to the office. On the way Janice noticed he was unusually quiet. “What's wrong?” she asked.
“I'm not sure. I'm really worried about Mark. His color is bad and he seemed to be having trouble breathing. I hope and pray he'll be okay. I don't know what Emily would do if anything happened to her little brother. They're awful close. And Jennifer would go crazy.”
“What about you?” asked Janice.
Delbert looked at her and looked away without saying anything. But he looked worried. Janice said a silent prayer. She went over in her mind what she needed to do tonight to get everything started for Delbert and Janice to adopt Emily and Mark. She had everything for the notarized letter at home. She had to start there before she could do anything else. Delbert had said Emily's mother had died in April. So she needed to backdate the paperwork for about February. And she would have to sign the mother's name to the letter.
She knew what she was about to do wasn't legal, but she also knew the children needed to be with Delbert and Jennifer. They have been alone for too long. And the system didn't always work out for the best. She just hoped and prayed everything would go smoothly. If she was caught, she would lose everything she had worked for. But in her heart she knew it was worth the risk. These kids needed to have a home with loving parents. And she was going to see to it they had it.
The next morning Janice called Jennifer to find out how Mark was. The doctor had not yet come in. So Janice went straight to the hospital to sit with them and wait for the doctor. She also needed to get Delbert and Jennifer to sign the letter. After it was signed, it would be legal. They would be the godparents of Emily and Mark. And they would be able to keep the kids with them until the adoption was finalized.
The doctor had ordered a battery of tests for Mark. All morning he was shuttled back and forth from one place to another. All the while he slept through most of it. About noon she came in and talked with the family.
“Mr. and Mrs. Grey, my name is Deborah Cross. I'm a Pediatrician. Dr. Woods asked me to take over on Mark's case. He is a very sick little boy. He has several problems going on. But from all you've told me, I think it all stems from the same problem. During the months they lived alone, the children weren't eating properly. Because of that, Mark is badly malnourished and I'm sure Emily may be also. But I think with the proper medicine and eating the right foods they will be fine. I'd like to examine Emily so I can get her started on the medicine, also.”
“You mean he is going to be okay?” asked Jennifer.
“He should be fine in a few months. It may take that long for his body to heal. By then he should be able to come off the medicine.”
“That’s all? Just give him medicine and making sure he eats properly?” Jennifer asked with tears in her eyes.
“He'll have to stay in the hospital for at least two weeks. Depending on his progress, we'll decide what happens then. Do you have any questions?”
“Will his recovery be complete?” asked Delbert.
“He should be a new person in a few months.”
Jennifer grabbed Delbert and kissed him. Then she took Emily into her arms and hugged her. ”Thank God,” she said.
“And thank you doctor,” said Janice.
“My pleasure,” she said. ”You know, he is a very lucky little boy. Another month and he may not have recovered.”
Emily put her hand on Mark's arm and kissed him on the forehead. She looked tired. Janice wondered how much longer she could have lasted. It had to be rough living under a bridge all alone. She wondered if she herself could have done it. Thank God Delbert found them and brought them home.
Doctor Cross said, “Emily will need to spend a couple of days in the hospital. We'll put her in here with Mark. She should be able to go home in two or three days. I want to run some tests to make sure she isn't in the same shape as Mark. I'll see all of you this evening. In the mean time, let's get Emily into bed and let them rest for a few hours. Emily looks like she could use some rest and I know Mark needs it.”
Juan visited the kids twice while they were in the hospital. He could see that Delbert and Jennifer were taking excellent care of them. He was happy for them. At least they wouldn't end up in a gang, or worse. Emily came home on Thursday. Mark came home two weeks later. Delbert had already bought new furniture for his room. There was a bed with a frame that looked like a car, walls painted to look like the pit of a race track complete with pit crew, a television with a game console already hooked up, a stack of games almost as tall as Mark, a DVD player with a pile of movies and a closet full of new clothes. When he saw his new room he ran and jumped in the bed. Then he asked about the games and console.
“That is a Play Station with a bunch of games,” said Delbert.
“I never played any games before. Are they fun?”
“You bet they are.”
“Will you show me how to play them?”
“You bet I will. Just let me know when you want to play. And here is a DVD player and some movies. I'll show you how to work all the buttons to play the movies.”
While they worked on the DVD player and game console Emily watched. She had her room made over, also. The walls were painted pink, The bed was queen size with a pink bedspread with lilacs embroidered on it, a DVD player with movies, laptop computer and she also had a closet full of clothes.
Both Emily and Mark were feeling much better, although Mark was still weak. Emily's color was much better. Jennifer had taken her to have her hair trimmed and styled. She was almost unrecognizable. During those last three weeks the four of them had become quite close.
Over the next six months the adoption paperwork was completed and the adoption was finalized. They were now a family. Jennifer cut her hours to spend more time with Emily and Mark. Delbert spent every second he could with his new family. Mark had become his shadow when they were together. He had never known a father and Delbert was an excellent one.
Juan continued to visit the kids once in awhile. He and Delbert became close friends. Mark and Emily adored him. About two years after the adoption, Delbert read in the paper that Juan had been wounded in a drive-by shooting. He was in a coma. They all four visited him in the hospital several times. About a month later Juan died, having never come out of the coma.
At the funeral home Emily met his mother. She wanted to say something that would make her feel better. Having lost her mother, she knew what Mrs. Sanchez was going through. “Mrs. Sanchez?”
“Si?” replied Mrs. Sanchez.
“My name is Emily Grey. Juan was my friend. My momma died about three years ago and she is in heaven. If you don't mind, I'll talk to her and ask her to take care of Juan.”
Tears streamed down her face as Mrs. Sanchez hugged Emily. “Thank you very much, Emily. That is very kind of you. I would like that very much.”
“Okay,” said Emily. After the graveside service she and Mark walked to their mother's grave and knelt as Emily prayed. When the prayer was over she began to talk to her mother.
“Momma, our friend Juan died and is in heaven with you now. His momma is feeling really sad. I told her I would talk to you about watching over him. He was nice, momma. He helped us before we met Delbert and Jennifer. Could you please watch over him and take care of him for her? I know she would be thankful.”
Emily waited for a few minutes before finishing. ”Momma, I miss you. I wish you were here. You would like our new parents. They are good people. They promised to bring us here any time we want to talk to you. We need to go now. I will tell Juan's momma you will take care of him, for her. I love you. Bye, momma. We'll be back soon.”
As she started to get up Mark pulled her hand. ”Can I talk to momma for a few minutes?”
“I think momma would like to hear from you.”
“Momma, this is Mark. How are you? I love you. And I miss you a lot. I wish you were here. Our new parents are really good to us. I won't ever forget you, momma. I love you. Bye.”
They placed some flowers on her grave and walked to the car. “We don’t need to worry about Juan. Momma is going to watch over him,” said Mark.
Delbert picked him up and placed him on his shoulders. “We weren’t worried son. We knew she would take care of him.”
Emily said, “I’ll be right back.” She walked to Juan’s grave where his mother was still seated, crying. She placed her hand gently on her shoulder. Mrs. Sanchez looked up and Emily said, “My momma is going to take care of Juan in heaven. You don’t need to worry about him anymore because momma will take good care of him for you.”
“Bless you child. Thank your momma for me the next time you talk to her. And thank you so much. Juan was very lucky to have you as a friend,” said Mrs. Sanchez as she hugged Emily, tears flowing down her face. “Please, come visit me sometime. I’d like to talk with you about Juan.”
“I will, I promise.” She hugged Mrs. Sanchez again and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Then she walked back to the car and got in the back seat with Jennifer.
“Are you alright?” asked Jennifer.
“Yes. I’m okay. Let’s go home.”

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 25.05.2011

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