Chapter 10 #2
“It was a small price to pay. Thank you for going through the trouble.”
“This is exciting. I’m looking forward to helping you create a memorable night for the woman you love. We’ll have everything ready to go by the time you return at six o’clock.”
“Thank you again.”
My next stop was Luxor, an upscale restaurant downtown. I’d spoken to the manager a few days ago, and we scheduled a meeting for this morning to solidify the details. The restaurant didn’t open until noon, but the kitchen staff was already hard at work, preparing to open in an hour.
Mr. Gordon led me to his office, where we sat at his desk to iron out the plans for tonight. After I chose what I wanted for our four-course meal, he brought in two members of his waitstaff, and I shared with them what I wanted and how I wanted the evening to go.
“Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your special evening. I assure you, everything will be perfect,” Mr. Gordon said as he walked me out.
“I appreciate you and your staff’s efforts.”
My plans for tonight were in motion, and I had one more stop to make before heading home. This one had nothing to do with this evening, but it was something I’d been meaning to do for a few weeks.
After a fifteen-minute drive, I pulled up at the address I’d found in the system at the center. It was in a modest neighborhood with older homes, but it looked to be safe at first glance. No one was expecting me, so I hoped my visit didn’t cause any problems.
I approached the door and rang the doorbell. A minute later, Mrs. Porter answered the door. She looked concerned and surprised to see me, which was expected.
“Mr. Rush, is everything okay?”
“Good morning, Mrs. Porter. Everything is fine. I was wondering if I could have a few minutes of you and your husband’s time.”
“Yes, of course. Come in.”
She stepped aside to give me room to enter their home. Once I was inside, she secured the door and guided me to the living room. Mr. Porter sat in a recliner, watching a baseball game, while Oaklyn was on the floor playing with toys.
“Mr. Rush, is everything okay?” Mr. Porter asked as he stood.
“I asked the same thing,” his wife said with a smile.
“I’m sorry I alarmed either of you. Nothing is wrong, but I’d like to talk to you two about Oaklyn.”
“Oh, okay. Have a seat,” Mr. Rush offered.
He returned to the recliner while I followed Mrs. Rush to the couch. She sat on one end, and I sat on the other. My eyes landed on Oaklyn, and she stared at me with a curious expression. I smiled at her, and she returned the smile bashfully before turning back to her toys.
“Again, my intent was not to alarm you. I suppose I could’ve called first, and I apologize for just popping up. I was wondering if you could give me a bit more insight into her situation.”
I nodded my head toward Oaklyn. Mr. Porter picked up the remote and changed the channel to something kid friendly. It immediately caught Oaklyn’s attention.
“It’s honestly a sad situation, and I’m a bit concerned about what will happen to her when she leaves us,” Mrs. Porter shared.
“She was found by a neighbor wandering the streets on the West Side of town. Luckily, the neighbor recognized her and knew where she lived. He took her home, but no one was there, and it didn’t look like they’d been there for a while,” Mr. Porter said.
“Her clothing was dirty, and she’d soiled herself. The neighbor took her home, and his wife got her cleaned up and called the police.”
“Wow. Did anyone find her parents?” I asked.
Mr. and Mrs. Rush looked at each other solemnly.
“The police went back to the house where the neighbor said she lived, and her mother was found locked in the bathroom, dead from an overdose,” Mrs. Porter offered.
“No one in the neighborhood knew her father but said they’d seen her with various men over the years,” Mr. Porter said.
“Damn. I wonder how long her mother was dead.”
“It had been a few days,” he confirmed.
“How long will she be with you?”
“We usually only keep the kids for three months, and it’s already been a little over a month. Unfortunately, her situation is much worse than that of any other kids we’ve had. She’s also the youngest foster child we’ve ever taken in. So far, no family has been located,” said Mrs. Porter.
“Is there a reason you wanted this information?” Mr. Porter asked.
“Yes. My wife—well, my soon-to-be wife has developed a soft spot for Oaklyn. I shared what I knew about her, and she wanted to know more. I promised to find out what I could.”
“We’ve grown very attached to her and have discussed keeping her a little longer if permanent placement isn’t found. Unfortunately, at our age, we can only do so much. She’s only three years old and still needs a lot of attention,” Mrs. Porter shared.
“Are you and your soon-to-be wife willing to take her in?” questioned Mr. Porter.
I looked at Oaklyn, who was in her own little world, playing with her toys and watching TV. She must have felt my gaze on her because she looked in my direction and smiled.
“I think so, but I’m sure there are some formalities and red tape we’d need to go through. I’ll talk to Rose, and we can go from there.”
“If we knew she was being placed with you, it would make us feel so much better,” Mrs. Porter said.
I stood, and the elderly couple did the same. I followed them out of the living room, and before I turned the corner, I felt something on the back of my leg. I looked down to find Oaklyn staring up at me.
I turned around and kneeled to her level and was shocked when she wrapped her little arms around my neck. I couldn’t help but return the embrace. When she released me, I did the same, and she waved timidly before running back to her toys.
“It seems she’s taken a liking to you,” Mrs. Porter said as I stood.
“The feeling is mutual. I’ll be in touch, and thank you both for allowing me to interrupt your day.”
“No problem. Thank you for stopping by,” Mr. Porter said.
As I headed to my bike, all I could think about was how full my heart felt when Oaklyn wrapped her arms around my neck.
I had no idea what I’d find out when I arrived at the Porters’ residence, but I left knowing one thing for sure .
. . Oaklyn needed a permanent home, and Rose and I would be the ones to give it to her.