It was a Sunday, the crisp October morning in Alberta made your bones ache. I was really looking forward to going out. I live alone so I have few things to occupy myself so I help out at the local orphanage. Name Sean Evans. I am 35 "okay 40" like I said. I live alone. My dad died in Afghanistan, my Mother died about 15 years ago (we weren't very close). I live in Fort Vermilion, Alberta. The area is rural so you are out in the wilderness. It is 10 kilometres to the nearest town. My dad built the house I live in, a Log Cabin with 5 bedrooms "So not small" 3 Bathrooms. 160 acres of land. 100 acres are woods. I love living here, hiking, Horse trails. It's nature at its best. We moved here from England when I was ten. "My dad said he was tired of the hustle and bustle of city life." Working at the orphanage is special. The kids you meet are like Chalk and Cheese. "My roots showing sorry." Some kids are abrupt, some shy, but they are all good kids just the same. I took my backpack out of the car and went inside. I always bring the kids treats, when you get a smile it seems nothing costs too much.
As I walked in I heard a commotion. Stood near the office was a boy giving a member of staff advice on a young girl who was crouched behind him. As he saw me walk in he stopped half sentence. After staring for a few seconds got abrupt with me. "What are you staring at" he said. My face must have looked a picture.
"Excuse me young man, lose the tone" I said, a little angry. Shocked he again stared at me.
"Sorry sir! I am the only one who looks after my Sister. She gets scared easy."
Looking at him I walked over, "Hi I'm Sean. Nice to meet you too."
After some time he looked up, "Peter. Sorry sir I didn't mean to be rude." He turned to his sister and said "Sarah say hello to the man." She didn't say anything just looked.
"Hello Sarah, nice to meet you" I said with a grin. That got I think a smile.
"We were brought here today, another place to live."
"How old are you and your sister?"
Sorry sir. "I am Ten, Sarah is Six.
The staff member Mrs Wilson "Catherine to staff" walked in to the office when she saw Peter had calmed down.
"So where are your Mom and Dad?" That may seem like a stupid question but some parents put their kids in to temporary care.
He looked uncomfortable and scared at the same time. "I don't want to tell you" he said. "If I tell you, you will be like the others. We get moved from place to place because no one wants us around."
I was a little upset and bemused at what the boy was telling me. I promise I won't like you less." I put every ounce of feeling I could muster to try and relax the little man.
He looked at me. They say the eyes are the route to your soul. I hope that's true.
With tears in his eyes he started to speak. "Please sir I don't want to."
I held my hand out. Well I think we should at least be friends. "What do you say?" There was a look of dismay, loss, and uncertainty. You could see him thinking. This was new. As if this was not the usual reaction he got.
He walked over and put his hand in mine. "Thank you sir." Not to be out done his sister walked over and leaned against Peter's back.
I couldn't say anything. These kids didn't even know what love was. They were at a loss what to say or do. I was angry. I don't know why I was. I felt something inside I had never felt before. When I was growing up I at least had parents for support, it seemed these kids seemed they didn't even have that.
I put my arms around them 'both' and pulled them in to a hug. Still confused they melted. Sarah looked lost, shocked as to what, what this was. "Friends can hold each other" I said. "And I think were friends?" I felt a nod.
"Okay, I come here every day to see Munchkins like you. So you are now stuck with me for life." I said with an evil laugh. That got me a giggle. "Did I see a smile? I think I need sunglasses."
"That's not fair you tricked us."
I gave another evil laugh. "You want a soda? Some chips? Was that a yes?" I was sure their heads were going to fall off. "I didn't hear you" Sarah nearly blew my head off when she said yes. "Who is this" I said. "I don't remember the voice."
"I'm Sarah" she said irritably. "You are silly."
"I'm upset now" I said, then put my thumb in my mouth to emphasis it. They both looked at me with amazement. I gave an evil grin, then ran out the door. They weren't far behind trying to catch me.
I stopped on the grass and got jumped on. Falling to the ground I started to tickle them both. There is nothing more heart-warming than the sound of a child's laughter.
"I make it just about time to eat. What you say we go find out what's for lunch. Oops there goes a tummy rumble. We better feed that thing before we get attacked." That earned me more giggles.
We went in to the dining room to get whatever meal they especially prepared for them. "YUK." I think we all know you can't get anything better than a home cooked meal.
During lunch I went around talking to some of the other kids so as not to show favouritism. But, I think that wasn't going down too well with Peter and Sarah. This, I think, was a classic case of we actually found someone to like us don't let's screw it up. I saw them looking, watching every move I made. After lunch all the kids got the chance to run off some energy or have an afternoon nap. 'For the younger kids.' It seemed Peter and Sarah were a bundle of energy so went out playing games. The play area was sectioned off for different sports. They wanted to play tag but well no fun losing all the time. I went to the hut and got out a Football. Not their favourite but hey we all gotta learn. Some of the other kids heard the commotion and came over for a kick about. That went down like a lead balloon. "If looks could kill." Peter went and sat down on the grass. This was jealousy pure and simple.
"Okay guys let's take five." We went to the car and got out more sodas to hand around to the other kids. "Listen Kids, I don't know how bad a time you have had over the years, and I don't know what your Mom and Dad did. I know it will never happen while you are here. If I go to the other kids don't think I am abandoning you, you don't have to be with me all the time. It would be unfair if while I was here I spent all my time with you and Sarah. I am here for all you guys so I have to share my time with everyone. I will go home in a while, I have to go to my home just like this is now your home. But I will see you tomorrow."
The two seemed a little put out after I spoke to them so before I went home I spoke to them again. As I was going to the car I saw Peter so I called him over (Of course Sarah was joined to him). "I know you guys don't trust anyone but you will have to sometime. You will see me again tomorrow as usual I am not going anywhere. And if I'm here every day you can't avoid me." That seemed to satisfy them for now at least.
That night at home Peter and Sarah were on my mind. The reaction this afternoon. "Why they were constantly being moved from one home to another? I mean they are Ten and Six years old, what can they have done that warranted that? An adult maybe, but kids?"
The next day I went to see Cathy to find out why these kids were not being settled either with foster parents or at least kept in one orphanage. I went to her office just as she was filling some papers. "Cathy can I have a word? The new kids Peter and Sarah. What problem do you people have with them? They constantly being moved around from one place to another, it must be unsettling for them, nowhere to settle, no friends, that can't be good for any child. I don't mean to be rude but damn it they 10 and 6 years old."
"Sit down Sean. It's not the kids that are the problem. The problem is the parents. The parents dealt with children of all ages. I mean that in the loose sense of the word. They were the Worst of the Worst. The parents were abducting children from the streets. Some were sold to overseas clients, some were sold for their services."
"Were Peter and Sarah Molested?"
"We don't know for sure. They had no Bruises or any signs of being molested, but that doesn't mean they weren't. They won't talk to us. Whenever the subject comes up, they just close-up. Every orphanage they have been at have found out about the parents. That led to the other kids constantly bullying and picking on them. So far only you and I know about it."
"That answers one question, why they didn't want to tell me why they are here. I didn't push it. Eventually I was hoping they would trust me enough to tell me why. I don't usually let my feeling get in the way. But these two have really got to me. I have seen it in how they react. They don't know what love is, at least from an adult or parent. I will see if I can get through to them. Give me 'Carte Blanche' on this will you? I'm the tough guy here remember. But like I said these two have really got to me."
"I will try anything to get them to open-up. They deserve better than they are getting but until they talk to us there is little we can do."
As I came out of the office the kids were doing an impression of escaping, rampaging as they went off to do some school work.
"Why does a man living on his own go to an orphanage every day?" Well I do whatever odd jobs need to be done. I help with the kids when it comes to occupying them. It started off with something to do. I got to like the company and all those screaming kids. But now it's not a chore it's a pleasure. I have been doing it for so long it's now become a vocation.
After fixing a couple of doors, a blocked sink and a leaking tap, it was time for lunch. The kids were already sat down for lunch so I wouldn't have kids running in and out while I was eating. I had nothing to do for the afternoon so I took a quick ride in to town to get a few things. By the time I got back school was out. Dinner wasn't until five so the kids were playing outside. As I got to where the kids were playing Peter walked past looking like he had been crying. I followed him to his room where he had laid down on his bed. "Hello to you" I said. He looked up with tears in his eyes. I walked over to the bed and sat down. "Talk to me Peter. What's wrong?"
"NOTHINGS WRONG."
"So why are you crying, and where did you get that scrape on your face? And don't tell me you fell over." Just then Cathy walked in to the room wondering what was happening. I put my hand up.
"You told them. WHY!! Now we will have to move again. 'I HATE YOU'"
Cathy walked over to the bed. "Told them what?"
"You told them about my mom and dad. I wish I was Dead 'DEAD'."
Cathy put her hand on his and he pulled it away. "Don't say that Peter. I know you are hurting and I want to help you if you'll let me?"
"I know about your parents Peter. I was worried so I asked Mrs Wilson why you kept getting moved around."
"You Know??"
"Peter people care about you and Sarah. Let them help you. I know I will if you want me to.
"I don't know how they found out about your parents but there is nothing I can do about that now." Cathy also said that she was not going to move him and Sarah to another home they was staying where they were.
"So that is one problem solved, you're not being moved again. I will go while you talk to Mrs Wilson."
"Please don't go. I will talk to you, but please stay. We have no one else that cares."
"You have a lot of people here who care. They want to help you but you will talk to them. They care Peter but you have to meet them half way. Tell them how you feel. It will help to make the hurt go away."
"You mean you don't care."
Peter I shouldn't but I do care. You and Sarah need help. The kind of help I can't give you."
"You don't care you are like everyone else."
"I have to go Cathy I will see you tomorrow."
At home that night I couldn't seem to settle. But how can I help two youngsters? What did I have to offer them? Was I being selfish? Eventually morning came. I don't know if that was a relief or not. I took my time with breakfast, but finally it was time to go.
Cathy met me at the door when I got there. "Can we talk Sean, please? You need to talk to Peter. He won't talk to anyone. He hasn't stirred since you left. He didn't come down for dinner or breakfast this morning. I know this is difficult for you but please Sean.
I went upstairs to his room. As I got to the door I heard him crying. What was unusual was his sister Sarah was nowhere in sight. I knocked on the door and went in. He didn't even look up. I walked straight to the bed and picked him up. He laid his head on my shoulder and cried harder if that was possible. "Peter, please believe me, I do care. But you have to help me? More people than you know want to help. If you don't help them they can't help you." The silence was deafening.
After he a calmed down he looked up at me, dropped to his feet and then sat on the bed. "Now they all know we might as well go. Why do they keep blaming me?" He started crying again.
"I know you are a child and you may not understand but kids can be cruel. If they knew what they were doing I don't think they would bully you. But you are strong. You look out for your sister. You won't let anyone hurt her, not even an adult, so this you can handle I know you can. Remember when I said you had to trust someone? Well trust me now. Talk to Mrs Wilson. I will stay with you I promise. This time you don't have to go through this on your own."
He wrapped his hand in mine and we went downstairs. He knocked on the office door and went in when invited. He walked up to Cathy and said he was sorry and sat down on the chair in front of her desk. He went through all the sordid details. As you Americans would say. I nearly threw up. And that was more than once. After he finished talking is eyes were red. "And I mean Red." Without saying another word he got up and walked outside. I followed close behind. He went straight to his sister and held her. 'Tight'.
I walked back in to the office and sat down. "I'm not sure I wanted to hear that Cathy."
"I don't know what you said to him but I think he might just trust you?"
"I told him what I felt. He needed someone to tell him what he had to do. He's still a child. Even children know they need to learn. I told you they were getting to me." With that said I went outside to check on the kids.