Music Teacher

Chapter 6

"So where do these babies come from?" I asked.

"From, my foster sister," he confessed.

Surprised was my expression, not what I was feeling, no. What I was feeling was excitement. I was excited to hear about his family, or where he came from, I was excited about hearing about his family experiences as I had none. And finding out how it was that he got to the abandoned car I'd found him at.

"How old was she?" I asked

"About ten maybe? We don't really know." He frowned, but continued, "she was found in a box in the middle of nowhere."

I gasped. I could only imagine the type of person that would have the courage to do such a horrendous thing.

"But she's alright now," he smiled, in efforts to lighten the mood. "I think if you met her and got to know her you wouldn't feel so bad for her, trust me. Little devil," he chuckled, laughing in memory about her. His dimples showed, and I laughed along with him, it was nearly impossible not to. They were irresistible.

"You guys were close?" I asked. Wary about the amount of questions I was allowed to ask all at once.

"I suppose you could say that, yeah. I was-or rather, the Binley's took me in a few short months after Libby was brought in. So I guess that's what brought us close, 'cause we were newer than the other 2 that had already been then for a few years," he said.

"Did you guys not get along with the other two or...?"

"No, yeah! I mean, I guess it's just cause there was a huge age difference between them, I mean me too but, they just didn't really know how to, you know, connect with her, if you will. But because I was the oldest and they all sort of looked up to me, that's what bonded us together I guess."

I nodded. He seemed a little off, having trouble with his words, and speaking about the subject. So I stopped asking questions, not wanting to make him any more uncomfortable. But he surprised when he continued. And who was I to stop him?

"And the wrappers, she gave to me before I left. I hadn't told her but, she said she'd had an inkling for a while and was only waiting for the moment I did escape. The night I was about to leave, she caught me before I could take a step out the door and handed me the box of the bars," he paused to smile. " 'For the way,' she'd said. I was so close to not leaving and instead just staying there, for her. But she wouldn't allow it," he laughed. "I don't know why she wanted me to leave but, I like to think it was to make something of myself. And with that in mind, I have her in mind."

"Well that's very sweet," I commented with a smile.

And he returned it. "So what about you? Anything else besides why you left the orphanage?"

I took a deep breath in thought. Exhaled when I gave up. "Like what?" I asked.

"Anything. Any friends-"

He was cut off by a loud guffaw, from me. Nevertheless I answered. "Well if you count the therapist and kitchen lady."

"Ah yes! Kitchen ladies are always great."

I smiled in agreement. "In fact, she was also British like you!" I recalled.

He made a weird face before answering. "Who said I was British?"

I laughed, but still rolled my eyes at him.

"But really, nobody else?" He asked.

I shook my head, pursing my lips. "I guess you could say I was the odd one out." From this, I knew what question would come, and what I would have to answer with. So I did. I told him everything from how I was treated by the others there, to how they looked at me, and about Tasha. I wonder what she's doing now? I thought to myself. I told him about the times I was thrown into the river, about Helga and I's annual 'secret meetings'. My spot in the meadow and the songs I would sing to my parents and the way they would answer me. And the whole time he listened so intently and with such interest to my every word. I did expect him to laugh at me like every other kid had before, but instead he only smiled and nodded as if he understood, and I felt so relieved, sighing with a laugh as felt an unknown weight I had lift off my chest. I cracked a smile of my own, for the stranger I coincidentally happened to bump into.