Contemplative Sensitivity

Birthday Party

The Headmaster had aged quite a bit in past five years and so had young Hanji. Headmaster Zoe had flecks of grey in her warm brown hair and her eyes were beginning to sprout the dreaded crowsfeet. She had also put on some weight, but her personality was still as jolly as ever.

Hanji Zoë was a stark contrast to her mother. She had hair such a dark brown it looked a deep earthen mud. Her eyes were small and a pleasant shade of brown and her nose was long and lips big. She was loud and boisterous and very curious. She was eight years old.

"I am ugly and proud," she chanted while wearing the pointy party hat.

"Get down lass!" Harold warned but he had a huge grin on his face. "You might fall!"

"For the last time we are not Scottish!" Martha yelled over her shoulder. She was trying to entertain the Dawks. "Sorry for my brother's strange behavior."

"No worries," Mrs. Dawk dismissed. She was an incredibly beautiful woman with jet black hair and bright green eyes and full lips. She had a perfect hour glass shape to her. "Its odd that we've never spoken to each other before. Erwin and Nile are the best of buddies; I'm glad we've come together now."

"Indeed," Mr. Dawk agreed. One look at him and you could tell who Nile got his flat features from. "This party is swell. Small, yes, but pleasant."

"I'm very glad you could attend it," Martha smiled a toothless smile. "In case you are curious, we do have very fancy white wine for the adults. Its been aged six years...care to try it?"

"I will try it for my wife," Mr. Dawk said apologetically. "She's allergic to anything alcoholic."

By the time Martha led the Dawks to their wine cooler, John was starting to feel some type of way about the party. He couldn't stand that Levi refused to invite the children of his colleagues. They were going to ask about it at work and John would have to find some excuse. Somehow, this dynamic was not turning out how he planned.

"Desmonia," John had tapped the bony woman's shoulder. "How can you stand it?"

She spun on her heel. Without her long, thick, black hair, her big eyes stood out. Desmonia eyed him curiously.

"What do you mean?" She asked nasally.

"Cecily and Mike asking to go to the orphanage all the time, how can you stand that?" John asked. 

He sipped his wine and eyed his boys. Levi looked tired with his birthday hat on and Erwin and Farlan looked like they were desperately trying to make him laugh. Isabel had her hands on Levi's shoulders and her mouth was wide with laughter. 

"I thought adopting children would be easy. I thought our lives would be prosperous and and joyous, but it is not so. We haven't hosted a professional dinner in years because I'm afraid that Levi will say something shitty. Whenever one of my colleagues are throwing a birthday bash for their children, I can't be present because my sons don't want to go. My colleagues will probably wonder why I didn't invite them to this party. You probably think I'm being silly, but it all counts. I don't want to an outlier in life because these kids are hard to deal with. I thought orphans would be happy to forget their past, but Levi and Erwin act as if the past is all they can think about."

Desmonia played with her earring. "That's where you were wrong, John. These children aren't concerned with the past--they just don't want to forget their roots. We are blessed to have such thoughtful children."

"Doesn't it hurt you?" John asked cryptically. "Doesn't their constant yammering about the Orphanage remind you of your failures?" 

"No, John." Desmonia said thoughtfully. "When I look at Cecily and Mike, I am only reminded that I made a wonderful decision. My children have helped me realize that we are truly nothing if we don't want to remember what shaped us. John, are you sure that there isn't anything else bothering you?"