Finding Home

Chapter 27 - The Orphanage

Loki and I stood outside of a small, beat-up building. It made me upset to know that this is what these kids had to live with. Loki slipped his hand into mine and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Come on, Love. We've got to go in if we want to adopt," he murmured quietly in my ear.

I let him pull me to the door and he knocked.

A middle-aged man opened the door, smiling brightly. "Hello, how can I help you?" he asked.

I adopted a happy expression and wrapped my arm around Loki's waist as I spoke. "Hi! Is this the orphanage? We are looking to adopt, and a lady we met suggested we come here."

His smile didn't waver as he nodded. "Yes, of course! Come in."

We made our way to the sitting room, where we found some of the kids doing schoolwork. Jamie and Sam sat in a far corner, reading and not looking up even when the caretaker announced that a couple was here to adopt.

Without looking up, Sam said, "Jordan, would you please go get the others who are upstairs and let them know that a couple is here?"

A ten-year-old boy nodded before running off.

"Can we talk to some of the kids alone?" I asked the man.

At the sound of my voice, Jamie and Sam's heads snapped up. They smirked when they saw that Loki was with me.

His smiled dropped for a moment but he nodded. "Be good, kids," he said before leaving the room.

I scanned Jamie and Sam for injuries and I scowled when I sensed bruises. "Boys, here, now," I demanded. I wasn't going to wait and pretend to adopt. "Loki, please get the other kids out of this hellhole."

Loki began leading the others outside, but one girl refused to leave. She insisted that she stay with them.

Loki turned to me for a decision and I nodded. She could stay.

Sam and Jamie gulped and shuffled over to me with guilty expressions.

"You specifically told me he had not hurt you," I said with a stern expression. "Explain to me why you are black and blue." I waved my hand, healing their bruises.

"Well, we knew you would pull us if you knew," Jamison began sheepishly.

"Damn right I would've," I snapped. "You both are grounded for at least a century."

The girl gasped when they groaned and Jamie said, "But Dad! I've been hurt worse than that and you didn't ground me!"

"Michael? Charlie?" she asked, her voice quiet. "What is he talking about?"

Jamie bit his lip, a habit that he learned from me, no doubt. "Well, Sophie, we're not actually orphans," he began.

"I am," Sam cut in. "But my parents died a few million years ago."

Jamie rolled his eyes. "And we're not actually twins." He waved his hand and changed back to his normal appearance. "We were undercover here to figure out what was going on."

"And who're they?" she asked, pointing to me and Loki, who had come back in after making sure every child was hidden.

"My dad and my dad's crush," Jamie stated seriously.

"Jamison!" I scolded. "Don't expose me like that!"

Loki rolled his eyes. "I already know, Love."

"But he didn't know that!"

Sophie frowned. "So, everything was a lie? What are your real names?"

"I'm Sam," Sam said. "He's Jamie. And, no, not everything was a lie. Only our jobs, our names, and our backstory. We genuinely care about each of you and we will take a beating for you any day."