Dawn of Spring

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"You can't adopt her. You are only twenty-one."

Veeta Gorkin said. She was ready with her paperwork for little Gia's admittance to the Orphanage.

"I'll be twenty-two in a week," Ahana replied, correcting the minor error. "But, I thought you were interested in adopting her."

"I was, but I can't."

"Why not?" she countered.

Miss Veeta Gorkin exhaled softly before pointing to a chair for Ahana to sit in. "I run an orphanage, Miss Arya," she spoke. "It has its flaws, but I wanted to help as many children as I could. Adoption was not an option, so the only way to do that was to build a place for them to call home. I can't discriminate."

Ahana's eyes narrowed slightly, recalling a conversation they'd had before. "You said you'd adopt her in and then adopt out in case your work suffered. It doesn't quite work that way, does it?"

Miss Gorkin took a slow sip of her tea, her eyes never leaving Ahana's. "I was being honest with you. I have a responsibility to every child in my care. I can't just pick and choose. These kids deserve more than to be treated as afterthoughts." She set the cup down with a soft clink, her expression unwavering. "And yes, I did agree to help your... boyfriend's mother, because she and I go way back."

Ahana's breath caught slightly at the mention of "boyfriend," her mind flashing to the earlier conversation she had with him. She quickly shook her head, trying to regain her composure. "He's... not my boyfriend," she corrected, her voice quieter than she intended.

Miss Gorkin gave her a measured look, her lips curling into a knowing, almost amused smile. "Yet," she said simply.

Ahana shot her a skeptical glance, unsure whether she should take the remark seriously or not. "Aren't you a bit odd?" she asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

"I've been reliably informed," Miss Gorkin replied lightly, though her face remained stern, her sharp eyes betraying none of the amusement her words suggested. "Tell me, Miss Arya, how do you see yourself?" She leaned forward slightly, as if intrigued by the complexity of Ahana's thoughts.

Ahana hesitated, the question catching her off guard. She hadn't expected to be put on the spot.

 "I-," she began, then stopped. It wasn't so simple. Her life had been a careful balance of being strong but not too cold, independent but not too distant. Finally, she spoke, her voice steady but with an edge of vulnerability. 

"I like to be even," she said quietly. "Balanced. In control of what I can manage."

"Ah, so that's your way," Miss Gorkin mused, her eyes softening just slightly as she studied Ahana. "You measure everything. You don't let things get out of hand, or out of heart."

Ahana shifted uncomfortably, unsure if she liked the way Miss Gorkin had read her. "Is that a criticism?"

Miss Gorkin's lips twitched into a slight, knowing smile. "Not at all, Miss Arya. It's simply an observation. You might find that life doesn't always allow for balance. Sometimes, it takes a little... unbalancing to realize what truly matters."

Finally, Ahana spoke, her voice softer now, tinged with something like understanding. "And what matters to you?"

Miss Gorkin paused, her gaze steady but warm. "The children," she said simply. "Their futures. Giving them something that will help them stand when the world tries to knock them down. And perhaps," she added with a gentle smile, "helping you realize that sometimes... letting go of your control can give you more than you could ever measure."