"Doctor, I'm confused." Chan stated. He was batting his eyes at the scene of the room.
The bed was made. The sheets were a light blue with a white border running along the edge of them, like the white lines on the edge of a road. The fluffy white pillows at the head of the bed appeared like no one had slept on them in years.
At the foot of the bed there was a dark wooden chest with simple stuffed animals lined up along the top. There were five animals in all: a spotted cheetah with sagging whiskers, a purple penguin with big button eyes, a puppy with long floppy ears, a tiny black kitty with small green eyes and pointed ears, and a big teddy bear in the center with welcoming arms outstretched, as if asking for a hug.
There was a side table next to the bed, and it had a small lamp behind a clock displaying the time. Next to the clock there was a little blue airplane with a red propellor. On the bed, and the dresser, there was an obvious coating of dust.
Across the room and in the corner, there was a circular red rug. On it, there was a small train track that ran along the inside edge of the rug. There was a black train with several cars behind it on the track, and a little red caboose. There was a dark wooden crate filled with cars, robots, more airplanes, a red bouncy ball, and more stuffed animals next to the rug.
There was a sundden rythmic creaking noise to Chan's left, and he looked over. He saw the doctor sitting on the edge of a rocking chair in the corner opposite the rug. He was gently rocking back and forth, creating the rythmic creaking.
The doctor stood up and went over to the dresser that was between the rocking chair and the rug. There was a radio on it, some CDs, and some pictures. The doctor reached up and took one of the pictures. He blew on it, skattering a huge dust cloud.
"Here he is; this is Kiri." The doctor said, turning the picture for Chan to see. Chan took the picture and stared at it. He rubbed his thumbs along the smooth metal frame.
"He looks exactly like me." He said, looking up.
The doctor simply nodded. "His mother, my wife, died in his childbirth. She had me promise, just before she went, to take good care of him for her since she wouldn't be able to take care of him herself. So I raised him as best as I could.
"It happened when he was four. He had his birthday four days prior. I had gotten him a red ball for it, and that morning we were outside playing with it. He missed catching the ball, and it bounced into the edge of the jungle. He ran in to get it, and...." He stopped to grab the bridge of his nose. His brow was wrinkled with stress. "The was an explosion. I felt the ground beneath me shake. I ran after him into the jungle, and I saw the worst thing I could have imagined. He was dead. My only son was dead. It was a land mine, just like your family."
He looked over at Chan. The child's face was a pure show of concern. The doctor closed his eyes again as he tried to wipe that horrible last memory away from his mind.
~~~~~
They made some Jasmine tea and sat down on the brown, fluffy couch together. They sat in silence, but it was not awkward. Now that both sides knew the other's story, they had a connection. A bond between their souls. Both had lost everyone in their family that they had loved. Out of the rubble, they had found each other, and there was a newfound love that could never be replaced. It was a love between a father and a son. It can be found no place else except in the souls of a father and a son whos hearts have become bound together forever.
The doctor set down his vermillion colored teacup. He reached into his pocket, and brought out the little clear plastic box that he had placed the lotus flower in. He opened it, and handed it to Chan.
"Why are you giving this to me?" Chan said, staring questioningly into the doctor's deep brown eyes.
"Well, it was Kiri's favorite flower. Everytime we were out, he would pick one, and give it to me. I thought, that since you drew a picture of a lotus flower that one day in class, that you may perhaps like them as well."
Chan took the delicate flower and held it between his fingertips. His lips moved, trying to form words, but he couldn't say any. After a bit, he finally was able to slip out a simple thank you. The he added, "The lotus flower is my favorite flower....I gave one to my twin sister just before it happened.....It always ahs made me think of her. "
The doctor wrapped his arm around the child and gave him a comforting hug. Then he said, "Every time I would see that flower, I would think of Kiri. Now, I'll think of you and your sister as well. You now feel like a son to me, and, if your sister was still here, she would most likely feel like a daughter to me." He trailed off, deep in thought. "I think, I think I'm going to adopt you, Chan."
At this idea, Chan's eyes grew and glowed with love. He looked up at the doctor, and sqeaked out an excited, "Really?!" The doctor smiled and nodded, which caused Chan's smile to grow to an incredible size. The child threw his arms around his soon-to-be-father, and thenfell onto the carpeted floor in a heap of laughter.
