Any Orphan

Chapter 3

"Why hello Miss Lorensen! It is a pleasure to meet you!" Old Lady spat out.

"Hello Ms. Ortega. It is a pleasure as well!" Miss Lorensen replied politely, "It seems like we have some beautiful young girls here!"

Ms. Ortega was Old Lady's real name. No orphan calls her that though.

"Yes, yes. All hardworking, pretty, smart, all of that," Old Lady told.

Miss Lorensen walked along the line of girls, examining them each carefully. 

Then when she got to me she paused. Her eyes widened for a second and I could have sworn she said something. But I couldn't quite hear. 

"Hello," she said to me, smiling widely, "What is your name, young lady?"

"Attie," I mumbled to her.

"Oh don't you lie stupid child!" Ms. Ortega called out. When she realized there was a witness to her verbal abuse to us she took it back.

"My apologizes Miss Lorensen. You don't want her though."

Miss Lorensen looked back at her for a moment.

"Her name is Amelia, Miss Lorensen," Old Lady replied politely to Miss Lorensen's stare.

"Attie," Miss Lorensen said, still smiling as she shook my hand, "Good to finally meet you."

Here I got so confused. "Good to finally meet you." What did that mean? I've never seen or heard of Miss Lorensen before.

She continued along the line of girls. Soon reaching the end she stopped and headed toward Old Lady. She whispered something in Old Lady's ear. 

"Amelia Josefina," Old Lady shouted out at me. I came forward.

Miss Lorensen hugged me as soon as I got near. She began crying. I hugged her back trying to comfort her, even though I didn't know why she was crying. Old Lady headed back into the orphanage. By the time she came back Miss Lorensen still had her arms wrapped around me. I didn't mind it. Finally a real hug even if it was from a woman I didn't know. Old Lady had papers in her hands when she returned. 

Was I getting adopted?

Miss Lorensen signed the papers, her nose red from the sobbing.