In search for the origins

Part 12

I had managed to keep hidden all those memories, but they finally came back to my mind...

1944

I was in the porch of a house, playing with a girl , and my mother was sewing and keeping an eye on my little sister. She looked nervous, or worried about something. Someone inside the house called the girl, who turned out to be Edith, and she went. My mother told me to sit on her lap.

-Tyler, sweetie, listen. I have to go away for some time and can't take you with me. You will stay in a big house, where someone will watch over you. I just  need you to be strong, and please take care of Patricia while I'm away. It won't be long, I promise. I will go to look for you as soon as I can.  I love you two very, very much...never forget that, ok? Give me one more kiss, honey.

-Where are you going? I want to go with you...

-I wish I could take you with me, honey, but it's impossible. You will  like this place, you'll see. There will be many children to play with, and someone to take care of you and your sister while I can't.

-No...I don't want to go...I want to stay here...

A car stopped by the house, and two men and a nun came into the house, right to the porch.

-Miss Carson, we have to take them.

One of those men took me in his arms, while I cried and yelled . I saw the nun leaning over the cot and taking my little sister, sleeping in it. 

-I don't want to go...mummy!  No! Mummy!!

The man who had me, finally, managed to take me to the car, despite my kicks and my cries,  and the nun took Patricia with her.  Another nun was there, waiting, and she sat me on her lap. I tried to go out of that car, but the door was closed. I couldn't be more scared, feeling how my safe, caring world had shattered into pieces just infront of me, without a reason.What could I ever had done for being punished that way? 

After a long time, the car stopped infront of a big stone building, and the nun helped me go out of it. Once I was free. I ran as fast as I could to the main gates, but they were closed. One of the nuns held my hand and took me to the main building. By then, I was already too tired, or too resigned,  as to cry...

-This will be your new house, Tyler. We will take care of you and Patricia, for all the time you stay here.

-I want to go with my mummy...why doesn't she come for us?

-She will, when she can. But now, remember what she asked you and behave like a good boy. Make her be proud of you.

I was taken to a big dormitory, with two long rows of beds by each side of the wall, and another one, bigger, by the door. They sat me on a bed near the big one.

-This will be your bed for some time, near mine. If you're scared at night, or have nightmares, just tell me ok? And I have something for you- the nun gave me my little teddy bear...I just couldn't sleep without it. I held it tight,  looking for confort and safety.

-Where is my sister? I want to see her.

-She doesn't sleep here, Tyler, she's with the babies. I'll take you to see her, come with me.

-But I have to be with her....I promised my mummy...

-You will, don't worry, but now she's sleeping. And you won't want to wake her up.

-No...

-Good boy. Come on, it's dinner time and then I'll take you to kiss goodnight to your little sister.

Time went slowly by, and little by little I got used to being there, or maybe I had lost any hope of  going out.  Then, two or three months after arriving to the orphanage, a nun announced us, during breakfast time, that some unlucky couples would go there. Those women, she said, hadn't had the chance of having children of their own, and were willing to give us all the love they had. Some of the elder kids there were really happy with the idea, but I was just shocked. My mother had promised she would go back for us, what if she did and I wasn't there? Or Patricia? 

However, I had no choice, and had to be on the line like every other kid there. Some of them were quickly chosen, and they didn't hide their eagerness to have a normal home. Then, when all those families were gone, a nun held my hand and  took me to the Reverend Mother's office. A man and a woman were there, and the woman had Patricia in her lap.

-Mr and Mrs Stevens, this is Tyler, Patricia's elder brother. Their mother wanted them to be together...

-But my mummy will come for us, she promised- I felt like crying again...

The man and the woman looked at each other, and just nodded.

-Well, it can be better this way. Besides, Hank always wanted to have a brother.  

-Perfect. I'll bring their things, and once you have signed the papers, you will be their legal parents.

I started shivering, and stepped back  when that woman tried to hold me. She said nothing, but the man gave me a stern look. 

We finally left the orphanage, and the man drove to their house, a three storey one. An elder woman came out, with a seven year old boy by her side. The younger woman kneeled by him.

-Hank, honey, say hello to Andrew and Marjorie, your new brother and sister.

-I'm not Andrew, I'm Tyler, and her name's Patricia..

-Well, that was before. Now you are Andrew and Marjorie Stevens, you'll get used to it. And now, come with me, I'll show you your bedroom. You'll sleep with Hank.

The woman, who insisted I should call her mummy from then on, took me to my new bedroom. It was really big, and had two beds. I took a look all around and saw an appealling ball. I took it, and went out of the room to play with it, but that boy, Hank, took it off from my hands

-It's mine!