The Orphan's Warning

Chapter Seven

"Let's just call the Social Worker, she'll know what to do." Alexandr said, as he watched his sister, who was throwing a few sets of clothing and shoes into a small bag.

"I'm not going back there!" She hissed. "Do you really think she will answer her call, its half past three."

"She will, I trust my gut."

"Fine, call the damn woman, but I'm telling you, she'll only be able to help us, at around half past seven." She looked at her brother in sympathy. "Get some clothes on, or are you going to greet Mrs. Huntsman in your pj's?"

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Around seven o'clock, Starla crept out of her room in her slacks and a sweater, waiting for her brother to come out, so that they can wait for the social worker. By this time in the normal routine, would Conrad be on his way to the mines, and Rebecca should be readying herself for the day's shopping. In the early morning, when Alexandr told her about their parents' plan, she drew a schedule. She was way too long with them, to figure out their daily routines on a Monday morning. While Starla, took a seat in the lounge, Alexandr got dressed in camouflaged shorts with a cream tank top. He didn't bother to pack anything else, because most of his stuff were still at Madam Dew.

"You got everything?" He asked her, as they stood in front of the front door.

Starla nodded, and looked at her watch. "She should be here, in about ten minutes."

"Oh, Starla." Alexandr said, as his hand dug into his shorts. "I want to give you something." He held his hand out and opened it. Lying in his palm, was a heart, with the words: I will protect you. "This was my mother's, and I want to give it to you. Even though I'm a whole three years younger, you'll always be my baby sister."

"Alex... I'm flattered, but we'll still be together after this." He shook his head. "No?" She asked.

"If we get adopted again, we will be in different households, and in different neighbourhoods. So please, take it, and I'll always be with you."

"I don't have anything for you, though..." She shrugged. "Sorry."

"Nah, it's fine, you gave me your heart, and that was enough."

That comment was so touching, that Starla began to blush, a feeling she forgot how it felt. She couldn't stop touching it, until she heard Conrad's voice. "I want some coffee, you want some?"

"Yes, please." Came Rebecca's voice from the master bedroom.

The flight of stairs, released a sound, every time Conrad walked a step lower, and lower. Alexandr, pointed to a couch, and they both dived for it.

As Conrad entered the kitchen, he felt a presence in the other room. He walked to the arch, to see two heads. "Morning, kids. Why up so early?"

Starla began to panic, and she scooted her bag further to Alexandr. "Morning dad." He said, climbing on the couch with his knees, looking over the back rest. The suspiciousness in his eyes, made him turn back into his seat. "We're busted." He whispered.

"Morning Starla." Conrad said as he began to walk closer to her.

"M-morning Mr. Mc... dad." Alexandr face-palmed himself, while Starla stammered.

"I don't trust this peace." Conrad said as he looked at the bag, and then back at the two children. "You leaving?" He asked with an eyebrow raised, as he picked up the bag.

"N-no." She stammered.

Conrad zipped the bag open, and turned the bag upside down, so that all the insides fell out. "Now what do you call this?" He picked up a blouse, a jean and Tommie sneakers. "If you're not leaving, then why do you carry a bag full of clothes with you?"

Alexandr face-palmed again, for his sister's stupid act. "I-I have no explanation."

The doorbell rang, with a woman's voice following soon after. – Mrs. Kai Huntsman's voice – "We'll talk about this, once I'm done with the woman at the door." Conrad walked over at the door, looked through the peep hole, and then unlocked the door. "Stephanie Smith, what a nice surprise!" Then he added. "You are early."

"Hello to you too, Conrad. How's it been?"

"Good, come inside." He opened the door fully, and a woman – In black high heels and a violet slim fit dress – entered the main room. "The kids are on the sofa. I'll go call them."

"I thought you called Mrs. Huntsman?" Starla asked quickly, scared that she would be caught a second time.

"Hun, Stephanie is here!" Conrad stood at the end of the stairs, yelling to his wife.

"Coming!" She replied.

"I did." Alexandr defended. "I don't know how this happened."

Conrad stood with his hands pressed to his side, then cleaned his throat, with his foot tapping the floor. "Mrs. Smith, I sure you know Alexandr, is the social worker. Mrs. Stephens put her in charge and she came around to check if you two fit in with us."

"Morning, Stephanie, you look good today." Rebecca said, as she gave the social worker a hug.

"You have no idea." She chuckled.

Conrad led the two children, hand in hand, to the social worker. Conrad and Rebecca, stood with hands together, after they had kissed. Stephanie bent down, to squat in front of the two children. Starla grabbed her brother's hand, as she remembered the day the McPherson's decided to adopt her. – Why did they adopt me? – She thought fast, with sweat running down from her sides.

"Hello, kids." Stephanie said, as she brought two lollipops from her back. A pink one and a blue one. "How are Mr. and Mrs. McPherson treating you?" Starla hesitated to take the lollipop from her, but as for Alexandr, he took the opportunity and unwrapped it, without a second thought. "Come on Starla, take it. Don't be shy." – I'm not a dog! – Starla pressed in her mind, but gave in after Conrad shoved her to take the lollipop.

"Thank you." She said shy, and began to unwrap it.

Stephanie looked at the parents, touched her hair to make sure it was still fine after her squat, smoothed out her dress, and sighed. "Would you mind if you gave me time alone with the children?" She asked as she looked Conrad dead in the eyes, with an abstract expression. Even Alexandr found it hard to examine, after all, he had seen mostly all the expressions the human body could had given the earth.

"Sure, we'll be in the kitchen." Conrad said and left his wife's hand.

"Call if you need anything." Rebecca winked and walked off with her husband.

Stephanie nodded with a grunt escaping her tight pressed lips. "Come on." She motioned to the two children to enter the lounge. Alexandr started to feel weird – something didn't felt right – it was not that his lollipop tasted funny, but it was the circumstances that made him feel strange. He wondered if that's how Starla felt each time her father came into her room, the day she went to Madam Dew, and the three years she had to spend cooped up in a dusty basement, with only a bed, dresser and a cat poster with a positive catch phrase. All the circumstances were different, but all of them had something in common, the feeling of awkwardness and an atmosphere. "Okay." Stephanie began, after she took a seat in front of the two children. "I'm going to ask you two some questions, concerning your stay here." She said, as she opened her briefcase. Starla saw that the social worker looked at the sprawled out clothing sets and her grey bag lying in the walkway. Once, or maybe twice, the social worker snickered at the scene, as she went on to find her papers of questions in her brown briefcase. "I'll start with Alexandr Foster." Alexandr gulped as she called his name. "Do you feel welcome here?"

"Y-yes..." He stammered, but couldn't find the reason for the cause.

"You and your sister get along well, no?"

"Yes." He repeated. He felt dumb. – Why couldn't he say anything else than yes? – She asked more questions afterwards, but with each nod she gave, his vision began to form black spots, and going out of focus, and back again. Then, a few minutes of peppered questions later, he blacked out, seeing his sister falling off the couch...