the forgotten child of gallifrey | doctor whoniverse

iii: adoptions

I barge in and throw my bag down, the same as I do every other day. Although today was one of the rare occurrences. Someone was leaving us.

Ace.

I could tell right away by the state of the place. Streamers hung all around, 'Congratulations!' banners posted on the walls, the smell of leftover cake, and the thick sadness that hung in the air.

When someone finally finds a family we're supposed to be happy for them, but there's always the fact that our smiles never quite reach our eyes, too full of sorrow. For me, there's still a bitter taste left in my mouth. As I take in the scene around me, all I can think about is when this was all for me.

I faintly hear people greet each other downstairs. The woman's voice sounds kind and warm. While that man's is open. They most likely wouldn't be able to conceive; I know this because I snuck a look at their paper work so I could know a little more about them.

I had my party last night; the celebrations are always the day before. We had my favorite cake and ice cream, both chocolate. I got goodbye gifts too, mainly cards wishing me luck in my new life.

Happily, I made my way down the stairs with my small suit case that I had packed three days ago. Deciding to wear my best clothes to impress them, I'm wearing my dark holeless jean, a striped button down, and my cleanest pair of converse.

"Good morning Jay, are you excited?" Em asks, she's kind of partial to me.

"Yes ma'am," I reply, smiling ear to ear.

"Okay, well this is going to be your new family," she says gesturing to the couple I heard talking earlier, "Mr. and Mrs. Johnson."

"Hello," I say to my soon-to-be parents, as calm as I can.

"Hey there sweetheart, do you have all of your things ready?" Mrs. Johnson asks, bending down to my level.

"Yep, right here in this bag."

"Great, let's take you home now."

"Good luck," Em calls back as we are half way out the door, tears slowly filling her eyes.

"I'll miss you," I say, hopefully to make her feel a little better about me leave.

I look out of the back window of the car to see everyone waving me off as I leave. It felt a bit like the movies, when the protagonist is moving on to a new chapter in his life. I just hope that this is a good addition to my life.

That was about eight years ago. It seemed like such a good thing to get adopted. What nobody ever cares to mention is those who get returned. Yes, they returned me, just like an unwanted shirt back to the department store. I had a good life for a year and then the thought-to-be-impossible happened. Mrs. Jones got pregnant. At first they didn't plan on doing anything outrageous. They just thought that they would raise two children.

After the first few months of the baby's arrival, the Johnson's were done with their not-of-their-blood child. They felt they would treat me different (check, they already had) and that I deserve a better family (doubt I'll get another chance at one).

When I got back to the orphanage not much had changed, more babies, some new caretakers, and a few kids. I took particular interest in a guy about my age. Ace. We did so many things over the years, mainly including hella good pranks. Those were the days.

Now he is leaving me. I'm happy for him, don't get me wrong, but what am I supposed to do now? Ace is the only one who knows what truly happened when I was eight. He's the one who's been there with me, thick and thin. I don't know what I'm gonna do with him gone.

I put a fake smile on and walk over to join the rest of the party. "Hey dude," Ace says, cake still in his mouth.

"Hey," I say, managing a laugh.

"You're late, where were ya?"

"Oh, I missed the bus so I walked home."

"Ha ha, okay. Well you missed everyone else eating."

"You pig, still eating past everybody."

"What can I say? Anyways, I'll be back. The caretakers said I had to start packing my stuff, make sure they don't kill each other for me, okay?"

"Fine."

That pretty much sums up what Ace and I have to do around here as the oldest.

The rest of the party is the same as all the others, gifts, goodbyes, hugs, etc. The worst part about leaving is not being remembered. When I came back some of the kids that were with me before thought I was completely new. They didn't recognize me. They forgot. I just hope that Ace's experience is nothing like mine. I know I surely won't forget him.

✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️

As I wake up, I hear the commotion downstairs. I walk down to see Ace with his new family: a happily married couple with young twins, a boy and a girl, both with brown hair and eyes. They looked about six-years-old. It looks great.

I walk over to the pantry to find something to satisfy my hunger and distract me from my one and only friend leaving.

"Hey dumb ass, forget something?" Ace calls over to me in the kitchen.

"Huh?"

"Goodbye?"

"Oh yeah," as he gives me a hug, it finally hits me that this is the last time we'll ever see each other, at least like this. Tears begin to form in my eyes, but I push them away.

"See ya," Ace says as he walks out the door, luggage and all. He says it like he is just going to the park, not a new home.

I watch as his adoptive father helps him put his stuff in the trunk. Then the little white Nissan drives away.