Rain

Chapter 23

Chapter 23
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“Mom what are you doing here?” Daniel asked his mom who was smiling widely as she looked around the new assembly hall of the orphanage which had become his office for the meantime. The smile dropped at his tone, “What do you mean by what am I doing here, I came to see you. Unfortunately you are not even happy to see me” she threw her hands in the air dramatically, “I knew I should not have come but I had no choice”

He smiled at her, standing up from his desk, he moved to stand in front of her, “Of course, I’m happy to see my mom” he pretended to hug her, she took a step back.

“Oh no, I know what you are trying to do. Young man, don’t you even try it” she said shaking her head in warning, he ignored her and hugged her paint stains and all. She sighed patting him on the back, “Please let go now, I have to go”

He released her, “Going so soon?”

“Doreen missed you so I brought her” she looked behind him, “One question though what is that place?”

He looked in the direction she was asking about, “That’s a door”
She slapped his head, “Silly boy, I know it’s a door. What’s behind it?”

“It’s just an empty room, Pastor Aaron decided we could add an extra room, so they could use it for whatever they may need it for, maybe a storeroom. So in fact they are not just getting an assembly hall, it’s rather a two in one deal” he said while rubbing his head.

“Ah I see” she nodded satisfied with his answer.

He looked around the room, “Where is Doreen?”

His mom pointed to one corner of the room where the girl in question was staring at some painting on the wall, “There, now you guys have fun” she was gone without another word.

Hearing the door close, Doreen’s head whipped to the door before turning back to his direction.

“Uncle Dan” she squealed running to his arms. He picked her up, but had to drop her to the ground, to her feet of course. She was heavier than she looked now. He could feel his muscles strain when he carried her.

“You grew heavy” he exclaimed kneeling to her height, she answered with giggles before placing her little hands on his face, “Your beard is gone”

A shrug, “Yeah I decided to shave it. Do you like it?”

She moved her hands on his jaw, “It’s smooth now”

He stood up and winked, “You know it”, she giggled “Come along to the table, maybe you can help me since you are here instead of being with your brother” he walked to the table patting the chair and helping her up unto it.

“That’s because Denzel is boring, he just eats a lot and poops a lot and cries a lot” she said frowning.

Daniel laughed, “He is a baby so that is understandable. You were like that once you know”

Doreen’s head whipped to look at him, a frown drawing her eyebrows down and her mouth pulling into a pout, “No I wasn’t”

“Yes you were, I was there you know”

Her frown was still present as she made to talk but the doors opened capturing both their attention as a young woman walked in dressed in a blue dress, a cream hat and sunglasses that finished her look. Her dress would have suggested that she went to the beach. For a moment it felt like he was watching a movie where a character walks into the room.

“Yes dad, everything is covered, this is Vanessa you are speaking to, remember, my parties are to remember for a long time. And trust me Rain will love this birthday party” she looked up and saw two pair of eyes watching her, “Okay dad I have to go”