Modern Love 2: The After Years

Not Like Picking Pets

Not Like Picking Pets

"Please fix your tie before we go in there!" Beth hurries over to where Daryl is and starts straightening his collar and tie.

"Yer jus nervous. It's fine. I feel a lil over dressed and like a circus monkey in this." He pulls her at arms length so she can really look at him. Kissing her forehead, she tries so hard to relax.

"Mr. Dixon? Ms. Greene? Hi I'm Melanie, the agent. You ready to come inside and check out some of our children we have." They start walking toward the big white farm house. Children are running all around outside and Beth tries to focus on calming down. Daryl, however, can't wipe the outlandish smile off his face. "We take in children from all over the world. We have different ages, races, ethnicities, some even know tier preferable of religion. But I assume, you are really interested in the babies we have."

"Yes." Beth shyly squeaks out. Thy walk up the porch steps and into the house. Children scatter the halls and screams carry to the high ceilings. Walking through two big doors, they reach rows of cribs, filled with babies and young toddlers.

"I'll leave you to meeting them then. If you find one you really like let me know."

"Before you go, um, where's your restroom." Beth asks as Daryl gazes upon a Hispanic baby boy.

"Upstairs to the left." Melanie leaves and Beth looks back at Daryl. The baby is playing with his tie and she can't help but smile.

"I'll be right back." He doesn't even acknowledge her. Leaving, she walks up the stairs, heels clicking on the floor. The upstairs seems to be a child free zone at the moment. Reaching the restroom, she does her business, which is basically just collecting herself.

Walking back out, she hears a faint noise. Her curiosity sends her searching rooms. Finally she comes upon a small room filled with beds and stuffed animals. Heading toward the closet, the noise turns into quiet sobs. He hesitates in opening the door, but she does. Inside, she finds a small blonde haired, blue eyed boy crying. He can't be any older than three or four. Getting on her kneels and leaning a bit on front feet Beth extends a hand to the small child, who hides his face in a hung up jacket.

"Hey, it's okay. I won't hurt you. You okay? You wanna come out?" He hides half his face in the jacket as he cries. She can see the tears strolling down his face. Doing the only thing she knows how to do to comfort him, she sings a song her grandma used to sing to her. "Round Lucky, sky is breathing, open your eyes, do you see the sun? Cry no more, my Round Lucky, The Lord is sending the sunshine your way, Round Lucky, open your ears, do you hear the singing, cry no more, my Round Lucky, The Lord is a singing, Amazing Grace jus for you."

Peeking the rest of his tear stained face out of the jacket, he runs into Beth's extended arms. She holds him close and can feels his wet cheeks on her neck as he nuzzles his face into her shoulder. She holds him for quite sometime. Losing track of it in fact, until Daryl and Melanie come in.

"There you are. Been wonderin' where you went." Daryl softly says as he sees Beth and the tiny boy in her arms. "Who's this lil guy?"

"Found him cryin in the closet." Beth said as he brushes the boy's semi long hair out of his eyes. Daryl squats down beside her and tries to see the child, but the boy shoves his face into Beth's neck, too shy to look at the redneck.

"See you met our newest arrival. Just got here about four days ago. This is Vannick. He's from Hungary. Four years old and came from an abusive house. Very shy, very self motivated. Doesn't, well, hasn't talked once and hasn't played with the other children." Melanie seems very disinterested in Vannick. Beth looks at the small boy and then at Daryl. "Honestly, he hasn't opened up to anyone, especially adults. Which is understandable, considering his past. So I'm very surprised he's allowing you to hold him."