Pillow Talk

Chapter 16

When Freya was 6, she remembered standing next to Mrs Bolton, prim and proper in her checkered black and white dress and buckled shoes paired with knee high white socks. Her hair was separated into two pigtails and tied with ribbons.

She wasn't quite sure why she had been taken away from her friends at the house.  It worried her further when Mrs Bolton had even instructed her to pack what little belongings she had and take it with her.

She fingered the hole on the side of her bag that held her belongings nervously as she watched Mrs Bolton reach up and ring the doorbell again.

Finally, a man answered the door. He stood tall and confident in a black and white suit. Freya hid behind Mrs Bolton, instantly feeling intimidated and nervous.

"Ah Sandra, thank you for coming. I trust you found the drive okay.", the man spoke, his voice deep and befitting of someone like him.

Mrs Bolton gently tugged Freya to stand in front of her, "Hello Mr Lorden. Yes, it's quite beautiful in Chicago during winter. This little one is Freya.", she introduced little Freya, placing her hands warmly over the child's shoulders.

Freya hesitated before looking up slowly to see the man standing in front of her. His face was void of any emotion and even at the tender age of 6, Freya could tell when someone was happy or sad. He was neither.

He just stared at her before lifting his head up and reaching out to shake Mrs Bolton's hand.

"Thank you for doing this. And for letting me know, Sandra."

"You're welcome Mr Lorden. You deserved to know.", there was a slight pause before Mrs Bolton spoke again,  "And I trust that my little Freya will be well taken care of here."

Mr Lorden frowned, "Certainly."

"Right then I should be on my way. Freya?", Mrs Bolton called out.

Freya turned to face her as Mrs Bolton knelt down in front of her, she briefly ran her hand across Freya's cheek lovingly. Secretly, this beautiful little girl had always been her favourite.

From the moment her Indian grandmother had dropped her off at the orphanage cursing the baby as a sin in her mother tongue, Punjabi and placing her hastily in Sandra's arms like she'd been burnt by even holding the baby, Sandra knew this one was a special case.

Most of the kids at the orphanage were that way since birth, losing their parents to drugs or crime. It was rare to see a child's biological family coming to leave them personally.

She didn't even have a name.

So Sandra had nurtured Freya herself. She was heartbroken to let this girl go but it was the right thing to do. She had a family out there. She deserved to be with them.

"Why are you leaving me here, Mrs Bolton?", Freya cried, confused about the situation.

Why did Mrs Bolton bring her to this strange house with this strange man?

"Freya, honey, listen okay. This is your home now. Your family.", she tried explaining.

"No.", Freya shouted, "I wanna be with you and Maddy and Riley and Thomas. Please don't leave me.", tears were now streaming down her face, making it harder for Sandra.

With her own tears on the verge of falling, Mrs Bolton stood up, "This is where you belong now. I'm sure you can come visit whenever you like. Right Mr Lorden?", she looked to him for an answer.

"Uh yes, any time she'd like.", he'd answered awkwardly.

Mrs Bolton smiled, "See, we'll see each other whenever you want. Now remember always be polite and attentive, okay?", she recited what they taught all the kids at the orphanage.