Chapter 1: Alexander's Idea
1393 Words
"How come you're so sad at such an important event?" Harry asked a six-year-old Shiela
It's her kindergarten graduation, but she's not in the least bit excited. Instead, she simply stares at herself in the mirror. She observes the uniform that she’s wearing. It's well-ironed and very presentable. She would have love to wear this at school.
"Today is the day when we honor your academic accomplishments. Aren't you pleased with your own accomplishments? " When Harry's first question went unanswered, he asked another
"Was having me homeschooled really necessary?" She answered his question with another question
She is more than pleased with her accomplishments. Heck, she’s proud of herself! It's just that the fact she's homeschooled is bothering her. She loves going to school, but after what happened with her mother, her father became stricter and more protective of their household. And so, he decided that having her homeschooled is for the best.
"Everything your father does, he does it for you." Harry responded simply
"My graduation will be held in our garden." Sheila grumbled. "Mom would have preferred that I had a life outside of the house."
"That could be true." Harry said, nodding. "Well, I can't say your father is a terrific father, but I can tell that he's making an effort. Don't you think so?”
Sheila simply sighed after that.
The two then walked to the garden, where people are waiting for the ceremony to start. Everyone clapped for Sheila. Everyone honored her, even though the only ones she knows there are her father, her teachers, their maids, and Harry. Everyone else are business people.
Her father gave a speech at the end of her graduation ceremony. Following that, there was a graduation celebration, which was conducted in the garden as well.
Sheila, on the other hand, was still down in the dumps. She appreciates her father's efforts, but she can't help but think that he is being unjust.
"Everyone is happy for you, but it doesn't appear like you're happy for yourself." Speaking of the devil. Her thoughts were cut off by her father. "What's the matter, honey?"
“Can I make a request?”
“Of course. It’s your graduation day.” Alexander answered confidently. “Ask for anything, and I shall give it to you as a graduation gift.”
“Let me make at least one friend.” Sheila said, making her father pause
“Isn’t Harry your friend?”
"I'm talking about someone my age, dad.” She clarified. “Let me play with other kids. Allow me to go outside.”
“You know I can’t do that.” Alexander replied sternly
“Thought so.” Sheila faked a smile and shook her head
Alexander was about to speak again, but Sheila turned her back and walked away from him. He feels bad, but he’s still too scared to let Sheila go outside of their home.
“She has a point, sir.”
Alexander turned to his left, looking for the source of the voice. It was Harry.
“I know, but you understand where I’m coming from, right?”
“Yes, sir.” Harry answered. “But don’t you think you’re taking it too far? Sheila is already too mature for her age now because she’s surrounded with people like us. She’s just a kid, sir. She needs to have someone who is also a kid.”
“What do you suggest I do? Hire bodyguards and let her fool around with other kids outside? Don’t you think I’ve already thought of that? It’s risky!”
Because Alexander appeared irritated, Harry decided to refrain from interfering. He, too, walked away from his boss.
He doesn’t show it, but Alexander also wants Sheila to be happy. The kid is just asking for a friend. If their situation is not the way it is now, then that wouldn’t be hard at all.
“Oh, Mary.” He sighed his wife’s name. “If only we have a second child.”
He chuckles at his own words, but he stops when he got an idea.
“A second child.” He nodded while considering his idea
That’s all he could think of until the end of celebration. And because of that, he immediately started executing his plan. He ordered his driver to drive him to the nearest orphanage. His idea is to adopt a child who is around Sheila’s age. She won’t be just getting a friend; she’ll have a sister! It’s a wonderful idea!
“Hello, may I help you?”
When he entered the orphanage, he was met by a lady.
“Ah, yes. I would like to adopt a six-year-old child." He was beaming from ear to ear, but the lady merely looked at him with confusion
“Uhm, did you file an application? Do you have the required documents?” She asked
“Oh.” Alexander stops. “I did not think this through.”
The lady squinted her eyes on him.
“Not the adoption. I meant the process.” He cleared. "I am absolutely certain about adopting."
“Is that so?”
“I should’ve brought Harry with me.” He muttered
“Harry? Your husband?”
“What? No! He’s my butler.” He explained. "Not that I have problems with same-s*x couples. Love is love."
“That’s true, and I'm sorry for that question.” The lady apologized. "Well, since you've traveled all this way, why don't you meet the kids?"
“Sure. That’ll be great.”
The lady led the way, and Alexander trailed softly behind as they head to a large room. He began to feel nervous and excited at the same time.
“Okay, children.” The lady said to the kids who were busy playing. “Someone is here to meet all of you.”
Alexander was caught off guard. He doesn’t want to meet everyone. He only wants to meet the ones who are six years old.
But what can he do? He can't just say no.
“Hello, everyone.” He greeted. “I’m Alexander Hansley.”
After his simple introduction, the kids bombarded him with questions which he was able to answer with a bit of struggle. He was even pulled by a little boy that wants to play with him. This is not a part of his plan.
“I think I need to pee.” He lied, he just really wants to get out of there
The kids let him go. Now he just wants to go home. He walked out of the room and started heading outside, when suddenly, he heard a girl’s voice.
"Did those jerks throw rocks at you again? They’re evil.”
He was intrigued. He decided to look for the voice and it led him to a balcony. There, he saw a girl sitting on the floor, petting a white cat who is bruised all over.
“I like cats.” He said out of the blue, which made the girl flinched in surprise
“I don’t like cats. I love them.” She said and turned back to the cat. “His name is Smokey. He’s a stray cat that I feed sometimes.”
“Well, it seems like he needs a home, so that those jerks won’t be able to hurt him anymore.”
“That’s true.” The girl agreed
“Yeah.” He stated
Alexander likes the girl. She seems different from the other kids that he met. They were chaotic like most kids, while this girl is simply petting a bruised stray cat that she cares about.
“How old are you, kid?” He asked
“Six.”
He gave a kind smile. “Perfect. Can I get your name so I can tell to the lady which kid I’ll adopt?”
The kid then looked at him. “Adopt?”
“Yes. I’ll adopt you, and you can bring Smokey.”
“Really?” The girl was giddy with anticipation
“That is, if you tell me your name.”
“Denielle!” She shouted her name
“Okay, Denielle. I’ll start working on the papers and I’ll be back to bring you home.”
“And Smokey!” Denielle added
“And Smokey.”
Alexander can't help but smile. Sheila will have a sister!
- Writer
