INSIDE

CHAPTER 7

Standing in front of the orphanage after so many years brought a feeling of nostalgia to him. He felt anxious and overwhelmed. Angels’ orphanage, he smiled as he read through the faded board hanging on the gate. He pushed open the gates and walked in. It seemed deserted for a reason. Looking at his watch, he figured it would be time for lunch. Walking through the long corridor, he looked at the doors. They all had colorful markings on them. It was probably done by the children. He smiled as he walked through the door.

He stopped in front of a door with a name written on it. He knocked on the door and waited for a reply. When he finally got one, he pushed the door open. A smile bloomed on the face sitting behind the desk.

An elderly woman sat behind the desk, she had an agile face for her face and her habits were all too familiar, he reasoned. She was always with a rosary and was never seen without it.

“After all these years you came, my child”. The firm and loving voice was shaking with uncontrolled excitement. She would always remember this face. To her, he was a special child.

“Ooh sister Martha, it has been ages indeed. How have you been”.

“I have been well, my child, handling the kids has been fulfilling”, she said with a smile never leaving her face.

“Nothing has changed here, sister.”

“Through the grace of God, we are maintaining an age-long tradition. I have raised very good adults, you see”.

“That is in fact correct, sister”. Setting himself on the chair facing the sister, he appeared serious.

“What brings you here, Jason? You seem tensed”.

“I have a question regarding someone”.

“Who might that be, Jason”.

“Lisa, I wanted to know under what circumstances she came to the orphanage”. Her eyes turned serious as she heard the name.

“Why would that be of concern to you? Did she do something”.

“No, sister, just a little curious. Hesitating for a moment, he figured it was best to come out clean. “We got married sister; it’s been 4 days already”.

“You married her”. She seemed surprised but more petrified.

“You don’t seem too happy sister”.

“I am happy and just a little surprised. Never figured she would go that far”. She gave a nervous chuckle that showed she was clearly uncomfortable.

“Can you help me sister?”.

“Well, about your request, I presume you should know everything about her. You children were really close back then”.

“Something just happened, and I thought coming to you was the right thing to do at the moment”.

“Mm”.

“Can you help me sister”.

“I can only tell you what I know”.

“That would go a long way, sister. Thank you”.

“Well, she came to the orphanage on her own. Back then I wasn’t in charge of things here, I was just a fellow care taker, but I was especially close to the sister in charge. She called me when she found a girl at the gate. It had rained the night before, but she was evidently covered in blood. It was a freezing morning, so we took her in and called the police, but we attempted to ask her questions, but she refused to say a word. We just let the police handle it, all we did was to wait for a call to take her back because she obviously needed a place to stay. They brought her back and all they could uncover was her name. I remember an officer pulling me aside and telling me to watch out for her. Apparently, she also said that her father set their house on fire, but the officer didn’t believe her”.

“Why do you think he didn’t believe her”. He seemed interested in that.

“Officer Dan was a really gruff man; nothing ever pleased him, but he had strong intuition and was famous for always being right”.

“I think I would like to meet him.”

He is retired, but he comes around to check on the children”. Hesitating for a moment, she added, “I could set up a meeting with you both.

“That would be helpful. Thank you, sister,”.

“That is all we know concerning her. What happened to make you this curious”.

“Nothing happened, sister. I heard something, that’s all”. She just looked at him with curious eyes.

“I would like to take my leave now, sister. Thank you for your help”. Standing up from the chair, she made her way to the door. But her next words stopped his hasty feet.

“She laughed, didn’t she”.