"I hope he looks like his father," the raggedy woman said to no one in particular. It was New Years Eve of 1926, and the last thing Mrs. Cole was expecting was to assist some woman in childbirth. Mrs. Cole looked at the woman and had realized how bad of a condition this young woman actually was in. No way she would make it through the night.
Mrs. Cole couldn't help herself agreeing with her words. She certainly was no beauty. Perhaps she really was from a circus. Who else would give a child a middle name such as Marvolo? Mrs. Cole quickly wiped these thoughts from her mind as she noticed the woman laying in front of her had stopped breathing. Luckily, this woman had come to an orphanage. Mrs. Cole vowed that she would keep Tom and raise him alongside the other orphans.
She quickly picked up the newborn and brought him into the kitchen. Oddly enough, this baby hadn't cried once since leaving the womb. Maybe this one will behave! Mrs. Cole thought to herself.