2005 - Happy Quinn
Happy couldn't believe it! She was free. Finally with 18 years old and able to live her life alone in LA. No more foster homes that would say she wasn't good enough, no more orphanage. She looks around and observes the orphanage for the last time. There was only one place that Happy wanted to go before leave: the kids area.
She didn't get well with anyone beside these kids. They don't judge or ask things with a bad intention. All their questions were innocence and their words are always true. Children don't try to trick and delude you like all the grow ups do.
After saying goodbye to the children, Happy saw a little boy crying. When she got closer Happy recognizes him, it was Chuck.
"Chuck, what are you doing here? I found you had being adopted." Happy asked the little boy who was shaking and with a red face of so much crying.
" My foster parents didn't like me." Chuck said with so much sadness that made Happy be very heartbroken. The problem is that Happy isn't good with words and had no ideia of how to make things better. So she said:
"You're better than them and will grow up and will show the world how damn good you are!" The little boy only said "ok" and hugged her. Happy though not being a hug person made an exception and returned the affection. In this moment, the orphanage inspetor came to talk to Chuck. So Happy told him she was leaving the orphanage for good and said goodbye. The little boy smiled.
"Will you show the world how damn good you are?" The inspector looked horrified when she heard Chuck saying "damn" and if Happy wasn't leaving today, she'd be in trouble. But she is leaving and she doesn't need their approval anymore and someday this boy won't either.
"Yes, I will and remenber, your day will come too." Happy said looking Chuck in the eye because she wanted him to know she is telling the truth. And start to go to the exit direction.
Just when she was about to go pass trough the door, the little boy called her name, when she turned to him , he shouted "Good luck!". Happy smiled and finally got out of that place. She dreamed so many times about that moment and about everything she'd do when it finally happens. But now the only thing in her mind is how she doesn't want any kid to pass for what she and Chuck had to stand.
Happy knew she couldn't handle all the orphan kids in the world. But maybe someday, when she gets a good job and be older , she could handle one. Just one kid woudn't be so hard. So in that moment, Happy Quinn decides that someday she will adopt a kid.
2008 - Toby Curtis
Toby was nervous. He was going to resign. All his friends said he was crazy. He had a stable job as a psychiatrist in a famous hospital at New York City. But he was young, only 26 years old, had some money in the bank and knew that the world had wonderful things for him to explore.
Well, that was the justification he memorized for when people would ask him about it. The truth is that Toby had become a psychiatrist for help his bipolar mother. She and his father fought a lot and when his mother disease got worse, his father started to gamble. So Toby watched his familly falling apart and decided to be a psychiatrist to fix his parents.
Toby did become a doctor, but realized nothing he learned in the university would make his parents care for each other again or care for him. So the best thing for he to do is go as far way as he can from this mess. He chose LA because it seems a funny and happy place .
And he needs a happy place. Toby was lost in his thoughts when a little boy came to his office all by himself.
"Where is your parents, kid?" Toby asked looking to the boy who was obvious scared.
"I don't have. I'm an orphan. I live in the orphanage across the street. " The boy said with a sad expression.
" Oh, but someone came here with you, right?" Toby tried to read the boy , but he was looking to the floor when he aswered " I came here alone. Someone forgot the door open and I got out. Yesterday, I found your card in the inspector table in the orphanage. It said you were a psychiatrist. So I asked the inspector what was it, she explained you help people to solve their problems. That's why I'm here. I need your help."
Toby was speechless. He knew he should call the hospital social worker, but he was curious.
" First, what's your name? And Second, what's your problem?"
"My name is Nate. And I want to find my parents. Can you help me?" Nate was with so much hope in his eyes that Toby almost cried.
" I'm sorry, Nate. But that isn't the kind of problem I can solve. I really wish I could help you, but I can't." Toby was so heartbroken. He looked to the little boy who now had tears in his cheeks .
" I just... I don't want to go back to the orphanage. I hate it. Makes me so sad and angry to live there. I'll runaway!" Nate said with so determination that Toby almost said he'd help with a plan. But he knew he needed to do the right thing.
"Nate, you're just a Kid. You can't live alone. Look, you're a smart and nice boy, I'm sure great foster parents will adopt you and give you so much love."
"Some kids never get to be adopted or their foster home returns them to the orphanage because they aren't good kids." When Nate said this, Toby had to walk through the office to calm himself. He was angry and sad at the same time and thinking how could someone to do such a horrible thing to a child.
That's when he recognized himself in Nate. Toby also was abandoned by his family. It's true they didn't leave him in an orphanage, but they also haven't taken care of him. He practically was raise by friendly neighbors and now with 26 years old, all that Toby wanted was runaway from his parents, from this city that had so many streets who watched him cry after his parents forget his birthday or even his name.
"Nate, you're right. Maybe you won't be adopt, but you'll for sure to grow and become an adult. When that day comes, you can leave the orphanage and start your life, go to any place you want. And you'll rock the world, because you're so smart! You'll show how awesome you are to the world!" Toby saw a little smile on the kid lips and crushed his heart the next thing he need to say.
"Kid, I need to call the social worker for you. I'm really sorry. But remember you're amazing and someday you'll have your own home." Toby was devasted, but he knew he had to do it. So he made the call. When the social worker arrived, Toby went to say goodbye to Nate, who hugged him and said "thank you".
Later this day, Toby went to the human resources and resigned. Now more than never, he knew he had to restart his life and find happiness. As Toby was leaving the hospital, he thought about Nate and about his own childhood. He didn't know exctly what he'd do with his life. But Toby Curtis did know that someday when he gets a good job and fell ready , he will adopt a kid.
