One day, a few weeks later, Willy picked up the day's mail that had just come through the slot. He pulled out one letter. "Andreas," he said, "This one's for you." He handed it over.

Andreas took the envelope. The address was written in a child's handwriting. Curious, he tore the envelope open.

Deer Andreas, The letter read. It's me, Nomiki. Remember me?

Andreas looked up. "It's from my family," he said.

"The foster family you were living with?" Willy asked.

"No, my biological family," Andreas said. "More specifically, my little brother. He's the only one in my family who ever learned how to read and write besides me."

"What do they want?" Willy asked.

"I don't know," Andreas admitted. "I haven't finished reading it yet." He turned his attention back to the letter.

Mum's sick. Badly sick. The doctors say she's going to die because we don't have money to treat her. We heard you're living at the Wonka factory now. Mum asked me to write to you. She wants to see you one last time before she dies. Please come.

Andreas looked up from the letter. "My mother is sick," he said.

"How sick?" Willy asked.

"The letter says she's dying," Andreas said. "She wants to see me."

"Do you want to go?" Willy asked.

Andreas' eyes hardened. "No," he said, anger in his voice. "Not after she did what she did."

"Yeah, who needs her?" Willy said. "Who needs any of them, right?"

"Right!" Andreas said, turning to smile at Willy. This is my home now.

That Monday, as he and Charlie were playing together at a nearby park after school, Andreas mentioned the letter. He didn't know quite what caused him to mention it, but he did.

"You should go visit them," Charlie said.

"Why?" Andreas asked.

"They're your family, Andreas," Charlie said. "You said you wanted a family. Now your family is reaching out to you. I would think you'd be happy and want to see them."

"Hmph!" Andreas picked up a rock and tossed it. "After Mom put me in foster care?"

"Why were you put in foster care, Andreas?" Charlie asked, sitting down on a swing.

Andreas sighed and sat down on the swing next to the one his friend was sitting on. "Because there wasn't enough money to support three children and I was the easiest to get rid of," he said. He started pushing the swing back and forth with his foot. "I lived with my family until I was eight," he said. "That year things were particularly bad and Mother couldn't afford to support all of us. My older brother, Filippos, was needed to help take care of the family farm since Dad died soon after my little brother was born. My little brother, Nomiki, the one who wrote the letter, was Mom's favorite so she wouldn't get rid of him. I was the middle child. Least loved, too. So," he shrugged, "I was the one who got dumped in foster care." He looked at Charlie.

His friend's eyes were wide. Shock and sympathy showed in his gaze. "Oh Andreas," he said. "I'm so sorry."

"I don't think of them as my family, even though I lived with them for eight years," Andreas continued. "Mother didn't love me any more." He continued, voice softer. "When I said I wanted to find a real family, I meant I wanted to find one that would love me. Like your family loves you, Charlie."

"I think your family does love you," Charlie said softly. "I think your mother was just trying to do what was best for you and your brothers. She's reaching out to you, Andreas. Don't you think you should give her a chance for what might be the last time?"

"I...don't know," Andreas said.

"How do you feel about them?" Charlie asked. "Do you love them?"

Andreas looked away and towards the factory. "I do," he admitted. "Even after all this time. After everything that happened. I still love them." He looked back to Charlie. "Does that sound strange to you, Charlie?"

"No," Charlie said.

Andreas suddenly stood up. "You're right, Charlie," he said. "I should go and visit them. And I will!"