Satie loved his stepfather, and was learning a lot from him. Akasma was
slowly regaining her strength, and announced that she would be able to
return to work very soon. The family anxiously counted down the days until
Akasma would work again, especially Jacque. When that day finally came, and
Akasma went to work at the local day café, Jacque quit one of his evening
jobs without telling his family. No one noticed anything different, Jacque
still left for work at six o'clock in the evening and would return around 4
o'clock the next morning. Akasma took care of Satie and Lela during the day
by Jacque and in the evenings. One morning, Akasma woke up to see that
Jacque was not in bed. She figured that he was working late, and that he
would be home before she to work at noon. The hours passed slowly before
there was a knock on the door of the garret.
"Message for Madame Forêt." Said the voice behind the door. The paper was slipped under the door, awaiting its owner to read it. Akasma, after wringing her hands with worry, picked up the note and began to read.
Dear Akasma: I do not know how to put my thoughts down on paper, but I will try my best to make my feelings known to you. The reason I am not telling you this in person is because I am probably on a train to Spain while you read this message. About two months ago, around the time when you went back to work, I met a beautiful, romantic woman who was a frequent customer where I worked. She and I have been seeing each other since then, and we are going to be married in Spain. Once our home is settled, I will return here to meet before a judge with you to end our marriage. Sincerely, Jacque
Akasma dropped the note, the color draining out of her face. She walked back into her children's bedroom, confused and bewildered. She drew back the curtains, and once her children were awake, she told them what Jacque had said. Satie didn't say anything, but tried to let it all sink in. Akasma sat on the bed, crying. Satie didn't know what to do, but tried his best to comfort his mother. For the next few months, Akasma brought her children to work, hiding them in a back room, letting Satie take care of his sister while their mother worked. Then, it happened. A child welfare agent stopped by the garret soon after Jacque and Akasma had ended their marriage. He announced that the children were not being taken care of properly and literally ripped them out of Akasma's arms. Scared and confused, Satie and Lela cried the entire way to the orphanage.
*A Year Later
"Hello little boy, what's your name?" asked a muscular man with combed back black hair and a moustache. His wife, who was standing next to him, smiled brightly.
"Satie." Said the boy, who was reading a book, without looking up.
"What a wonderful name!" the woman said before whispering to her husband, "Richard, dear, perhaps we should spend some time with this one."
"Amelia, he seems so distraught." The man whispered back.
"Then maybe he needs us to brighten up his day." Amelia answered, sitting on a chair near Satie. Her husband pulled up a chair next to her and they patiently waited for Satie to finish his picture book.
"So, Satie, how are you?" Amelia asked with a smile.
"I'm fine, how are you?" Satie answered politely with a grim face.
"Very well, thank you." The woman answered, smiling at her husband.
Soon, the three of them were in a deep conversation about their hobbies, the weather, and things like that. Eventually, Satie relaxed, and was laughing at the man's jokes. The man and the woman were Monsieur Robert and Madame Amelia Cristof. A childhood accident had left Amelia barren, and after two years of marriage, the young couple wanted to adopt a child.
The couple left after about an hour, but came back to visit Satie every other day. When they had really gotten to know Satie, they would take him to church on Sundays and spend the day with him at the park. Then, one regular Tuesday afternoon, Satie was summoned to the orphanage manager's office. Satie entered the bright room which was filled with black and white pictures of children, yellow walls, and huge windows that let the sunlight pour in. The manager sat behind the desk, talking to Amelia and Robert. When he saw Satie, he twirled his moustache and smiled.
"Ah, the child is here." He announced.
Satie quietly entered the room, looking around. Spotting the familiar faces of Amelia and Robert, he smiled, but was still confused as to why he was in the office.
"Let's get down to business, shall we Monsieur Marquette? Robert said, hoisting Satie onto his lap.
"Very well. Satie, how do you like Monsieur and Madame Cristof?" the manager asked.
"They're very nice people, Mr. Jacob." Satie answered quietly. Mr. Jacob was what everyone at the orphanage called Mr. Marquette, whose first name was Jacob.
"Yes, well… What do you think about spending more time with them?"
"I'd like that very much, sir."
"Satie, we want you to become a part of our family." Amelia said, quietly, looking at Robert and Satie with a smile.
"You're going to be my mom? And you're going to be my father?" Satie asked, looking at Amelia and Robert respectively.
The couple nodded, and looked at Jacob Marquette for approval.
"Well, I don't see why you can't be their son, Satie. I'll file the papers immediately." Jacob said.
"Wait, what about my sister? Can't she be a part of the family?" Satie asked as Jacob pulled a packet of papers out of his desk.
"You have a sister?" Robert asked, puzzled.
"Yes, her name is Lela. She's two years old." Satie answered.
"Monsieur Marquette, you told us that Satie was an only child." Amelia asked.
"Satie's younger sister, Lela Margeaux Forêt is only a baby, and we wouldn't want to burden you with that." Jacob answered, his face reddening as he loosened his tie.
"But we'd love to raise a baby, especially a girl! Children are a blessing, and I don't see why you would want to separate Satie and his sister!" Amelia shouted, standing up.
"Amelia, sit down. You're getting excited again." Robert demanded sternly.
Amelia cleared her throat and folded her hands in her lap when she sat down.
"Satie, could you please wait outside for a moment?" Jacob asked calmly, getting up from his chair and opening the door. Satie nodded, walked out, and closed the door behind him. He sat in front of it, trying to listen.
"I didn't want Satie to know this, but I tell this to anyone interested in the Forêt baby. She is dying of cancer. We don't know what kind, but her symptoms are that of it. We keep Lela in a separate room from the rest of the babies because of this, and we fear that she will die within the next two months. She is not up for adoption." Jacob said quietly, sitting back down behind his desk.
"And what exactly were you going to tell Satie? That his sister disappeared?" Robert questioned.
"We would tell him the truth… eventually. The staff and I just feel that he's not mature enough to handle this."
Unknown to the grownups, Satie had heard every word of their conversation. He sat in the hallway, shocked and scared. The person he had taken care of while their mother worked to keep them alive was dying, and Satie could do nothing to prevent it. With tears burning his eyes, he ran down to the nursery and angrily demanded to see his sister. The shocked yet compassionate staff member showed Satie where Lela was, and she stood in the room with him, watching.
Satie gazed into the crib, watching his little sister sleep. Lela would cough often, making her body shake. The nursemaid, who was sitting by the crib, reading a book, grabbed an extra blanket from a nearby shelf and draped it over the sleeping baby, making sure it covered the chest and legs. To Satie, Lela looked like an angel. The yellow curtains were drawn, but the bright afternoon sunshine shone through, casting a golden haze over his sister. She was swaddled in white clothing and blankets, and she looked so peaceful. Tears streamed down Satie's face as he watched his sister sleep.
"I love you, Lela." Satie whispered. He looked at the nursemaid, who was watching silently.
"Can I hold her one last time?" Satie asked quietly. The nurse nodded, and pointed Satie to a chair. She carefully picked up the baby from the crib and helped Satie hold it. Normal two-year-old children are a bit heavy, but due to the sickness that was drawing Lela's life away, she felt like a newborn. Satie wept as he held his sister. He didn't want to let go, but something in his heart was telling him that he had to. Soon, he would move into a house with a loving couple, and his sister's memory would live forever with him.
*One Month Later
It was a quiet ceremony. Satie, his parents, and the staff members of the orphanage were there. As Lela was being lowered into the ground, Satie turned to his new mother and cried. His sister had left for a better place, and perhaps Satie would see her in the future. For now, all he could focus on was his new home and family.
"Message for Madame Forêt." Said the voice behind the door. The paper was slipped under the door, awaiting its owner to read it. Akasma, after wringing her hands with worry, picked up the note and began to read.
Dear Akasma: I do not know how to put my thoughts down on paper, but I will try my best to make my feelings known to you. The reason I am not telling you this in person is because I am probably on a train to Spain while you read this message. About two months ago, around the time when you went back to work, I met a beautiful, romantic woman who was a frequent customer where I worked. She and I have been seeing each other since then, and we are going to be married in Spain. Once our home is settled, I will return here to meet before a judge with you to end our marriage. Sincerely, Jacque
Akasma dropped the note, the color draining out of her face. She walked back into her children's bedroom, confused and bewildered. She drew back the curtains, and once her children were awake, she told them what Jacque had said. Satie didn't say anything, but tried to let it all sink in. Akasma sat on the bed, crying. Satie didn't know what to do, but tried his best to comfort his mother. For the next few months, Akasma brought her children to work, hiding them in a back room, letting Satie take care of his sister while their mother worked. Then, it happened. A child welfare agent stopped by the garret soon after Jacque and Akasma had ended their marriage. He announced that the children were not being taken care of properly and literally ripped them out of Akasma's arms. Scared and confused, Satie and Lela cried the entire way to the orphanage.
*A Year Later
"Hello little boy, what's your name?" asked a muscular man with combed back black hair and a moustache. His wife, who was standing next to him, smiled brightly.
"Satie." Said the boy, who was reading a book, without looking up.
"What a wonderful name!" the woman said before whispering to her husband, "Richard, dear, perhaps we should spend some time with this one."
"Amelia, he seems so distraught." The man whispered back.
"Then maybe he needs us to brighten up his day." Amelia answered, sitting on a chair near Satie. Her husband pulled up a chair next to her and they patiently waited for Satie to finish his picture book.
"So, Satie, how are you?" Amelia asked with a smile.
"I'm fine, how are you?" Satie answered politely with a grim face.
"Very well, thank you." The woman answered, smiling at her husband.
Soon, the three of them were in a deep conversation about their hobbies, the weather, and things like that. Eventually, Satie relaxed, and was laughing at the man's jokes. The man and the woman were Monsieur Robert and Madame Amelia Cristof. A childhood accident had left Amelia barren, and after two years of marriage, the young couple wanted to adopt a child.
The couple left after about an hour, but came back to visit Satie every other day. When they had really gotten to know Satie, they would take him to church on Sundays and spend the day with him at the park. Then, one regular Tuesday afternoon, Satie was summoned to the orphanage manager's office. Satie entered the bright room which was filled with black and white pictures of children, yellow walls, and huge windows that let the sunlight pour in. The manager sat behind the desk, talking to Amelia and Robert. When he saw Satie, he twirled his moustache and smiled.
"Ah, the child is here." He announced.
Satie quietly entered the room, looking around. Spotting the familiar faces of Amelia and Robert, he smiled, but was still confused as to why he was in the office.
"Let's get down to business, shall we Monsieur Marquette? Robert said, hoisting Satie onto his lap.
"Very well. Satie, how do you like Monsieur and Madame Cristof?" the manager asked.
"They're very nice people, Mr. Jacob." Satie answered quietly. Mr. Jacob was what everyone at the orphanage called Mr. Marquette, whose first name was Jacob.
"Yes, well… What do you think about spending more time with them?"
"I'd like that very much, sir."
"Satie, we want you to become a part of our family." Amelia said, quietly, looking at Robert and Satie with a smile.
"You're going to be my mom? And you're going to be my father?" Satie asked, looking at Amelia and Robert respectively.
The couple nodded, and looked at Jacob Marquette for approval.
"Well, I don't see why you can't be their son, Satie. I'll file the papers immediately." Jacob said.
"Wait, what about my sister? Can't she be a part of the family?" Satie asked as Jacob pulled a packet of papers out of his desk.
"You have a sister?" Robert asked, puzzled.
"Yes, her name is Lela. She's two years old." Satie answered.
"Monsieur Marquette, you told us that Satie was an only child." Amelia asked.
"Satie's younger sister, Lela Margeaux Forêt is only a baby, and we wouldn't want to burden you with that." Jacob answered, his face reddening as he loosened his tie.
"But we'd love to raise a baby, especially a girl! Children are a blessing, and I don't see why you would want to separate Satie and his sister!" Amelia shouted, standing up.
"Amelia, sit down. You're getting excited again." Robert demanded sternly.
Amelia cleared her throat and folded her hands in her lap when she sat down.
"Satie, could you please wait outside for a moment?" Jacob asked calmly, getting up from his chair and opening the door. Satie nodded, walked out, and closed the door behind him. He sat in front of it, trying to listen.
"I didn't want Satie to know this, but I tell this to anyone interested in the Forêt baby. She is dying of cancer. We don't know what kind, but her symptoms are that of it. We keep Lela in a separate room from the rest of the babies because of this, and we fear that she will die within the next two months. She is not up for adoption." Jacob said quietly, sitting back down behind his desk.
"And what exactly were you going to tell Satie? That his sister disappeared?" Robert questioned.
"We would tell him the truth… eventually. The staff and I just feel that he's not mature enough to handle this."
Unknown to the grownups, Satie had heard every word of their conversation. He sat in the hallway, shocked and scared. The person he had taken care of while their mother worked to keep them alive was dying, and Satie could do nothing to prevent it. With tears burning his eyes, he ran down to the nursery and angrily demanded to see his sister. The shocked yet compassionate staff member showed Satie where Lela was, and she stood in the room with him, watching.
Satie gazed into the crib, watching his little sister sleep. Lela would cough often, making her body shake. The nursemaid, who was sitting by the crib, reading a book, grabbed an extra blanket from a nearby shelf and draped it over the sleeping baby, making sure it covered the chest and legs. To Satie, Lela looked like an angel. The yellow curtains were drawn, but the bright afternoon sunshine shone through, casting a golden haze over his sister. She was swaddled in white clothing and blankets, and she looked so peaceful. Tears streamed down Satie's face as he watched his sister sleep.
"I love you, Lela." Satie whispered. He looked at the nursemaid, who was watching silently.
"Can I hold her one last time?" Satie asked quietly. The nurse nodded, and pointed Satie to a chair. She carefully picked up the baby from the crib and helped Satie hold it. Normal two-year-old children are a bit heavy, but due to the sickness that was drawing Lela's life away, she felt like a newborn. Satie wept as he held his sister. He didn't want to let go, but something in his heart was telling him that he had to. Soon, he would move into a house with a loving couple, and his sister's memory would live forever with him.
*One Month Later
It was a quiet ceremony. Satie, his parents, and the staff members of the orphanage were there. As Lela was being lowered into the ground, Satie turned to his new mother and cried. His sister had left for a better place, and perhaps Satie would see her in the future. For now, all he could focus on was his new home and family.
