Chapter 3 – Adoption

Alden was outside in the back of the orphanage playing soccer when a black rental car pulled up in front. A man and woman got out of the car and started to walk up the sidewalk. Mrs. Smith, the caretaker of the orphanage, yelled out the back door at Alden to make him come in after she had seen the couple out front from her office. Mrs. Smith cleaned herself up in the mirror, checking her hair and makeup. The doorbell rang. Ding-Dong. Mrs. Smith ran to the door and opened it, trying to act like she hadn't expected them.

"Hello," she greeted the couple, "my name is Mrs. Smith."

"Hello," replied the man, "my name is Johnathan Thomas and this is my wife Abigail." Mr. Thomas had brown hair and brown eyes. He was tall, six feet to be exact. He was very athletic and well-built. His eyes sparkled with intelligence and he was very attractive looking.

"Nice to meet you," replied Mrs. Smith, kindly.

"We would like to adopt a child," continued Mr. Thomas.

"Well, please come in then," exclaimed Mrs. Smith while shuffling the couple in. "Children!" called Mrs. Smith, "we have company."

A few minutes passed while all the children ran around tidying up their home and their appearance. Alden was the last to come in. Mrs. Thomas seemed interested in Alden when he came to stand with the other children.

"Hello," the woman said to Alden, "and what would your name be?"Mrs. Thomas had blonde hair and joyful, bright blue eyes. She was tall like her husband, at five foot and seven inches. She was athletic, intelligent and attractive like her husband. They were a perfect match for each other.

"Alden, ma'am," answered Alden, confidently.

"How old are you?"

"I'm 13, ma'am."

"Honey," the woman said turning to her husband, "he's the perfect age we're looking for. I would like to adopt him, he seems perfect!"

"Are you sure about this?" asked the man, "We just got here."

"Yes."

"Excuse me, while we talk this over for a minute," he said to Mrs. Smith.

They stepped into the kitchen for a minute while they discussed it. When a conclusion was made, they came back out.

"We would like to adopt Alden," Mr. Thomas said to Mrs. Smith.

"Well, step into my office and sign some papers for me and he'll be yours," invited Mrs. Smith. "Alden, go pack your things."

When they were seated in the office, Mrs. Smith continued, "Are you sure about Alden? Nobody ever wants to adopt him because they think he is too high spirited. Most people say his eyes make him look like a trouble maker with that gaze of his."

"Mrs. Smith, I would like to adopt Alden because I don't think he looks like he will cause any trouble, even though his eyes make you feel like he knows things that you don't," said Mrs. Thomas, defensively, "I think he looks like a very nice boy."

"Well, it's your choice. If you decide that it was not the best decision then you can always bring him back here."

"Where do we sign?" asked Mr. Thomas.

"You have to read and sign these papers here and then you are free to take Alden." Mrs. Smith then handed them the adoption papers. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas both read and agreed to the contract they had to sign. Alden was officially their son now.

After the adoption papers were signed and Alden had packed his things, the children and Mrs. Smith said their goodbyes while they waited for Mr. and Mrs. Thomas to load the car.

As Alden ran to the car he called back, "Goodbye! I'll miss you all!"

Everyone watched as Alden got into the car and drove away with his new parents. Today sure had been a busy and exciting day; and it wasn't even noon yet.

During the car ride to the hotel, Alden's new adopted parents told him about themselves.

"Alden," started Mr. Thomas, "my name is Johnathan, but you can just call me John for short."

"OK." Alden was still in shock over the fact he had just been adopted.

"I am the President of the International Bank and I have to travel a lot, so we can go on vacation as a family a lot."

Mrs. Thomas spoke for the first time since getting in the car, "My name is Abigail."

"It's nice to meet you both." Alden didn't know what else to say.

"I work as a part-time nurse at the local hospital near our home in New York City."

"You don't live in London then?" gasped Alden.

"No, I'm afraid not."

"I've never left London before." London was all that Alden had ever known. He had always lived in the orphanage. "When do we leave?"

"You're OK with moving to a new country?"

"Yes."

"As soon as we arrange things with the immigration office and get you duel citizenship and a passport," said Abigail, "we fly out tomorrow afternoon for New York City."

"OK." Alden agreed as they pulled up to the hotel. Alden had never been in a hotel before. I wonder what it's like thought Alden. Alden was a bit scared but mainly excited. It was one big adventure. Alden's life had seemed to have been flipped over and he felt like he was in a dream. Everything was happening too fast for Alden to be able to accept what was happening. It was so confusing and hard to believe. Why me? he wondered as they stopped in front of the hotel room. The hotel room was more spectacular then anything Alden had ever seen. It was luxury compared to the orphanage.

In the morning, Alden awoke well rested and energized. His senses were alert and he felt like he could do anything.

John and Abigail were up and packing all their belongings for their flight to New York City. Alden had packed his stuff the night before. They had taken him out shopping for clothes and he got something for himself. John and Abigail also took Alden out to dinner to a fancy restaurant to celebrate their new family after they had done some touring. They had taken him to see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the Tower of London and taken him to ride the London Eye. Alden had never seen the sights in London even when he had lived there his whole life.

"Good morning, Alden," said Abigail when she noticed Alden awake, sitting up in bed, "did you sleep well?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Are you ready to fly to New York City?" asked John from behind the suitcase he was packing.

"I think I'm ready as I'll ever be." Alden wasn't so sure about this whole flying thing. He had never been on a plane nor seen one either. You always heard about plane crashes on the front cover of the newspaper. Not to mention the fact that his parents had been killed in a plane crash too. But Alden's new life was just full of new experiences. Just another adventure! he told himself.

After breakfast in the hotel's restaurant they took the rental car back. From the rental place, they caught a taxi to the airport. The airport was full of people from different cultures there on business. Alden had never been in a building this big and packed with people; it was overwhelming.

John, Abigail and Alden finally boarded the plane and it took off into the afternoon sky. The plane took off with such power that Alden felt small and of little importance compared to the plane's massive power. His ears kept popping as they gained altitude and it bothered him. Abigail gave him gum to chew to keep his ears from plugging. Alden had never had gum before either.

After half an hour, the flight attendant turned on Spider-Man for the passengers to watch. Alden had never seen a movie before. The orphanage had a television but they only got the news, sports channels and cartoons on Saturday mornings.

After the movie Alden suddenly asked, "Why did you adopt me? Not just because of my age, right?"

"Of course we didn't adopt you because of your age," Abigail replied, surprised.

"Then why did you?"

"Honestly Alden, I have no idea why I picked you. Something just said that you were the one. It was almost as if John and I were supposed to adopt you to be our son."

"What do you mean?" Alden asked, unsure of what Abigail had meant.

"Alden," said John, putting down his newspaper, "like what Abigail said, something about you attracted us to you. It felt like if we didn't adopt you that something bad would happen because we chose wrong. We were also looking for a child your age; with our jobs we would have been to busy to care for a baby."

"So you're saying that it was part of your destiny to adopt me or something."

"Sure," said Abigail, "something like that. I just can't find a word for it. My conscience told me it was better to adopt you then one of the other children. It's hard to explain really."

"I think I understand what you mean. Thanks for adopting me then. I thought I was doomed to stay in that orphanage my whole life."

"You're welcome Alden," Abigail said as Alden started to drift to sleep.

"I love you guys! Can I call you mom and dad then, since I've never had a mom and dad?" Alden asked sleepily.

"Sure Alden," Abigail said as Alden fell asleep. Alden was the perfect son Abigail had always dreamed of having.

Alden was nowhere near a trouble maker; he was perfect and very friendly. He wasn't shy, that's for sure. Alden just went along with the flow even though he was a good leader and role model with the children at the orphanage. If something wasn't how Alden liked it then he would change it, but most of the time he was just happy to have a roof over his head, good friends and food in his stomach. Alden was just happy to be alive and brought a smile to the faces of the people he knew and loved.