Chapter Two: Necessity of Hope
January 13, 1990
The social worker watched the man sitting in the chair in front of her for the third time that week. His appearance was that of a clean cut business man, his brown hair just starting to gray and thin, and his body was still fit beneath the charcoal suit, only a faint hint of a gut beginning to show. Last week was the first time he had come in to see her, and his decision to foster at exactly that time seemed nothing short of a miracle.
Apparently he was soon to propose to his long time girlfriend, and knowing that neither of them could have children, wanted to surprise her with a little one they could call their own. He had a decent job at a plant outside of town and was up for a promotion. His home was nice, small, but clean and well cared for.
She had checked his story out, speaking to coworkers and friends, and the consensus was that he was a nice guy. A little on the antisocial side, but on the whole a decent person and actually, she had thought to herself, the loner tendencies could be seen as a plus since he was unlikely to have a hard time giving up his social life to take care of a child.
Originally he had just wanted a little boy, but when she had explained the situation to him, he had agreed to take both of them. She stood with a smile growing on her face, relieved that she could start worrying about the three children due to be coming in that week and would no longer be searching for a home for her two most quiet inmates.
Taking his hand, she shook it and said in a light tone, "I think that's everything, Mr. Whitmore. Come back tomorrow and we'll finish up that paperwork and you can take your new family home."
Hank smiled back as he shook her hand, doing his best to hide his relief. His boss had told him in confidence that the one thing holding him back from the promotion was that corporate worried he was not the responsible stable type.
Knowing that his girlfriend of sorts would never consider settling down with him, despite what he had said to the woman before him, he decided to try the one other thing that just screamed responsibility, raising children.
He had planned on fostering a little boy since he figured that would be the easiest on him, but when the woman had pointed out that by taking two of them, he would be providing each of them with a playmate and thus assuring himself more alone time, supposedly with the soon to be Mrs. Whitmore, he had agreed without hesitation.
Besides, with two of them that meant twice the government money and less of his own hard earned cash would go towards purchasing kid things.
"Thank you Miss. Loman, I really appreciate this and I just know Gloria will be thrilled, I'll come by around three o'clock?" She nodded and added a few congratulatory comments that he brushed off with a smile and escorted him towards the door, reminding him of the safety considerations he needed to check at his house that night before waving him to his car.
He smiled and nodded absently, realizing that he would need to find a more secure place for his small liquor stash. He really should give it up, he thought; it had not been a healthy habit even living alone and he supposed it would be worse when he had kids around, especially since he knew he tended to get angry when drunk and it would not just be the TV he was ranting at from then on.
Promising himself he would throw it out as soon as he got home, he took the road back to the plant, a miniscule part of him wondering just how much his life was going to change.
January 14, 1990
The little girl took her brother's hand as the lady led them into her office, that time to a daddy that wanted both of them. They both looked up at the man, who seemed incredibly tall as he stood next to Miss Loman, who smiled down at them as she spoke. "Kids, this is Mr. Whitmore. He'll be taking care of you from now on."
They both nodded, their small faces serious as they turned towards him, the little girl speaking first. "Thank you for wanting us, Mister."
He smiled at her. "You're welcome, Raelyn, right?"
"She likes to go by Lyn," Michael said, his voice soft but firm as he glanced up at the man.
Hank looked surprised, but still managed a smile even as inwardly he fought down an irrational surge of anger at the little boy's show of spirit. "I'm very happy to have both of you come live with me."
Lyn smiled tentatively at him, still a little nervous, but felt her brother tighten his grip on her hand and squeezed back reassuringly, knowing that he too was afraid.
They waited quietly while the man talked with the lady and signed some papers, then followed them both out to his car, the man carrying the one bag they had between them of clothes and a few treasures rescued from their tree. He helped them into the backseat of the car and with one last glance at the building they had just left they were gone, never to return.
x
Michael did not know if he liked Mister Whitmore or not but he had decided to be as good as he could manage. The nice lady had been worried about them and he wanted Lyn to be happy, so he smiled and even talked some as the man showed them around his house.
It was smaller than the orphanage but nicer, with furniture that looked new and soft carpeting. Their room was bigger than either of their rooms had been before and they each had a small bed with a table next to it.
"We'll go shopping tomorrow and get you guys some clothes and things, maybe even a few toys," the man said, smiling down at them.
"Thank you," Michael replied, doing his best to sound grateful even though something about the man made him feel funny.
'Michael?' he heard in his mind and looked at his sister in surprise, he had talked to her before like that but she had never been able to talk to him.
The man told them 'good night' and closed the door behind him, leaving them to get ready for bed. It was earlier than they normally went to sleep, but he supposed that the mister did'nt know that. They both sat down on the floor between their beds and were quiet for a moment.
'You can talk like this now?'
'Yes. You were afraid, I could feel it and I wanted to talk to you and then I did.'
He nodded, accepting the explanation. They had become real siblings and maybe she was going to learn to do everything he could do.
'I'm scared too. I don't think I like Mister Whitmore. The lady liked him but he feels...'
'Wrong,' Michael finished for her as she trailed off.
She nodded and bit her lip, her large eyes showing worry and fear.
'I'll protect you always,' he promised and she smiled, reaching out to take his hands in her own as they connected, strengthening their sibling bond, not knowing that it was the only thing that would keep them going through the trials and tests to come.
A/N: So just in case it wasn't clear, italicized comments are telepathic rather than spoken conversations.
