Chapter 17 Adopted siblings

Tony's point of view

*Memory 20*

At 7 years old, most kids become curious about their families and about their siblings, or lack thereof. I was no different.

"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think I could have a sibling?"
"Hmmm…"
"I'd like a brother"

"OK… Tony, you know we've discussed how the human reproduction system works in school, right?"
"Yes"
"Well… after you were born, your mother had some complications and…"
"She can't have any more children, can she?"
"No"
"What about adoption?"

"That's a possibility, leave it with me."

I heard mom and dad discussing my idea that night.

The next morning, during school hours, Dad said

"Tony, your mother and I are going to look into adoption. However, due to our status, the adoption or adoptions will be done privately, and I figured it would be a good Civics lesson for you, so we're going to meet mom in Manhattan at lunchtime, and we're going to meet with a private adoption lawyer."

"OK. I'll bring my Civics notebook so that I can take notes"
"Right, and your assignment for this will be a presentation on private adoptions delivered to Mom, Uncle Obie, Aunt Maria, Mr and Mrs Jarvis, Professor Baehr and I on Sunday"

"OK"

"You may use any medium you wish to do your presentation, but you must include facts, and cite your resources."

"So I'm doing a 'big kid project' then?"

"Yes"

We adopted 3 boys that I had become friendly with through the homeschoolers cooperative that my parents had signed me up with. Bruce, the eldest, was an only child, abused by his father and semi-neglected by his mother. He came to live with us after his father murdered his mother in cold blood.

Jay, the second eldest, was another local boy whose parents died and siblings died in a suspicious fire.

Then there was Clint, who was 3 years younger than me. For Jay's birthday, Mom and Dad took Jay and Bruce and me to the circus, and we met Clint while we were there. It was a cold, wet night. There was thunder and lightning and one of the horse vans caught on fire and Clint got the ringmaster fired Clint (who had been a stable hand at 4 years old!) and threw him out into the rain. Mr Jarvis almost ran him over. We took him home with us. All the other kids who'd lived in the circus had been learning to read and write, but Clint hadn't.

"Mr Sowerberry said I'm stupid and didn't want to teach me because I told him the letters move when I try to read."

Mom and Dad consulted Dr Turner…

"From what you're describing, Clint has Dyslexia and needs to be evaluated by an education specialist. You might have to send him to a special needs school."
"Jay, Bruce and Tony are Homeschooled just now which is why we decided to consult you"

"I see… you did the right thing"

As it turned out, Dr Turner had a colleague who as an educational specialist. He came over and evaluated Clint. Dr Simpson - was a rotund and elderly man who smoked a pipe and looked a little like Winston Churchill.

"This child is most certainly Dyslexic and severely so. He must immediately attend a special needs school for such children" he blustered

"We homeschool"
"Home education will not help this boy. Send him away immediately. I'm also detecting signs of a condition called Dyspraxia, and Autism. Such children shouldn't be integrated into society. They belong on the fringes with their own kind."
"Nonsense!" said Dad, "My best friend's son is Dyslexic and my best friend homeschools him just fine."
"This boy isn't just Dyslexic, he's profoundly challenged, and he would do better in an environment that is tailor-made for him."
"You're the same person who evaluated my godson and said he was too dull-witted to learn. Get out of my house and don't you ever darken my door again! You are a quack! Your attitude towards children who have learning difficulties is shocking. I will be speaking to the health board about you!"

Bruce took Clint under his wing. Once he had finished his own school-work on a daily basis, Bruce would tutor Clint. Mr Jarvis often helped when Bruce had other things that he had to do.

One Christmas morning, Dad found a basket containing two young infants on the doorstep. A boy and a girl. They were fast asleep. There was a letter with them.

"Mr Stark,

Your weapons caused the devastation which orphaned these two babies, I therefore expect you to raise them as your own. The girl is Wanda Elizabeth Maximoff, the boy is Pietro Alphonse Maximoff, they are 5 weeks old." the letter wasn't signed.

We had a family meeting to discuss what we should do with the twins.

"I don't see why we should raise them."
"Nor do I"
"Nope, me either"
"Other than it being the right thing to do, I don't see why we should raise them either."

"Then it's settled. Wanda and Pietro will go and live with Obie and Maria."

Homeschooling went well until I was 11.