They got into the car and Marcus clicked his seatbelt into place. "Buckle up," Marcus ordered, noticing that Mikkel was not moving. Mikkel obeyed without a word and Marcus started the engine. There were a few minutes of tense silence. "Mikkel, I know us taking you in has you a bit overwhelmed," said Marcus after a minute. "But you have nothing to fear from us. We did what we did because we care about people." Mikkel didn't respond just stared out the window.
Lord how do I get through to him. Too get him to trust in not only me and Shari, but in You as well?
Then a thought came that said, Tell him about yourself and how you grew up.
"Let me tell you a story and this story is true," said Marcus after a moment of silence. "There was once a little boy who watched a mother he loved die — pneumonia. His mother was a woman of faith and was at peace with her situation. The boy also at that time believed in God and he would spend every day at the hospital praying for his mother to get well."
Marcus paused. "Eventually, his mother died and his father died soon after of a broken heart. The boy was just eight going on nine at the time. The boy was taken to an orphanage known as Trevor House right after the funeral of his father, because he had no living relatives that were willing to take him in. He spent the first couple of months a very angry, very lonely little boy. A few months later, a girl by the name of Kate who was just seven at the time came to Trevor House. She had been taken away from her parents by social services for reasons I won't go into. At first, she and the boy didn't get along, but then he found her a puppy and gave it to her. Then when the puppy was run over by a car six months later she nearly pulverized him, but after that they became friends."
Marcus paused again as if deep in thought. "A couple of years after that Stephen, Jack, Rachel, Jennifer and Lisa, all showed up having been recently orphaned over the next few years. They all became friends and eventually made a pact between them. As soon as they were old enough and were out of the orphanage for good they would legally change their last names and become a family. A family who cared about each other, who felt free to meddle in the each other's lives for the good of the family. They eventually chose the name O'Malley and became tighter than most families who have the same genes."
Mikkel looked up at the last sentence and the name O'Malley. "You?" he asked astonished.
"Yes," said Marcus. "We're not related by blood but by choice. They are the best thing that ever happened to me and if took me years to realize that only Jesus could have figured out the combination that is our family. For thirty years after my mother's death I stopped believing that there was a God. It took Jennifer, the youngest of us, and Shari to get me into believing in God again."
There was a sadness in his voice, Mikkel noticed when he talked about his sister Jennifer. "Jennifer was the first of the O'Malley's to believe in God and she was determined to convince us one by one that God not only existed, but that he took an active role in our lives." Marcus paused reflectively. "All seven of us had things in our past that didn't make believing in God or Jesus easy, but it happened to us one by one as we each went through our own personal crises. It made us come back stronger then we were before, because we weren't just depending on our own strength, which since we are human would fail us eventually, but on Jesus's strength to see us through."
The way he talked Mikkel reflected, it was as if God was alive and real there was a quiet sadness under his words, but a happiness as well. "If God does exist then why does he let bad things happen?" Mikkel asked with just a touch of bitterness to his words.
"It is a good question Mikkel," said Marcus, not seeming offended that Mikkel had asked such a question. "And I will answer it as best I can, but sooner or later you are going to have to go searching for your own answers as to whether or not you believe in God, because no matter what anybody else says, it is a journey that one must make alone." Marcus paused deep in thought and Mikkel waited quietly for Marcus to continue knowing Marcus was just gathering his thoughts before he spoke.
"I had the same trouble as you did when I was trying to figure out why God would let such a good women as my mother and Jennifer pass away and why he let criminals escape justice or why he let such crimes be committed in the first place. At least part of the answer is that he created freewill. Freewill means that we have choice we can either go our own way or follow God's way.
"God always has a plan in mind for our lives, but we don't have to follow his plan even though it hurts him when we go our own way. Most people think the bible contradicts itself, but it doesn't really once you understand." Marcus fell silent remembering his own struggle to believe in God and then all the trouble the rest had gone through.
"It took me awhile to come to grips with what happened both in the past and could possibly happen in the future, but everybody has a moment to where they either believe or they die unforgiven. Shari and I both came very close to death one night, before we were married. Shari was a witness to the murder of a friend of hers who also happened to be a federal judge and as a U.S. Marshal it was my job to protect her.
"They sent an assassin after her—one of the best. If it hadn't been for a fierce storm that kept the plane from taking off and a gut feeling that we should stay in the house until the storm was over she might very well be dead and I would have lost the love of my life."
"What happened to the assassin?" asked Mikkel fascinated in spite of himself.
"He got himself killed," said Marcus not saying anymore.
There was no time for the question burning in his brain for they had pulled up at the building where he and his brother had been living for at least the last year. It was a poor example how a building should look. It was mostly brick with a few boarded up windows a little further up. The windows were covered in plywood one piece nailed diagonally across the other. The drainpipe was rusted and the gutter looked clogged with leaves and trash. The front door was half off its hinges and hanging at an odd angle.
"And you've been living here?" Marcus asked, as he looked around the area keeping his eyes open for trouble. "Let's hurry, I don't want to leave the car for long. This is a bad neighborhood."
Mikkel nodded, but didn't say anything. Within five minutes Mikkel had grabbed the few things he possessed and they headed back outside only to meet a gang of boys with blue bandannas tied around their brows. "Going somewhere Mikkel?" sneered the oldest who also seemed to be the leader.
"That's none of your business Josef," Mikkel said.
"And where is your brother Seth today?" asked Josef.
"In jail, if it's any of your business," Mikkel snarled.
"Is he now and why aren't you with him then?" asked Josef.
"None of your business," said Mikkel, beginning to feel fear. All the boys in the gang were holding an assortment of chains, crowbars and a couple of guns.
Marcus had remained silent up to now sizing up the situation as Mikkel tried to brave it out. "Who's your friend?"
"Marcus O'Malley U.S. Marshal," Marcus replied. "And if you know what good for you you'll move out of our way."
"And if we don't?" asked Josef bravely.
"Then if you decided to attack a U.S. Marshal I would be within my rights to shoot every one of you. Not necessarily in a vital spot you understand, just enough to put you out of commission."
Marcus sounded deadly serious. The gang all expect the leader backed off a little at that threat. "You don't have the guts," Josef said trying to sound unconcerned.
"No? You're talking about a guy who killed one of the best assassins in the world for trying to kill a witness in a case when she saw who had murdered a federal judge."
"Who?" asked Josef his bravery beginning to fail, him.
"Lucas Saracelli," Marcus answered simply.
Josef blanched at that and backed away. He had heard about the assassin and his death and if this was the man that had killed him . . . he didn't particularly want to find out if this guy would do the same to him.
"Hey man, we didn't mean nothing, did we guys?" asked Josef backing away.
The others shook their heads bleakly and started backing away rapidly. Soon they were across the street and disappearing into an alley. "Let's go," Marcus told Mikkel. "Before anything else happens."
They got back in the car and Marcus backed out and was soon out of sight of the building that had once been Mikkel's home. Another piece; of the puzzle of what made Marcus who he was, was falling into place. Marcus had mentioned an assassin had died, but not a name or who had killed him. It was bound to be the same guy. So what did that tell him? That Marcus could be dangerous when he wanted to be? That he protected the people he cared about? That despite the job and the stress he didn't let it affect his family life and he was a lot kinder then most people? All and all the assessment was good. The only downside at the moment as far as he could see, was they would expect him to believe in God that and the fact they would expect him to go to school and get an education. He would stay with these people for awhile. He had a feeling it was going to be interesting and he also had a feeling that life with the O'Malleys was never going to be boring.
~~~Beyond the Future~~~
When they got back to the O'Malleys house Mikkel remembered the living room and what a mess it had been.
"I'm sorry about your house," Mikkel said as they pulled back up into the drive.
"It's not your fault both Shari and I realize that. Your brother, Seth, on the other hand, is a different matter," Marcus assured him.
"I know," Mikkel said sadly shaking his head, thinking of his brother. "Seth hung out with a bad crowd, even before mom was killed and it just got worse after she was gone. She had at least a little control over his actions, not much, but a little. Before I was old enough to walk I learned to stay out of my brother's sight if possible. It was better if he forgot I existed."
"You can help us put it back together," Marcus offered. "Most of the stuff out in the van isn't even scratched. You can help carry the smaller pieces and put them back where they go. I have a few of the neighbors coming over in an hour to help move the furniture back."
"Okay," Mikkel agreed, amazed at the trust Marcus was placing in him.
~~~Beyond the Future~~~
"Where does this go?" asked Mikkel bringing in a picture frame of antique silver.
"Is the picture still in the frame?" asked Shari, coming over and looking at the frame Mikkel was holding.
"No I'm afraid not," said Mikkel sadly shaking his head.
"This was the one that had all the O'Malley's pictured. We haven't found the picture," Shari sighed.
"I'm not sure when he did take the frame I guess I should have been paying attention," Mikkel said.
"You are not at fault for your brother's actions," Shari said softly. "I will admit, I was angry the night it happened, but I was tired and we had just returned from a long trip. Things affect you differently when you're too tired to think straight. Now that I've had a good night's sleep, I realize it could have happened when we were home and we might have all ended up dead or at least hurt. I now realize things happen for a reason. Maybe we were supposed to meet you and take you in just like we did. God's ways are often mysterious and you don't have to understand his reasoning to realize it was the right thing to do."
Mikkel absorbed this silently, but didn't get a chance to respond as one of the neighbors yelled, "Shari where do you want this?"
Shari left without another word to direct the men on where to put the couch.
~~~Beyond the Future~~~
A few hours later, the living looked as if it had never been disrupted, except for the fact that a couple of the frames had to be replaced for the college degrees and other awards that had been hanging on the walls. They had found all three pictures, the one with all of the O'Malleys and the one with Shari's family as well as their wedding picture thrown behind the curio case the one piece of furniture that hadn't been removed. All three were relatively undamaged, except for a few curled corners. Shari placed them back in their frames almost reverently and put them back on the mantel.
When they were done it was late in the afternoon and Shari plopped down on the couch with a sigh. "You okay minx?" asked Marcus, looking concerned.
"I'm fine—tired but fine," Shari said.
"You shouldn't have tried to help so much. You should have let us do the work," Marcus said.
"Marcus, I'm not an invalid, I'm pregnant that's all," Shari protested, without much anger behind it. "Besides, all I did was direct. I didn't lift a finger otherwise."
"And you directed like a true general," Marcus teased. "You had all the men obeying your every command, like slaves."
The playful tone in his voice made Shari smile, "Yeah, well, looks who talking Mr.-I-don't-know-when-to-stop-and-rest."
Marcus laughed gently as Shari poked him in the stomach with each word. "I suppose I could have stopped for a few minutes, but I wanted to get it done and get our living room back to normal."
"It's time to go to social services and see if we can become foster parents," said Shari.
"Are you sure you aren't too tired?" asked Marcus.
"I'm fine, let's just go and get it over with. I have a feeling with his past and the fact that he tried to rob us is going to cause social services to ask a lot of questions," Shari said.
"I know, but hopefully, we'll still get custody of him in the end. I don't think most other people would understand what he's been through or they would just brush it off as inconsequential or unimportant," Marcus replied.
"And you do understand?" asked Shari.
"To a certain extent yes, I do understand. I was never a criminal, but I did grow up in an orphanage so I know how important it is having someone who cares. Whether it's family or someone as close as family," Marcus explained soberly.
"Then let's go get Mikkel and go—the sooner the better. Besides, I really like him a lot," Shari said.
"I'm glad," said Marcus, giving her a hug and a kiss. "I was afraid you'd object."
"And why would I? Your instincts have always been good and even I could see he was being mistreated. I may be athletically challenged, but I'm not stupid," Shari joked.
"No, you definitely aren't that. Let's go then, the day isn't getting any younger you know," Marcus said.
~~~Beyond the Future~~~
A half an hour later, they sat in the social services office. It was a drab place. The once white paint was faded and gray and peeling in places. The posters on the walls were peeling and faded and the desk was secondhand at best and was loaded down with paperwork.
"And you want to foster the same kid that tried to rob you?" asked the graying haired man in surprise. Marcus and Shari sat in the office with their lawyer, by the name of Janis McCollum. Marcus had called her yesterday and she had been surprised by Marcus's request, but not overly so. They had known each other for over fifteen years at that point. She knew his story and the fact his instincts were usually good. He didn't call on her often but when it did it was for something important like this.
"Yes Mr. Devitch," said Marcus. "We certainly have the money if that is all that concerns you."
"But Mr. and Mrs. O'Malley why would you do such a thing for a kid who was caught—red handed I might add—in your house with his older brother—" Devitch looked down at his papers for a name. "—Seth. You have kids of your own, it's not like you need to adopt."
"Mr. Devitch," Shari began, speaking for the first time. "Let me tell you something. Just because we can have kids of our own doesn't give us permission to stop caring about other people. Marcus's instincts tell him that Mikkel isn't a bad boy that he just went along with it to stop his brother from killing him—and I agree after I spent time with him. The look in Seth's eyes was enough the first time I saw them to make me take a step back and wonder why I wasn't incinerated on the spot."
"Surely you're exaggerating?" suggested Devitch delicately.
"She's not," said Marcus. "I got the same impression when I looked in his eyes. Eyes filled with such hate that it makes you feel dirty just by looking. And Mr. Devitch I have seen every kind of evil imaginable in my nearly twenty-five years as a U.S. Marshal. From people being simply greedy to where they narrow a river just so they can save money on building a bridge. Just two and a half years ago it flooded and swamped a lot of homes and killed at least a dozen people all because the contractors didn't do their job properly, to people who will be assassins for money. I've seen men who beat their wives and people who try to burn down their own homes just because they're a little bit behind on their house payments and they want to collect on the insurance. I've seen children who are caught in the middle of domestic squabbles to ones who get beaten to death by one parent or the other, to children who bring guns to school and kill three other children before killing themselves or being killed by somebody else—"
"And this has to do with what we were discussing how?"
"It has to do with the fact Mr. Devitch that my instincts are good or I would have been dead years ago and at the moment my instincts are practically screaming at me that Mikkel only went along with it because his brother would have done something brutal to him if he had not. And just because we have a child of our own with twins on the way does not mean we can stop doing something we feel is right," Marcus told him.
"I'll see what I can do," Mr. Devitch finally sighed; giving in. "It might be a couple of months he'll have to go to the orphanage in the meantime—"
"If he goes to an orphanage he'll just try to run away," Marcus interrupted. "And perhaps get himself lost or killed in the process."
"And how would you know that?"
"Because I grew up in an orphanage and I happen to know that look. It's the-I'd-rather-fend-for-myself-then-be-put-in-an-orphanage look and unlike Trevor House nearly thirty years ago when Lisa tried to run away I won't be there to talk him out of it like I did her."
"And Lisa is?"
"My sister, there were seven of us and we all eventually wound up at Trevor House. We decided when we got out we would legally change our last names and become a real family," Marcus explained briefly.
"Well I suppose there is no harm in giving you temporary custody until the foster papers go through. Do you want the option to adopt if things go well?" Mr. Devitch said.
"Yes," both Shari and Marcus answered at the same time.
"If he fits in as well as I think he will with the rest of my family then we will eventually adopt him," Marcus added.
"And mine," said Shari.
"Let's go tell Mikkel the good news," Marcus suggested, getting up and leaving the office as soon as they had signed whatever papers that needed to be signed. Mr. Devitch shook his head and hoped there was no trouble in the near future from that particular corner. He didn't understand their reasons he didn't have to—he just knew they were good people and would take care of the boy—that was all that mattered.
~~~Beyond the Future~~~
