Rad was on his laptop looking up nearby foster home websites to see where Lyon could possibly be located. He was sitting in the kitchen near the counter island table. He was diligent to finding each site with Lyon's name on each of them until he came across one, Queensland Foster Care.

He was looking up the list of names and found Lyon Alexandre Laurent. "Found it," he said to himself. He looked at the site's contact information and found the phone number. He grabs his phone and dials the number of the foster home.

"Hello, Queensland Foster Care," said a female voice.

"Hello, I am calling today in regard to setting up an appointment on prospective adoption," said Rad.

"Why yes, we can do that. Before we attempt to set an appointment, I do have several questions to ask of you."

"Yes, understood."

"First and foremost, what is your occupation," asked the foster care worker.

"I work at an oil rig. I just transferred closer to a site near home so that I can take care of the child during the weekends."

"Okay, good. Second, what is your status? Are you married?"

"Well, no. I am single," added Rad.

The female foster care worker was silent for a few seconds. "It's rare that we get any single males to adopt children. Usually, it is couples and single mothers."

"Yes, that I am aware. The reason for that is I used to work in an oil site farther from home. That is why I haven't been married up to this point. But I have taken the time to think this through and made this important decision. To be closer to the family at home, and to possibly start my own family even if it isn't through marriage."

"Well, you did put a lot of thought into this. Those are good reasons," stated the worker. "Now, you mention you do have family here. Who are they?"

"I have two brothers who are also fathers, and two of my parents. We all live here in Brisbane."

The foster care worker nodded as she kept writing down her notes during the phone call. "Good. Now, what is the relationship between you and your family?"

"We get along very well. I also get along with my brothers' daughters, who are my nieces," Rad added.

Although the conversion is going smoothly, Rad did feel a bit of sweat through him. He wasn't sure if he was convincing the foster care lady enough to get the appointment set up. It felt more like an interview.

"Very well, and tell me, just to make sure, you said you are wanting to start a family of your own. Do you believe you are fit to become a parent?"

Rad gave a resounding yes. "I believe I want to give a child a difference. I bear all responsibility to give the child a comfortable life."

The woman seems convinced of Rad's resolve toward parenthood. "Alright, I believe that sums up the questions. I will set you up for Monday in the afternoon. What I will do is send you the paperwork through email. All you need to do is fill out the forms and have them ready by the day of your appointment. May I have your name?"

"Radley Heeler."

"Okay, Mr. Heeler. My name is Amelia Stewart. I am the person in charge of the foster home. I can tell you seem keen on becoming a father. Now, have you looked at our site's profiles? Was there anyone you seem interested in," asked Amelia.

"Yes, I am interested in meeting with Lyon Laurent. The wolf-dog kid" exclaimed Rad.

"Ah, so you are interested in adopting young Lyon?"

"Yes, long story short I was acquainted with his father, Marc Laurent. I have met his kid a few times during my visits to his house. Having to learn that he has no relatives left, I am strongly interested in becoming a father figure to him," explained Rad.

Amelia was silent again for a few seconds. "I see. Now, before we continue, do keep in mind that Lyon is still in shock at what happened. It has been a trying moment losing his parents over the past several weeks. It may take a while for him to fully open up to anyone. I trust that you are completely aware of the situation."

Rad gave another yes. He knew Lyon has gone through so much ever since his parents passed away, but he wanted to make a difference by giving him the life Marc and Audrey were unable to fulfill.

Amelia wrote down more notes. "Very well. I have set up our appointment for the next week. We will discuss more the process, but for now, I must ask that you fill out those forms I sent to you through email. Once that has been done, you will meet with Mr. Laurent, and by then we shall continue with the adoption process. I thank you for making time into giving a child a great difference," said Amelia with a grateful attitude.

"No worries at all. I look forward to meeting next Monday," added Rad.

"Of course. You have a good day Mr. Heeler." The phone call ended there. Rad went to his spare room, which was a simple office. He brought his laptop to the desk and connected to the wireless printer to make copies of the Adoption Expression of Interest Form.

As he was filling out each page to provide thorough details, he heard a knock on the door. He headed to the entrance, and it was his two younger brothers, Bandit and Stripe. Stripe was blue, but a slightly different shade of blue than Bandit. His stripe was a light blue around his torso, and just like Bandit, he had stubble around his muzzle. On one side of the head was a spot of dark blue with brown trim around the spot. His left ear is bent and had chest hairs as well.

"Well, if it isn't my two brothers," greeted Rad.

"G'day Rad," said both Bandit and Stripe. Rad invited the two inside his house and grabbed some soda cans from the fridge. The three brothers went to the living room to hang out and chat while drinking their cans of soda.

"So you really did transfer here closer to home then," asked Bandit.

"You bet, it did take a bit of persuasion, but I was able to secure a position at the oil refinery near home," explained Rad.

"That's great," congratulated Stripe. "So that means you'll be here more often then. More time to spend time with us."

"Have you also made up your mind about what we talked about? About adopting," inquired Bandit.

Radley put his can down and leaned against the couch. "Yes, I made up my mind. After what you told me in our last conversation, I know I want to do it. Not just because I want to, but for Marc's kid's sake. I know this isn't going to be easy as you said, but I'm willing to put in the work."

"Good. Seems like you really thought it through."

"So where are the rest of the family," asked Rad.

"The girls are with Trixie and Chili in downtown. We just wanted to take the time to spend time with you today," said Stripe. "Mum is also with them as well," added Bandit.

"So, it's a girl's day out for them," asked Rad.

"More or less. They wanted to stop by the corner shops."

Rad looked down and made a light sigh. "To be honest, I'm a bit nervous about how this will work. I'm not sure if Lyon is willing to open up. The last time I saw him, he was not in a good state of mind since the funeral."

The two younger brothers looked silently at the eldest brother. "What makes you so sure things won't work out," asked Bandit.

Rad recalls the day of the funeral when he interacted with Lyon. "Well, the thing is Lyon did say this exactly: 'Mr. Heeler, why did you bring me inside? You could have left just like the rest of the group.' The way he said it he sounded so grim. As if he didn't want anyone to help him. Hard to hear it from a six-year-old."

"Did he say why," asked Stripe.

"Not a lot. All he mentioned was that he had nobody left in his life. No aunts, uncles, or grandparents. What's more curious is Marc nor Audrey have mentioned any family nearby."

"That is odd, but maybe they live far away," suggested Bandit.

"If that were so, Marc could have mentioned that to me." Rad sips through his soda and then crushes it. There was silence in the air. Rad wondered if he was really doing the right thing. Taking in a child who has witnessed a disturbed moment in his life. The two younger brothers looked at the worried eldest brother. "Hey, don't think too hard on this big brother. As I mentioned before, we've got your back. We know how this works," said Bandit with a grin expression. "Yeah, if you ever need advice on parenting, don't hesitate to reach out. We are brothers after all," encouraged Stripe.

"Thanks, guys. You don't know how much this means to me. I know I want to do this. For Marc and Audrey's sake. Lyon's as well."

Then Bandit recalled the day he saw that kid. "Oh, speaking of Lyon, I think I may have seen him the other day."

Rad's eyes widened. "Really? Where," asked Rad.

"I was taking the girls to the monkey bars in the morning. When we arrived, Bluey spotted a kid behind the tree. He was watching us from a distance, and Bluey said hello to him. However, he was timid that day and ran away. It wasn't long until we saw him again at the bus stop. He was also with a caretaker from the foster home."

Rad was stunned; it was a mere coincidence that Bandit and his kids met Lyon for the first time. "Did he say anything," he asked.

"No, not much. He did apologise to Bluey for running away. I think she may have scared him."

"I'm sure she didn't mean to. She is very energetic after all," added Stripe.

"Perhaps he's not used to being around others. As I mentioned before, he has gone through a lot. Maybe with a little bit more time and effort, I'm sure he might open up," said Rad. "I just hope I have what it takes to let him warm up to me."

The three brothers decided to change the subject, and chat more about their personal lives, life goals, and careers. After that, they decided to watch cricket on TV. They bonded together as they did back in the eighties; they were close as if they were the Three Musketeers.

"Man, time goes by so quickly," stated Rad. "When was it the last time we got together like this?"

"Not for a while. We only see you on Christmas since you used to work overseas," said Bandit.

"But it feels nice though. We now get to see each other more often, and soon you'll become a dad," added Stripe. "Have you ever thought of a relationship, Rad?"

That question surprised Rad. "Oh, it was the last thing on my mind. Since I have been away for so long, looking for a relationship hasn't been a priority for me, but I guess it is now. I'm not really in a big rush, but I am considering it. I know I had my fair share of dates when I was younger. Didn't really work out," said Rad sheepishly.

"You mean that one time you broke those two girls' hearts back in high school; you were in that lover's triangle, and you tried to pick one out but couldn't decide which is best. You were a real heartbreaker," teased Bandit.

"Hey, I was sixteen," said Rad with a crossed look. "I broke two girls' hearts in one day, so what? I had my faults, but I've learned my lesson."

"Uh-huh, sure," said Stripe in a sarcastic tone. Both younger brothers chuckled while the older one rolled his eyes.

"Anyhow, what I'm saying is that is the least of my worries for now. My priority is to make sure things go smoothly with the adoption. Hopefully, me and Lyon will open up to each other the times we will meet, and if all goes well, I'm sure the foster home will allow me to adopt him," reiterated Rad.

The night passes on, and it was time for both Bandit, and Stripe to go back to their families. Rad waves goodbye to both their brothers as they drove away in Bandit's Jeep vehicle. Rad went inside the house to his spare room office to double-check if everything has been filled properly in the application form. After that, he decided it was time to get ready for bed; he went to the bathroom for a relaxing shower as he had his towel in hand. He turns on the tap to hot, and he felt the steamy, boiling water running through his body. The entire bathroom was engulfed in a mist. Rad grabs his almond milk shampoo and gives his hair three lathers; he was consistent with his hair care routine. Afterward, he grabs a mint fresh body wash and applies it to his sponge, and he rubs the sponge all over his body.

After that shower, he turns off the tap and steps out of the shower. He grabs his tower to dry himself completely. Afterward, he combs his hair in a meticulous fashion, and he shaves his muzzle with aloe shaving cream.

Rad then went to his room to lie down and decides to scroll on his phone for fifteen minutes before bed. He was casually looking at any parent blogs that relate to adoption. "If I am going to do this, informing myself on this shouldn't hurt," he said. After fifteen minutes, he turns off his phone and closes his eyes.

It was Monday afternoon; Rad drives to Banyo, a town in Queensland where the Queensland Foster Care was located. He had his SatNav on the dashboard of his Ute, and he was following each direction the system was directing him to. He finally arrived at the foster home; the exterior was a white cement exterior with beige cream trims followed by a black roof. The front of the building had the sign of the name of the building in orange bold words: Queensland Foster Care.

Rad got off his vehicle with his paperwork with him. He went to the front gate door of the foster home. The entrance had an intercom device. "Okay, you can do this," Rad said to himself. He pushes the button.

"Hello, Queensland Foster Care. Who am I speaking to," asked a woman's voice.

"Radley Heeler, I'm here for my afternoon appointment," said Rad.

"Ah yes, Mr. Heeler. We were expecting you. Please, do come in," said the foster care worker. The gate automatically unlocks itself, and Rad heads through the entrance. The front of the establishment seems well-maintained. The lawn seems to be green and healthy followed by plenty of shrubbery and flowers. The center of the entrance was a tabletop fountain in the middle of the entire area. Rad passes through and enters the building. He was in the lobby area, and a white terrier arrives.

"You must be Radley Heeler. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Dana Ryan, one of the foster care workers here," she said holding her paw out for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you as well," said Rad returning the shake. "At the moment most of the children are at school right now, but they should be back soon. In the meantime, why don't we head to the office to discuss the process," added Dana.

The two dogs went into the owner of the foster home's office. There was a dark poodle sitting at the desk. She had her reading glasses on while looking over documents. She saw both Rad and Dana in the room. "Ah, the afternoon appointment," said the dark poodle. "Please have a seat."

Rad nodded and he sat down while facing both Dana, and the owner of the foster home. "I believe we spoke on the phone last week. As you know, my name is Amelia Stewart. I am the one who is in charge of running the foster home. We strive to give each child a loving family. As we conversed with each other on the phone, you mentioned you are currently single, yes?"

"Yes ma'am. I have also explained that I wanted to become a father to give a child a difference. I believe I am willing to step up to the opportunity of becoming a parent," stated Rad with confidence.

"Of course. May I have the paperwork you filled out," asked Amelia. Rad gives Amelia his filled out application, and she scrutinizes each page that has been filled out while fiddling with her glasses. Rad sat with patience as he had both paws' thumbs twiddling around.

"Looks excellent," stated Amelia. "Alright Mr. Heeler, so this is how the process works. Since you have stated you are single, you are qualified through the adoption process. You seem to have a clean record, and you seem to have stated you're in perfect health condition as well. The entire process takes several months so it'll require you to have home assessments, and a few classes to take based on adoption, visits, and approvals. Do you agree with all that I have mentioned," asked Amelia.

"I do," stated Rad.

"Very well," added Amelia.

"You mentioned you were interested in adopting Lyon too," added Dana. "You also said you knew both of his parents before they passed away, and you met him a few times during your visits to their house. Are you aware that Lyon is a bit sensitive to meeting others? It may take a while for both of you to bond," she warned with a concerned face.

"That I am aware of too. I know it isn't easy for the kid to go through this. I would like to get to know him better each time I visit to see him, and hopefully, we will establish an amiable friendship." Rad was sure of his decision after giving the proper explanations to both Dana and Amelia.

"I see. Your reasons are more than enough to allow us to let you see him," said Amelia with a smile. "It's four o'clock now. I believe the children should be back from school now. Most of them go to different schools while the younger ones stay here in our daycare. Lyon should be back with the group," said Dana. "Why don't we head downstairs to the play area? We should be able to have you meet him there." Rad agreed, and both Dana and Rad went downstairs to the play area.

The room was spacious enough for plenty of kids to play in there. One side had plenty of toys, books, and plenty of other things that the children play with to express themselves. The other side had several tables where the adults meet with the children they want to adopt. This seems to be the side where workers observe the interaction between adults and kids when getting to know each other. Dana led Rad to the room and asks him to take a seat at one of the tables. "Wait here. I'll go find Lyon," she said. Dana went to go upstairs to check if Lyon was in his room. Lyon was doing his arithmetic homework assignment at his desk. He heard a knock on his door. "Enter," he said. Dana comes in with a grin on her face. "How was school today," she asked.

"Fine, thanks," he said causally. "I have good news for you. Someone is here to see you."

Lyon didn't seem to react to the news at all. "Oh, that so," he asked with a deadpan expression.

"You don't seem too excited," said Dana with a concerned look and her arms crossed.

"No, I think I know how this will end. They won't seem interested like the last few times I met with other adults." Lyon sighed, and put his elbows on the desk.

"Come now, I'm sure you'll find this one more interesting," coaxed Dana. "Even if that were so, how will I know if this one likes me enough to be adopted," asked the wolf dog pup.

"You can't know for sure unless you give it a try. Otherwise, things won't change. Will you reconsider your decision," asked Dana. Lyon sat quietly for a moment and thought it was better to get this show on the road. "Alright, but only I want to get it over with."

Dana held Lyon's paw as they headed downstairs to the play area. As they come into the room, Lyon's eyes widened when he saw the same red heeler at the funeral the past several weeks. Rad smiled warmly as he saw the malamute wolf dog child at first sight.

This was a bit of a long chapter. I wanted to add some extra bit, but I think I'll save that for another time. May as well leave a cliffhanger here with both Lyon and Rad meeting each other for the first time in a while. I appreciate the likes and follows I've received over time as well as the reviews. Thank you for reading my story

Also, not sure if this is relevant, but I was wondering if I should change the story title. It just popped up in my head, but not sure if I should change it to something meaningful. I was hoping to know what you guys think of my current title, and whether should I reconsider changing it.