13 - Orphanage (2)

‘Hey, kids!’ Mr. Powell says from the open door. After a round of hugs, he told them that records from the kids in the orphanage before they assumed management was missing. 

‘I asked them about all those records when we arrived, and they told us about a break-in years earlier. Those idiots trashed the whole place. Do you know what the biggest surprise was? The only thing the looters absconded with were records of all the kids living here. Since most of you guys have grown up and moved on, they never bothered to restore the missing data,’ he said. ‘I think the old caretakers should have fixed the records because there is always a chance that someone might return.

‘Pa, were there any other pictures you could show us from before?’ Max asked hopefully. 

‘Nah, but you know what, I was cleaning out a few boxes a few months ago and found a bunch of negatives. You’re welcome to look through them or maybe get a few developed, see if you can get something useful out of ‘em? Let me go get the box,’ he said as he left.

‘Boys, why don’t you help Pa look for that box,’ Ma shooed them away. She needed time alone with Clara.

-=-

Max and Jeremy found the boxes in the dusty storeroom. There were more pictures than they expected, and so many innocent youthful faces looking back at them brought a lump to Max’s throat. ‘These are all the kids that were here since we were kids?’ he asked after clearing his throat, making his voice scratchy. So many abandoned youths, so many unloved kids. He felt their pain.

‘Some of them transferred to that young adult facility Clara had set up for the homeless youth.’ replied Pa. Clara had provided a facility for older teenagers. Ones that were usually turned away from the orphanages, so they could make something of themselves. Studying and learning life skills so they do not go out into the world without being armed with knowledge.

‘You know you guys did good, setting up that place. Some of the teens took up trade skills, then some graduated from the local college, and some of them are working for your company.’ 

It was easy for Max to convince people to help, because of his natural skill in conversing with people. He convinced several wealthy individuals and their companies to sponsor their non-profit organization and make it thrive. This is why they could sponsor more than one orphanage and set up several young adult facilities.

‘Pa, are there really no records of anybody? I wanted to check mine. Can you see and let me know if you find something?’ Max inquired.

They left without really accomplishing anything, and he felt disheartened. His sister did not get her picture, and he did not find out anything about his past. Who would want to steal records from an orphanage, anyway? It must have been so important that they wanted to hide their tracks? ‘Why do I have the niggling feeling that this had something to do with me?’ Max wondered as he tried to squeeze his brain for information. If he wanted to know more about his past, maybe he should start with his birth. Maybe, he could scour the registry database for kids born around the same time he was born and find out where they are now. That can’t be that hard. He was not at the top of his class when it came to programming, and it’s been years since he got in front of a computer, but he could always manage a simple search command, right? Or he could always hack into these websites that specialize in these databases and these searches.

‘What am I thinking? Maybe it’s better that I don’t know who they are. Why would I want to know who my parents are, anyway? They clearly abandoned me. Why should I go looking for them now?’ Doubts crossed his mind. ‘But what if they got into an accident and they don’t know where I am? What if they died? Maybe I could visit their graves and learn who they are. Get closure, as Clara will get as soon as she talks to her parents.’

‘Is it bad that I feel a little envious that Clara is not an orphan anymore? The bond that kept us together all these years is beginning to crumble. I don’t want to lose her. I hope they don’t want her so we can keep her.’ Before he could think more sordid thoughts, his phone buzzes in his pocket. 

‘Took them long enough to start tracking me down. Okay, who is the lucky lady tonight?’ he wonders as he fishes the phone out of his tight jeans. He was getting horny. It’s been months since he’d last seen a naked woman, and it was all because of Celine, but she was not giving him the time of day. So he had to go to extreme measures.

Max hired a novelty gift shop near her office area to deliver a cute item from their shop every day for the past 2 months. 

‘So I’ve been receiving your gifts, and it’s been 2 months, I think you should stop it, they’re running out of items to send to me, and they know me by now, they probably think we’re weird.’ the text from Celine reads.

‘Nah, I like getting a picture of my cute gift every day. I don’t know why they included you in the picture, but you look alright.’

‘What? I didn’t need to be in the picture?’

‘Just kidding,’ he answers. ‘I enjoy seeing your reaction and whatever cute number you are wearing for the day.’

‘That’s unfair! You get to see me every day.’

‘I can send you a pic every day, too, if that’s what you want.’

‘NO!’ she answers.

Max had been romancing Celine the past few months, and this was the first time he had the inclination to do this with anybody, maybe because he wanted to tread lightly when it came to Celine because Clara might end up being his sister and he can’t just sleep with her and forget her. That might sever his relationship with Clara faster than he can say his name. Or maybe deep down in his heart, he was feeling something else other than just lust.

‘Okay, I’ll stop if you go out with me.’

‘Fine, one more date. I guess I still owe you from last time. Friday night, 7 pm. I’ll text you the details later.’ It was a text from Celine and it brought a smile to his face. It seems like Celine hasn’t shot down his chances.