An Addition?

Good morning, FFFs,

It's a sunny morning here. A bit on the breezy side, but it doesn't look too bad. Yesterday was in the 50ºs most of the day, but the rest of the week has been in the 70ºs or over. Everything is green, the flowers are in full bloom, and birds are building nests. We have bluebirds building a nest in the bluebird house, robins built a nest in a bush near the kitchen windows, and who knows who else has built or are building nests around us. We also have a rabbit who lives in our yard. I'm hoping she has a nest and we get baby bunnies again. We've had one baby rabbit last year and he was SO cute!

Anyway, this week has been good for writing. I finished the short story I was working on. (About a broken-hearted dishwasher.) It still doesn't have a title, but it's written and waiting for my editor to get to it. Now I'm back at work on "By Paths Unknown." This story has had challenges. Yesterday I wasn't sure just where it was going and if what I was writing was going to get to stay, but after a brain storming session with my mom, who has read most of what I've written so far, I was happy to know I could keep what I had written. We also were able to get a very rough–outline?–plan?–schedule?–something figured out. Now I think I can reach the end of the story! But not yet. I have several things that have to happen first. :) And just so you know, it's going to be a long story. Hope you all don't mind. ;)

Okay, this is a short story. More like a vignette. It was written when I was teaching some girls several years ago and we were working on creative writing. The focus was conversation because some of them struggled with that. They were given a picture from an old calendar with a baby face, and they had to write a conversation from a family about whether or not they should adopt the baby. This was my story. :) Hope you enjoy it!

An Addition?

    It was family time in the Brown house. The children, Carlin and Owen, never knew what was going to happen during family time. Sometimes they played games, sometimes Mom or Dad would read and sometimes they would just talk. As they hurried into the living room, they noticed Mom was looking in a folder.

    “Hi, Mom,” Carlin grinned, “what are we going to do tonight?”

    Just then Mr. Brown entered the room. “I see everyone is here. Let’s all find seats.” As he spoke he sat down in his favorite chair while the children, Carlin on the couch and Owen in a chair, waited expectantly. “I see you have the folder, Mom,” Mr. Brown smiled as he reached out for it.

    Mom nodded, her eyes twinkling as she handed it to Dad.

    “Children,” Mr. Brown began, “for some time now your mother and I have been discussing the possibilities of adoption. We’ve mentioned it to you several times, but nothing has ever seemed to happen.”

    “Dad,” Carlin leaned forward, “are we going to adopt?”

    Dad grinned. “We hope to.”

    “Oh goody! A boy? A girl? Can we get more than one? Will they be from the U. S. or from another country and how old will they be?”

    “Whoa, Carlin!” Dad laughed. “One thing at a time. We did find out last week that there is a little girl named Melissa who needs a home right now.”

    “A girl!” squealed Carlin, and bounced on the couch.

    “Oh be quiet, Car,” growled Owen, rolling his eyes. “We certainly don’t need another girl.”

    “Are you saying you don’t think we should adopt her, Owen?” Mom asked softly.

    Owen shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I just never thought much about adopting when you mentioned it before. Now . . .” His voice trailed off and, kicking off his shoes, he wiggled around in the chair until his legs were over one of the arms. It was a favorite way for the nine-year-old to sit and think.

    There was a moment of silence. Then Carlin, the eager, vivacious, seven-year-old spoke up. “Tell us more about her, Dad.”

    “Well, here’s a picture.” He pulled out a snap shot of a dark, curly-haired baby who looked to be about ten-months-old.

    “Oh, Mommy, she looks like she’s going to cry! I wish we could get her tonight! But isn’t she cute?”

    Mrs. Brown chuckled. “She sure is, honey.” Then to Mr. Brown she added, “I think Carlin’s sold.”

    “Oh, I am! I’ll share my room and my dolls and things with her. And I’ll help feed and dress her and I’ll play with her, and—” she paused to catch her breath. “When is she coming?”

    There was a moment of hesitation. Mr. Brown was looking at his son who had remained unmoved during Carlin’s excited exhibition. “Owen,” he said at last, “you haven’t said what you think of it all.”

    Owen shrugged, but didn’t say a word.

    “That doesn’t tell me anything,” Mr. Brown observed quietly.

    “Here, Owen,” Carlin bounced up from the couch with the picture in her hand, “look at how cute Mel is.”

    “You already have a nickname for her?” asked Mrs. Brown.

    “Yep.” She shoved the picture before her brother’s face.

    Pushing her hand away, Owen grumbled, “I can’t see anything when you stick it in my face like that. That’s better.”

    “Well?” Carlin persisted as her brother just looked in silence. “Isn’t she just the cutest thing? And don’t you just want to hold her so she won’t cry?”

    “No!”

    “That’s not very nice,” Carlin snapped.

    “You’re the one who asked.”

    “All right, you two, simmer down.” Mr. Brown nodded back to the couch and Carlin returned to her seat. “Okay, Owen, give us your reasons for not wanting to adopt Melissa.”

    “I don’t know if I really have any, Dad. I guess it just came as a surprise and I . . . I guess I’m just not sure. That’s all.”

    “I can understand that. This was rather a surprise. It was to your mom and me too. But Owen, God tells us in His Word to take care of the orphans and that He sets the solitary in families. Have you thought that perhaps we are the family for this little girl?”

    Owen shook his head. “I never thought of that.” With a wink he added, “But she’s a girl.”

    “Maybe we can get a boy soon so you can share your room too,” Carlin giggled.

    Everyone laughed.

    Mr. Brown looked around the room. “Are we all in agreement? Should we adopt Melissa and make her a part of our family?”

    A chorus of “Yes!” was the answer to that question and Mr. and Mrs. Brown exchanged smiles. “Then let’s all spend some time praying about it and for our new family member.”

    Only two weeks later, little Melissa came to join the Brown family. To everyone’s surprise, Mel or Melis, as everyone was soon calling her, attached herself to Owen right from the start. If she was tired or grumpy, Owen was the person she wanted. To him she clung when something frightened her, and the first baby kisses she gave were to Owen. Carlin didn’t mind too much, for Mel liked her to play with her and seemed to enjoy it when Carlin sang her to sleep each night.

    After a few weeks, no one in the Brown family could imagine life without little Melissa. And together they eagerly watched the mail for news of a little boy that needed a home.

Would YOU adopt this baby?

Are you excited about another long novel?

Are you eager to read about the broken-hearted dishwasher?