To Sing Frogs Chapter 19d

Stained Glass Butterflies at the Ussuriysk Baby Hospital

“Bring him over to the window,” Amy suggested. Maybe seeing outside will liven him up a little.

Soon I was holding him under the arms while he stood on the two-foot deep sill for the barred window. He looked through the glass and sighed. There was a whole world out there. It was so unlike the orphanage. There was so much to see, so much to do. Kirrill was diametrically opposed to Luba, who ruled over an orphanage and wanted nothing more.

He began to scan the rainbow-painted wooden playground equipment two stories below. There was nothing to see. He changed his focus to the cracked and uneven walkway just beyond the orphanage grounds.

“oofoof.” He gasped excitedly. Then he pointed and once again uttered the sound. “oofoof.”

“Yes!” Amy said happily. “Woof Woof. Dog. Can you say dog?”

“oofoof.”

When the dog and its owner rounded the corner Kirrill resumed his scan of the grounds below. There were no more oofoofs. He became bored with looking out the window, turned and wiggled, indicating he wanted to get down. Amy took him over to a low table where someone had left a few toys for us to play with. A bubble-blowing machine generated the most interest. Amy and I took turns hurrying around with him in our arms using his hand as a sword to hack and stab bubbles as they floated toward the floor while he giggled.

Stass, as usual, had drifted away to allow us time alone. Truth-be-known, he also wanted to visit with the director and other workers. He needed to maintain the relationships that would keep him in good standing. That was one of the key things that allowed him and Anya access to children that their clients would want to adopt.

At some point a social worker drifted in. She smiled and nodded cordially but didn’t approach. It appeared as if she didn’t speak English. Rather than cause confusion she just sat down, flipped open her notebook and began to take notes. It would have freaked me out if we hadn’t already understood the process from the interaction and observation with the girls.

We hadn’t been with Kirrill for more than twenty minutes when he gave out. The poor little guy was exhausted. Amy cradled him in her arms, sat on a bench, and rocked him to sleep. I was pretty bored. My wife certainly wasn’t. She was in heaven with the twenty-one-month old boy nestled up against her. He was breathing softly and his head was damp from sweat.

“Does he have a fever?” I asked. Amy held her face against his.

“No. He’s fine.”

“He’s sweating.”

“It’s been a long day for him. Lots of changes, huh, little guy,” she said while looking down at his innocent face.

“Why’s he sweating?”

“Oh, you worry too much.”

I travel quite a bit. I do a lot with sales. While I’m not a drinker myself I have lots of friends who are. I spend a fair amount of time with those who occasionally have a few too many. I’d almost be willing to bet… naw… it was too outrageous to even consider.

Kirrill yawned, stretched and opened his eyes. At first he seemed disoriented. With Amy cooing and stroking his face he was soon awake, if still a bit lethargic.

The social worker smiled, finished up her writing, and flipped her notebook shut. Then she stood and walked out of the room. She’d be referring to those scribbles in court the next afternoon.

It was forty-five minutes later when Stass returned with the director. Tatiana was happy to see us and as cordial as ever. She seemed confident as she assured Amy that all would be well with us taking Kirrill. “Look how he sleeps in your arms. He trusts you.”

Amy thought he just looked exhausted. Tatiana insisted. She worked with these children every day. When a little one curled up and went to sleep with a parent it was only because of trust. Amy smiled and kissed his forehead. She appreciated the reassurance.

The director shored us up, congratulated us on our adoption court hearing the next day, and said Kirrill was lucky to have us. I felt like we’d just finished a pep assembly when Tatiana energetically shook our hands and Stass led us away.

I kept my eyes fixed on my shoes as I descended the stairs. I refused to look at the colorful translucent images. Amy and I had decided to adopt Marina and Yula so I merited no imposition of guilt. I rejected glass judgment and walked out of the dim building into the sunny afternoon.

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