To Sing Frogs Chapter 21d

Courthouse in Vladivostok

“Sorry,” I said to Anya after we walked out of the courtroom. “I didn’t mean to annoy her.”

I saw the prosecutor laugh as she walked past, obviously understanding at least the gist of our exchange in English. Anya wasn’t concerned about what happened in the hearing. She’d seen worse. Amy was chewing on glass. She wanted to know if everything was going to be all right. Anya assured her everything was fine but qualified her statement with the fact that you never knew if the judge would send you off on a quest for more documents or to prove some other point. Still, she was convinced the adoption would eventually happen.

The prosecutor smiled again while shaking her head as she walked past on her way back from the bathroom. I think she was smiling at Amy and laughing at me. Either way we were soon ordered back into the courtroom.

“The judge asks for you both to stand while she reads her decision,” Anya translated. “The court rules in favor of the adoption pending a ten-day appeal period. Any party wishing to appeal the court’s decision must do so and present evidence for the reason of the appeal within that time period. Barring any appeals the adoption will become permanent without any further action from the court.”

 

 

“Hail the man who argues with judges!” Anya translated for Marina-Grigorievna as they raised their glasses of water over bowls of Borscht at a small downtown restaurant. Stass, Anya, Marina-Grigorievna, and Amy all laughed.

“Hey, at first my responses weren’t long enough. Then I said too much. Just tell me what to say!” I bellowed in my own defense. It only made them laugh harder.

Kirrill’s social worker had turned down the invitation to dinner saying she needed to get home. Marina-Grigorievna was stuck in the city until the next morning and she kindly accepted our offer. Stass and Anya had their hearts set on Borscht, the traditional Russian beet soup. At least until this point, I had been able to avoid it. I hate beets.

I shivered as I took my first bite and prepared myself for rapid repeats of a swallowing action. The soup was good though. It didn’t taste anything like beets.

We all laughed and celebrated our successful adoption over several bowls of the traditional Russian food. As dinner progressed, I fell out of the conversation more and more.

“Marina-Grigorievna says she is surprised you don’t seem happier with the court’s decision,” Stass finally translated.

I all but choked. I couldn’t tell them about little Marina. I didn’t want to talk about it anyway. That wasn’t the only thing bothering me so I was able to dodge with a lesser concern. “I know the court in this area never waives the ten-day appeal period except for medical emergencies. I’m not a bit surprised they didn’t do it for us. Still, I am disappointed that we have to continue to wait. I’m not half as discouraged as Katya is going to be when we have to keep taking her back to the orphanage after visits. You saw her the other night when we dropped her off. She’s going to go through it again and again. How are we supposed to build any trust with her?”

Marina-Grigorievna smiled as she began to speak. The grin soon broadened to cover her entire face like a sunrise. It seemed she had been working on a surprise for us. “Marina-Grigorievna says there is a law stating parents can visit the child at the orphanage during the appeal period but the social worker is allowed to do whatever she believes is in the child’s best interest.” Stass translated. He then explained the reason for the law. It was designed for situations like Katya’s where the child was being too stressed by separation from future parents. In such cases the social worker could deny parents access to the child until completion of the appeal period. My jaw bounced off the table. Amy gasped.

Marina-Grigorievna—seeing our dismay first hand—began to speak quickly, hoping to bring happiness rather than despair. “Marina-Grigorievna says the way the law is written leaves a loophole. She says that she will use it because she thinks it is best for them to go with you tomorrow. You should understand, though,” Stass explained, “Marina-Grigorievna is doing exactly the opposite of what the law was intended to do. She is simply telling you what her explanation will be if she is questioned. She really shouldn’t do this.”

Our dear friend smiled appropriately for having given the best gift possible. “She says congratulations to you and happy birthday for the girls.”

So it was that Marina-Grigorievna christened the additions into our family.

Amy burst into tears. I sat shocked, not knowing how to respond. It was one of those gifts you knew you didn’t deserve and realized you could never reciprocate. There is only one thing you can do in such circumstances. “Thank you,” I said in my most humble voice. “We can never repay you.”

Marina-Grigorievna didn’t want tears or even thanks. The kind woman wanted us to be happy. She wanted our girls to be happy. “To fam-ee-lee!” she said as she raised her glass of water.

“To family!”

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