¿A Normal Life?

Chapter 2

There was a knock on the bedroom door. "Earlin, can I come in?"

"Yes, Lily, you may come in."

"What are you doing with mommy and daddy's things?"

"I am... Oh Honey. I think we better sit down and have a talk. Better yet," she said looking at William. "Let's go get some ice cream, just the two of us."

"Oh goody!"

They walked down to the nearest shop and bought a small ice cream cone and went to the park. They sat down across from each other on the green grass and enjoyed the scenery. There were kids playing baseball, on the swings, and the slide. They sat there and watched a couple of squirrels playing tag. It was fun to watch one run up and touch the other and then get chased through the grass, around the tree trunk, and up into its branches.

As the squirrels disappeared into the branches above, Earlin scooted over next to Lily and put her arm around her. Lily looked up into Earlin's soft face and said, "What's the matter ‘Lin?"
"Honey, I know you were told I was ill, I am because I’m sad. Uncle William picked me up from school early. There was a very nice policeman waiting to talk with us."
"What did he want? Were you bad?"
"No, I wasn't bad. He... Um, he wanted to talk about our mommy and daddy. I don't know how to say this. Sweetheart... Finish the last bite of you ice cream."
"Okay, but . . . "
"No. Don't say anything until I am done please."
Lily stuffed the last bite of her chocolate icecream in her mouth and swallowed. "Okay, I am done."
Earlin took her arm from around Lily's shoulders and picked up her hand. "Honey this is really hard to tell you. Mommy and daddy won't be coming home."
Lily looked at Earlin with big blue, scared eyes and said, "Why? Was I bad? They don’t want to see me anymore?"
Unable to hold her tears back anymore, Earlin pulled her sister into her lap and hugged her. "No you have been a very good girl. They want to see us. They just can't be with us."
Lily pulled back to look at her.
"Remember mommy and daddy went on a plane over the ocean to Hawaii?"
“Yes, 'Lin, I bemember."
"The plane had something wrong with it and it fell from the sky into the water. Mommy and daddy were stuck inside the plane because the door and windows wouldn't open. They died and will be watching over us from Heaven."
"I want my mommy! Please let's go get her!"
"Come here. I wish we could go and get them but we can't."
They sat together in the green grass looking off into the deep blue sky. They sat there, off in their own worlds until William touched Earlin's shoulder. She calmly looked at him and said, "She knows."
William took Lily out of Earlin's arms and then helped her stand up. He carried Lily with one arm while the other was around Earlin. They got into his car and went back to the apartment. By the time they got back to the apartment, which was only a few blocks away, it was completely dark.
While Earlin gave Lily a bath William put A.J. to bed and fixed TV dinners for all three of them. As Lily was drying off, the phone rang.
"William, will you get that please?"
"Hello."
"Is this William Bruner?"
"Yes, it is."
"This is Leo."
"I have been waiting for your call."
"May I come over and talk with you two?"
"We are just sitting down to eat. Give us an hour or so. I have been thinking. The girls do not have family they can stay with. I have talked with the babysitter and the landlord about the kid’s circumstances. We all agreed if you will permit it - I’ll stay with the kids from the time they get home from school until 10:00 P.M. and Mrs. Ellen Hawthorne, the babysitter, said she would stay with them all night - until they go to school."
"Let's wait to discuss it until I am there."
"Okay, we'll look for you in about an hour."
"See you then."
"Goodbye."
"Was that Leo,” Earlin asked as she walked through the door into the kitchen.
"Yes. He wants to talk with us. He is giving us time to eat and put Lily to bed before he comes over."
"Okay. Is dinner ready?"
"Just about. Will you set the table?"
"What do you want to drink?"
"Milk."
"We’ll all have milk then."
After setting the table Earlin went and got A.J., put him in his high chair and fed him. After dinner she put A.J. in his swing while she put Lily to bed.
She decided since there was still half an hour before Leo was supposed to be there that she would take A.J., swing and all, into the bedroom while she finished putting the papers in the boxes. She saw the envelope and picked it up. Oh yeah. Let's see what this is. A shadow draped across her causing her to look up and see William coming out of the closet.
"I need a flashlight. It is too dark to see anything in there. What are you doing?"
"Look at this. It is a key of some kind. Here’s a note. It's not English. I can't read it."
"Let me look at it. It's German, I think, or Latin. I will take it to my mom and have her read it."
"No. When things settle down and we get married she can see it then. For now I will just seal it back up and put it away."
"Fine."
William left the room to get the flashlight. There was a knock on the door. It was Officer Clark.
"Hi William."
"Hi Leo. Come in and make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you."
William walked back to the bedroom to tell Earlin he was there. Leo followed him to the bedroom.
"Hello Miss Lords. It looks like you’ve been busy."
"Hi. Yes. Between this and comforting Lily I haven't had time to slow down."
William picked up A.J., took him in and put him to bed with a bottle of water. Earlin and Leo waited in the living room.

William came out and sat on the couch next to Earlin. When they both looked at him, Leo looked down at the brown carpet and then at the pictures on the wall. They thought, Oh no! It’s bad news and he’s stalling for time.
When Leo finally looked at both of them he had a smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eye.

"What!" they almost yelled.
"First, William, I know you have been doing everything that you can to keep everyone together. We can't allow you to do as you asked..."
"How can you smile and then say that? Why can't they stay together?"
"Hold on. I didn't say they can't stay together. I said we can't use your suggestion. While I was on my lunch break I verified the signatures and discussed things with Lieutenant Green. We’re really on your side and want to help you as much as possible. Usually a social worker would accompany me and take all of the minors until you," he said looking at Earlin, "all have fostered homes, but we have special circumstances here. It seems that your parents were well prepared for any possible emergency." He paused and looked at William with a twinkle in his eye.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense, Leo," William whispered. "What is it that you are not saying?"

"I found a big manilla envelope on my desk with my name on it. Curious, I opened it and found two certified copies of a letter. The instructions said I was to keep one and Earlin you are to have the other," he said and he handed her a copy.
"Me. Why me?"
"It's from your mom and dad."
After Earlin read through the letter William asked. "What does it say?"
Looking at Leo she said. "We have their permission to marry and until we are married you have custody of Lily and A.J. I am to stay with Leo and his family."
"It would be an honor to have you as a guest in my home. I hope that we get to be great friends."
"No offense. Why would Louella and John request that Earlin stay with you?"
"I haven't figured that out yet. I will research it and let you know," he said and he stood up.
They walked to the door with him. Leo opened the door, stepped out into the hallway, turned back, and said, "I’ll allow you to stay this one night with them because I know you’ll be up most of the night boxing up the rest of John and Louella's things. Please make sure to have Earlin's clothes packed. I will be here after work, tomorrow, for her."