ARROW - 187. Chapter 187

After dinner, I went to speak to Tommy. “Tommy, have you received new children?”

“Yes. The boy you had dinner with and an older boy. The older boy’s father had died. His mother had been dead for quite a few years. He has no relatives and the child services brought him several weeks ago. The boy who you had dinner with arrived two days ago. Do you remember when you first saw me at the Gallery? That child reminds me of that time. His parents abandon him, according to child services, his father was from Europe and returned to his country. To make matters worse his father and mother were never married. So when the father left, she left as well. He was placed in an adoption agency but a neighbor called child services and they brought him here. Are you going to adopt him?”

I hadn’t thought about that and was taken aback a little by Tommy suggesting that. “Dad, if you are I have several other boys who could use your special attention.”

“When we were fishing today, that young man seemed to attach himself to me. That is why we had dinner together.”

“I noticed that the girls didn’t like that. They missed out sitting on your lap and feeding you.”

“I didn’t think you ever noticed that. There was no way I would have stopped them except that young man needed some special attention.”

“Here are five files you and Pop need to look at. Let me know what you think.”

To some extent, I felt I was being placed in a position I had no choice. Colin was right, I am getting old. There was a time I wouldn’t hesitate to adopt a child and now I find myself unsure about adoption. I’d be in my 60s by the time a child adopted now would be through school and out on their own. The children I have now will be in college soon. I need to think about this. I want to discuss this with Colin and definitely get GG’s input.

Going back to the living room, there were a few of the older boys playing a card game, I watched for a while and then went to the game room. I could hear laughter as I opened the door. They were watching a cartoon. Walking in, I sat in the only empty chair in the room. It was in a corner and sitting in it you couldn’t see the tv. That suited me as I wanted to watch the children. They were laughing. I don’t think there is a better sound than a child laughing.

When the cartoon was over and all of the lights were turned on, they spotted me. Now two of the young girls were on my lap. “Dad, can you paint us?’

“Let’s see. Should I paint you as a clown or princess?”

One of the girls said to paint her as a princess and the other girl as a clown. “Maybe I’ll paint you both as a clown with a big red nose. What do you think about that?”

They decided they both wanted to be painted as a princess. I kissed them both on the cheek and told them when I am here tomorrow I can start painting them as princesses.

They kissed me on the cheek and said there were going to bed, It was their bedtime, Checking my watch, it was passed their bedtime. Of course, I had to tuck them in.

Passing the living room the boys were still playing cards. This time I noticed the banks, they were playing poker.

“Tommy, why are the boys in the living room playing poker?”

Tommy took off for the living room. I listen.

“I guess you boys aren’t planning on going Christmas shopping this year.”

They looked at Tommy with a confused look. “If you gamble your money away, your banks will be empty or you will not have enough money to buy presents. If you don’t buy presents for your friends, they won’t buy presents for you. There are card games you can play that don’t involve money. I suggest you play them.”

The boy who is winning, “Let’s continue to play. It’s our money and it is a long time before Christmas. You’ll have enough money by then.”

The young boy who seemed to be losing, took his bank, shook it. Putting it to his ear, “I quit,” Took his bank and took it to his room.

The other boys stayed but didn’t want to play poker. The boy who was winning, took his bank calling them sissies, and left.

The remaining boys took their banks to their rooms and reconvened in the game room. “ I heard that this is a new cartoon,” one of the card-playing boys said this as they headed for the game room.

Armand went to find his dinner partners. They were in the game room watching the new cartoon. The boy who sat with him came to stand by his chair. Out of habit, he picked him up and sat him on his lap.

The boy snuggled into Armand as Armand wrapped his arms around him. The boy looked at Armand and smiled. Even with his teary eyes, he felt special which he never felt before.

Colin looked at Armand, smiling he knew one boy who would be coming home soon.

When the cartoon was over, Armand threw the boy over his shoulder like a sack of beans heading toward his room. Opening his room door, there was the boy who was losing at poker. When he saw me with my sack of beans, he laughed. I dumped my sack of beans on the top bunk. Giving each boy a hug, and wishing them goodnight I left. I needed to see Tommy.

Walking into his office I quickly learned I should have knocked first. He was in the midst of kissing Pepe. I wanted the portfolio he offered before he sent it to the game room.

That night lying in bed, “Are you or aren’t you?”

“Am I going to do what?”

“You know what. Adopt that boy.”

“I don’t know. Tommy gave me four more boys plus my dinner partner. Colin are we too old to adopt?”

“You are never too old. To bring a child into our home is your mission in this life. Through you, we have adopted 12 children. I have come to ; love them as if I was their natural father. So what are five more? We aren’t that old.”

I thought about what Colin said. I may be 50 but I don’t feel like an old man. I need to have a chat with GG. Then I heard the creak of the old rooker. There was GG smiling and I knew her answer.

In the morning, I called Tommy and told him I would take the five boys. He needed to make the adoption arrangements and I needed to tell the boys and girls we will be having permanent guests.