“Let’s go, daughter.” I said. We left the house at ten, and arrived back in the states at eleven p.m., local time. The next morning we went into the orphanage, holding fast to Kristin’s hand. The fellow girls sneered and made faces at Kristin, who returned the same faces.

“Here are the papers.” My friend said, handing me the adoption papers. I put my signature on them and walked in the office. The person at the desk stood and greeted me.

“Mr. Schofield, you must realize, we didn’t want to create any troubles, but we never knew you intended to take Kristin out of the country.”

“That’s all right, I understand. I have here adoption papers for Kristin. If you would, look over them and sign them?” I said, handing the papers to her.

“Just a minute Mr. Schofield. I need to interview you and Kristin.”

“All right. Who first?”

“I’ll take Kristin. If you will please leave for ten minutes.” She said, and I did. She asked Kristin the standard questions, for which I think Kristin answered correctly. I was then questioned. “State your full name for the record.”

“Adam Charles Schofield.”

“And what is your occupation?”

“I am a private detective in Oregon.”

“Do you have a house, apartment, or other shelter?”

“Yes, I have a house in Nanopolis.”

“Do you have a wife?”

“Not yet, but I’m going steady with this girl. . .”

“That doesn’t count.” She continued to ask questions. Then she said, “Well, I’ll have to discuss this with the directors.” She left the room, Kristin reentered, and the lady came back in a half hour.

“Well, Mr. Schofield, under normal circumstances I would say no, but since you seem to have a general attraction to each other, as if you were really family, and Kristin just causes trouble around here, I’m permitting it.” Kristin and I looked at each other. I grabbed her hand. “Your job made the decision tough, but I think that you will make a fine father. I will sign the documents.” She did. “Kristin, you must sign here.” She said, pointing to a line. Kristin signed it, Kristin Smith.

“Kristin Smith, your new name is Kristin Schofield. Mr. Schofield, your daughter.” We turned toward each other, and she gave me a big hug.

“Well, Kristin Schofield, we had better get back before we’re missed.” I said. Kristin hugged me again. We attended a church, then got on the plane and headed back for England. We arrived there at late Sunday night, early Monday morning. I put Kristin back to bed and I went to sleep.

The next morning, Kristin and I got up. They had let us sleep in because of all the flying we had done that night. Jet-lag had thrown our biological systems crazy. I escorted my new daughter downstairs. “Kristin, would you like to go to school with Joey today.”

“Sure, dad.” She said. They went off at 9:00. Tracy and I went to find the apartment. We went to a building and went inside, where Phillip showed us where we would be staying for the next week and a half. It had one king sized bed and a prince sized.

“Oh, all right.” Joey said. He continued on his path up the stairs. Tracy and Kristin came down the steps. Tracy was fixing her hair. She was dressed in a turtleneck, button-down shirt, and jeans. Kristin followed in a sweat-shirt and jeans.

“Did I hear that we’re going to the zoo?” Kristin asked.

“Yes.” I replied.

“Is Joey coming?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to go.” Kristin said. Tracy nudged her. Kristin then apologized, and Tracy looked in the room.

“Misplace something?” Phillip asked.

“No, I was just looking for Belle.”

“Not to worry miss, Belle gets like that sometimes. She doesn’t mean it.”

“Oh, I just wanted to compliment her on the house and the bed. It was so soft, I just fell to sleep.”

“Wow! You Americans!” Phillip said. “I must go ‘find her.’ I’ll see you later.” Tracy and Kristin joined me at the table, where they ate their breakfast.

That afternoon we went to the zoo. To my surprise, Kristin asked Joey a question, and they darted off toward some animal. Tracy and I told them to meet us for lunch at the in-park restaurant. Then we went for a romantic walk in the zoo, seeing all the animals. We sat underneath a tree, where some flowers were growing. I picked some, and hand them to her. She gladly accepted. We were happy. So happy, that for a moment we forgot about our missing friends, the children, and everything.

That night I got a phone call from the Colorado orphanage. “Mr. Schofield, we had no idea that you intended for Kristin Smith to be take out of the country. You must return her immediately.”

“Well, what if I adopted her?”

“That would be kind of hard from over there. Now if you were here in Denver, it may be arranged.”

“Okay, I’ll come over there in two weeks.”

“Not acceptable. We need her here now!” The orphanage director said.

“Okay, I’ll bring her there as soon as possible.” I hung up and dialed Andy’s phone number, forgetting that he was gone. I then called a friend of mine in Denver and told him to get some adoption papers ready and meet me the next day at the orphanage. My ‘wife’ and ‘daughter’ had gone to sleep.

“Phillip, I need to take Kristin back to the states. I’m leaving Tracy here, when she gets up, tell her that it was urgent. I don’t want her leaving your house!” I said.

“The apartment will be ready tonight.”

“Well, I guess that I’ll have to pay for a day that I’m not there. This can’t wait.” I said. I walked up to Kristin’s room and opened the door. “Kristin.” I whispered in the door. “Kristin, we have to go back to the orphanage.”

“I knew that it couldn’t last.”

“Kristin, there may be a way, here, get dressed.”

“What’s this way?”

“I could. . .adopt you.”

“Anything’s better than the orphanage … dad.” She stammered.

“Was it? Tracy, come here.” I said, motioning toward her. She moved over, and I put my arm around her. “You are the most special girl in the world to me. I don’t care what Belle says, I wouldn’t trade you for the world.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“No, I’m not. Here,” I said, putting her head on my shoulder. “Now, let it all out, and get some sleep.” She cried for a bit, then turned around and lay down on the bed. I looked at her then realized that there was only one bed, and if Phillip was to check on me, it would look kinda funny if I slept on the floor. I undressed, put on a pair of shorts, and got in the bed, next to Tracy, who had turned on her side facing the opposite direction. I tried to fall asleep. She kept taking the blanket off of me, and I kept pulling back.

That night I had another dream. It was like what was happening now, except I felt a little seasick. I saw someone in the same room as me. It was strange.

The next morning, I awoke. Tracy’s arm was atop me. I lifted it off me, trying not to wake her. I got up and went downstairs for breakfast. I looked outside and saw that it was in the sixties. “Kinda chilly for October, isn’t it?” I asked Phillip.

“Yes. It’s awful chilly for October 11.”

“Where’s Belle?”

“She went to her sister’s. After what she said last night, she couldn’t face Tracy this morning.”

“It wasn’t that bad. Are we still planning to go to the zoo?”

“If you want to. I’ve gotta go down street today and find Belle.”

“Find her? I thought she was at your sister’s?”

“She is, but I’ve gotta pretend to find her. She gets this way.”

“Oh. Where’s your brother? I thought he lived her too.”

“Oh, he does. He came in late last night, after you went to bed. He doesn’t get up until late. You’ll probably be gone when he gets up.”

“How come I didn’t see him yesterday?”

“He was out with his girlfriend.”

“That explains it. Would you like me to take Joey to the zoo?”

“You might want to. He knows his way around there better than some of the attendants.” He said, with a straight face.

“You’re kidding!” I laughed.

“I’m serious. He studied the map for weeks before he went, and he told us where to go to get anywhere. There he is. Joey, how do you get to the panda from the front door?”

“Left, right, strait for two cages, left.” Joey said.

“Wow! I guess I’d better bring him with us. How about it, Joey. Would you like to go?” I asked.

“Sure, thanks Mr. Schofield. Will Mrs. Schofield be joining us?”

“Yes, and Kristin.” I replied.

“Kristin? I don’t want to go.”

“Joey, where are your manners?”