“This will do just fine.”

“Great, I’ve got to go down and pop in on a few people and find your missing girl(s). Why don’t you two pop in for tea tonight?”

“Thanks. Tracy and I will have to do some shopping today.”

“I’ll see you.” Phillip said, waving good-bye. He shut the door.

“How are we going to work this?” Tracy asked.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to pretend like we’re a family. You know, you’re the only one that is not related here. Kristin is now, legally, my daughter.”

“What does that mean, I get the single bed.”

“No, it wouldn’t seem right. We’ll just keep on doing what we have done.”

“I think you should get the small bed.”

“Well, let’s leave it up to Kristin to decide.” I said, looking distraught.

“Listen, Adam.” Tracy said, coming and putting her arm around me. “What would your parents think, you have a daughter and you’re sleeping in the same bed with a girl that you’re not even married to.”

“Just think what the mobsters will think if they see that my bluff is just that and I don’t want to sleep in the same bed as my alleged wife.”

“You do have a point there.”

“You bet I do. Well,” I started to change the subject. “If we want lunch we had better go down and get some food.”

“Right on.” She agreed. We got into the car I had rented and drove to the nearby car park. Driving on the left side of the road, with the steering wheel on the right sure was different. We pulled into a car park named “Princess Square.” Going down in the elevator, we arrived at the main floor, where they had LEGO displays and other wild things. My wife took me into the grocery store and we bought the necessary items. We then browsed through the candy store and others.

Eating there, we went on back to the apartment and discussed how we were going to capture Sir and rescue the girls. Kristin came home at 4:00 PM. She walked in the room and said, “Boy, I never want to go there again.”

“Why dear, what happened?”

“All day long, they kept asking me to talk so they could here my accent.”

“Is that all?”

“No, if I want to go again, I have to wear this silly uniform.”

“Well, I’ve got a surprise for you. The last time I was here, I had to wear the same silly uniform, and if I’m right, I still have it.” I said, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a navy blue blazer. Imprinted on it was the name of a school, ‘Garth Hill School.’ “I went to the same school, and if you wouldn’t mind wearing your father’s blazer and tie, I’m sure you have a dress shirt and dress that would complete the uniform.”

“I don’t want to go back. They all make fun of me.”

“Not if I’m around, they won’t.”

“You’re coming!?!”

“Yes. I figure I have some catching up to do with the teachers.”

“All right, can I try it on now?”

“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.