Expecting a Child of Their Own, They Decided They No Longer Needed the Orphanage Baby

Louis sat glumly in the corner, tears streaming down his cheeks, completely baffled as to what on earth hed done wrong. Why had his mum and dad dropped him off at the orphanage and simply walked away? Louis always thought he was a good boy, always listened, always tried so hard to please them.

His birth mother had left him in the hospital before hed even had the chance to meet her. After that, Charles and Margaret came along. They couldnt have children themselves, so they adopted Louis from the home. But Charles never quite took to the boy. He always felt Louis wasnt truly his, like he was a pair of borrowed shoes that never really fit. Margaret loved little Louis, hugged him tight, made sure he had his breakfast and brushed his teeth, but no matter how hard she tried, she just didnt feel like his mum.

The years rolled by. Louis grew up in their family and loved both his parents dearly. Then, all of a sudden, Margaret found out she was expecting. She was over the moon, telling Charles as soon as she could, and they both did a merry jig in the kitchen.

From that moment on, Louis hardly seemed to exist for them. He started to get on their nerves, every little thing about him grated. Charless patience evaporated and the odd telling-off became the odd smack. It seemed the novelty had worn off, and theyd had enough of being mum and dad to a boy who wasnt theirs by blood. Eventually, they took the paper route and signed away their rights in court, dumping Louis back at the orphanage gate.

After the proceedings, Margaret knelt down in front of Louis and told him hed be living at the childrens home now. Louis sobbed and pleaded, crying out for his mummy, but Margaret simply turned on her heel and left without a backwards glance. He was five, just a little boy and there he stood, betrayed by every grown-up hed ever trusted or loved. Not once, but twice: abandoned first by his real mum, then by the two who were supposed to be his rescuers.

The judge, observing the scene with a heavy heart, couldnt bear to see such raw heartbreak. Her name was Catherine, and she said quietly to the woman from the orphanage, Ill adopt him. It pained her to see Louis so let down. Catherine, being a judge, zipped through the paperwork with a swiftness that would make any social worker jealous, and whisked Louis away to her own home before the ink was dry.

She affectionately called him Louie-boy and, with her kindness and gentle ways, the boy soon forgot his past troubles and clung to Catherine as if she really were his mum. The years skipped by. Louis, now thriving, did splendidly at school, taking home top prizes and leaving sixth form with distinction. He went on to medical school, and landed himself a position in a smart clinic after graduating.

One quiet afternoon, a man walked into his office and Louis recognised him immediately. It was Charles, his old foster father. Charles explained that his wife had died giving birth, the child hadnt survived, and hed drowned his sorrows at the bottom of far too many pints. Eventually, a woman named Susan pulled him out of his rut and got him into treatment.

So, there Charles was, standing in front of the grown-up Louis, needing help. Even though Louis remembered every cruel word and slap, he still remembered the doctors oath hed taken and helped Charles without hesitation. No revenge; life itself had dished out plenty of punishment to Charles and Margaret. Everyone knows, after all, youre never supposed to wrong an orphan. Louis chose the high road, showing more grace than those whod hurt him ever had.