Chapter 3

Maya walked inside her office with heavy steps. A strange void was filling her heart.

Maya never married anyone, her mother had seven children and she was the eldest. 
She spent all her youth taking care of her younger siblings. She had to sacrifice a part of her education in order to fullfill their dreams.

For years, she did not regret her choice.
She was content to see them settled.

But as time passed, their phone calls became less frequent.

They stopped asking her to come and visit them.

Around the same time, her parents started to get sick. Her father became blind and passed away after five years. Her mother suffered from a paralysis and she spent most of her time nursing her. And when she died Maya was left alone, forty-six and with a sumptuous house. Her family was never well-off. Maya was quite lucky when she inherited this large property as a heritance.

However, her life kept moving on without any real meaning. Until she found Ray, Raymond was the first child whom she adopted. Raising him brought her a great satisfaction and after him she never look back. She continued to help those in need.

Her happiness grew when she found Faith. Maya could see herself in her young woman. She considered her as a discipline. Maya taught everything which she knew.

Faith was destined to take the orphanage forward.

One voice inside her told Maya it was wrong to leave such a big responsibility on Faith's shoulders. She would need someone to support her.

A companion and Maya already made her choice. She just needed to inform them about her decision.
 *  *  *  *  *   *  *  *  * 
Faith was inside the kitchen, cutting vegetables. In her mind she kept thinking about Bastian.

"Was Ray right?"

"Did Bastian did not want to form part in their life anymore?"

She knew him for almost one year and he already became important to her. She still remember the day when they met him.

Faith and Ray were hiking with the children when they saw a young man beaten and unconscious.
They helped him and brought the man to their home. He was inert for two days and when he woke up, he was quite weak.

Their first real encounter was weird. Bastian had stare at her as if he was awe-struck.

This did not strike a chord with Ray and he started to treat the stranger with coldness.

"But a strange happened I also felt a strong connection with him. It was nothing romantic, however it seems I already knew him. Maybe from a past life."

During his stay here, Bastian brought a new change. The children were terrified of his appearance at first but they slowly warmed up to him.

Bastian might seem tough with his strong muscles but he had the personality of a clown.
Every morning, the kids would rush in his room to listen to his stories. They also loved when he performed silly antics.

When his health improved, Ray was the first one to ask if he wanted to return to his family.

To their great surprise, Bastian replied he could not leave yet. He explained he had someone to find.

However he still needed a place to stay and Maya proposed he could rent the  house opposite the orphanage. It also formed part of her estate.

Bastian agreed and they started to make the arrangements. He found a job as a lorry driver. He was often absent however in his free time, he would come to give them a hand to run the orphanage.

Even Raymond started to become friendly with Bastian and they both formed a close bond.

"However, everything changed when he found him again."

Her tone became bitter. "Danish!"

Bastian stopped hanging with them. She noticed he worshipped the ground where his brother walked. He moved out of the house leaving it to Danish's care. "And this lazy fellow is enjoying his life. While his younger sibling had to take care of their family business."

She took a carrot and slammed it on the table with a strong rage.

"Damn him!"

"Faith!"

She stopped moving her knife and directed her eyes towards the door.

For a moment she thought it was his voice. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Joey, one of the young kids standing there.

"What is it Darling?"

"Is lunch ready yet?"

She gave him a smile. "I still have some vegetables to cut. But don't worry you will have your food on time."

Joey puffed his small cheeks. "All the brothers and sisters are hungry."

"Of course." She answered with a patient voice. However soon after, an angry thought penetrated her mind. 
I don't have four hands.

The young child did not move immediately instead he gave her an inquiring gaze.

Did he guess he made me angry?

"Oh! I think, Maya-Mom was looking for you. She said she has something important to say."

He left after saying those words but a dark feeling settled inside Faith's heart.

She knew someday this moment will arrive and she dreaded to go there."

Author's note : Hello, if you liked this story, please leave a review or vote for it. I also have an upcoming novel called Lossell High : Locked Memories. And you can read the first part here:

http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/TKF/1969809/

Like my facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/lossellhigh/?ref=bookmarks

Follow me on Twitter : https://mobile.twitter.com/TaJnikumariFutt