When Estelle got to Henry’s home, they found that the door was unlocked. After knocking at the door gently, she went into the old apartment and saw a scrawny woman lying on the bed.
Seeing Estelle, Henry’s mother forced a smile and greeted her, “Hi, Miss Hudson.”
She was all skin and bones and looked a little scary.
“Did I scare you?” She asked when seeing Estelle’s stunned look.
Estelle shook her head and asked, “No. How are you feeling now? What can I do for you?”
Henry’s mother was so weak that she didn’t even have the energy to speak. “I’m dying. Miss Hudson, I want to ask you a favor for the last time.”
“Okay. Go ahead.”
“The welfare house called me and said that Henry has known I have cancer and will die. He has locked himself in the room without eating or drinking for many days. I... I can’t go to see him now. I don’t want him to see me like this, so I want...”
“You want me to see Henry and talk sense into him?” Estelle asked.
Henry’s mother nodded with tears streaming down her face. “Miss Hudson, please talk sense into him. He is still so young.”
Half an hour later, Estelle and Rebecca arrived at the welfare house.
It was getting dark. Many volunteers had gone home, and only a few staff members of the welfare house were taking care of the children.
Seeing Estelle and Rebecca, the director asked, “Ladies, may I know who you are looking for?”
Estelle softly answered, “Hi, I’m a friend of Henry’s mother. I’m here to see Henry.”
At the mention of Henry, the director frowned with her face full of worry and anxiety.
Then she invited Estelle and Rebecca to her office in an old, shabby building with yellowish and peeling walls.
“Henry is not in a good condition,” The director said. “We have called a psychiatrist here before, and the psychiatrist said that Henry has depression. We want to help Henry, but the funds of our welfare house are limited.”
Estelle’s heart sank when she heard this.
The director continued, “Henry got depressed after he knew about his mother’s disease, which is a big blow for him. He’s still young and can’t accept such a cruel fact. The pain of losing their beloved ones is even unbearable for adults, let alone a five-year-old child.”
Hearing this, Estelle sighed. Then she took out a bank card from her handbag and handed it to the director, saying, “There is some money in the card. Please try your best to cure him.”
The director was a little stunned. “Miss, may I have your name? I’ll return...”
“You don’t need to return the money,” Estelle interrupted her and said gently. “Just take it as a donation to the welfare house.”
The director sighed and asked with a hesitant look, “Miss, how is Henry’s mother now? Is she...”
Estelle answered with a heavy heart, “She is terminally ill.”
Hearing this, the director nodded and said, “Miss, please tell her we won’t give up on Henry. No matter what, we will do our best to help him.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“Miss, do you want to see Henry?”
“Yes. Can I see him?”
“Yes. Come with me, please.”
Henry’s room was a small one with two bunk beds.
At this moment, Henry was sitting on the edge of the bed and looking out of the window silently.
When he heard the door pushed open, he just glanced at the door indifferently with his dull eyes.
Estelle walked into the room with Rebecca and asked, “Hi, Henry. Do you still remember me?”
Henry stared at her expressionlessly for a long time and shook his head as if Estelle was just a stranger. Then he turned his head and continued to look out of the window.
The director said, “Miss, the doctor has said that a child with depression will always feel sad and lonely. We have tried to chat with him and play games with him, but he ignored us and refused to communicate with us.”
“Is there anyone whom he’s willing to open his heart to?” Rebecca asked.
“Maybe some people are very special to him, and he’s willing to talk to them. But I think currently, the only person he wants to see is his mother.”
But his mother can’t come to see him anymore. Estelle sighed when thinking about the cruel fact.
“Henry?” She called Henry in a soft voice again.
This time, Henry reacted differently from just now. When he turned to look at Estelle, tears streamed down his cheeks. But he still didn’t say anything.
When seeing his pitiful look, Estelle felt distressed. She forced a smile and talked to him gently, “Henry, do you remember the song you sang for me before? Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.”
Henry slowly opened his mouth, wanting to sing with her. But the next moment, he closed his mouth and bit his lower lip silently.
And to everyone’s surprise, he suddenly stood up, pushed Estelle, the director, and Rebecca out with great strength, and slammed the door.
Then his heartbreaking cry came from the room.
When Rebecca heard him cry so sadly, the rims of her eyes turned red. She sniffed and asked the director in a choked voice, “Can we adopt the children here?”
“Yes, but the formalities are somewhat complicated.”
“It doesn’t matter. I want to adopt a child!”
“Okay. I’ll give you the list of the materials you need to prepare,” The director explained.
****
After leaving the welfare house, Rebecca drove Estelle back home. Unfortunately, the two of them were not in a good mood and were silent all the way.
Estelle kept looking out the window, lost in thought and her heart sinking.
‘I also have advanced cancer.’
‘If I die one day, who will take care of Yohan and Yvonne?’
‘Mr. Mysterious is not their biological father. If Cristofer wants to get custody of the two children, the court will definitely grant it to him.’
‘Yohan and Yvonne are still so young. What if Gretchen wanted to harm them.’
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Mr. Mysterious who called.
Estelle looked at the time, and it was not until then that she found it was already nine o’clock at night.
“Hi, Sir.”
“Estelle, are you all right?”
Estelle said in a gloomy voice, “I’m alright. I’m sorry, Sir. I forgot to tell you that I would go back home late.”
“It doesn’t matter. The kids are taken good care of. I’m worried about you.”
“Sir.”
“What’s wrong?”
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