The night when everything falls apart. [1]
On a chilly night, two figures could be seen moving swiftly through the darkness. At a glance, they appeared to be a couple, though a closer inspection revealed a small cut from a blade on the man's shoulder, hinting at a recent scuffle.
They were breathing heavily, as if they had just finished a marathon. The man paused to survey the surroundings before signaling his wife to follow as they turned down another street.
Their pace slowed as they approached a particular building, the woman clutching a blanket tightly around an object she seemed desperate to protect.
Upon reaching their destination, they stood before a large iron gate adorned with a sign that read 'The Heaven's Garden'. Inside, the garden brimmed with playthings like swings and slides, inviting joy and laughter.
It was clear to anyone that it was an orphanage, and a large one at that.
"Honey, is it safe to leave him here? They could find him here if they wanted to," asked the lady, whose name was Jenny.
"No, Jenny, I'm familiar with this orphanage. I've met the director many times and heard a lot about him. He has significant influence in this city, and those bastards can't do anything to our child, I promise. And I've said we'll come back for him once everything is settled." Said the man named Jake.
"Okay, I believe in you, but listen, if anything happens to him, I promise I will never speak to you again," Jenny stated, her face contorted into a pout.
"Yes, I promise, but please, let's leave this area quickly; they could find us anywhere," Jake urged as he entered the large gate adjoining a smaller one.
Surveying their surroundings for any signs of others and finding none, they began walking towards the main entrance of the building.
Reaching the front door within seconds, Jenny gently removed the cloth from her baby's face, revealing a cherubic visage with tiny brown eyes and wisps of black hair just beginning to sprout atop his head. One could easily guess he was about six to seven months old.
"He looks just like you, Jake, with his face resembling yours and that black hair," Jenny remarked, fondly caressing his cheeks.
"No, he takes after you, with his eye color matching yours and his innocence mirroring your own. I believe our son will be quite the charmer when he grows up," Jake said, gazing at the boy with a serene expression.
"You," Jenny said, bumping her shoulder against his stomach, causing him to stagger back a few steps.
"Sorry, sorry, I'll never say it again," Jake replied, making a gesture of surrender.
"But Jake, aren't you going to give him a name?" Jenny asked, cradling their child in her arms.
"No, I've already decided, and I apologize for the delay; we just didn't find the time. But I promise, I've chosen a great name that means 'Great Warrior,' and I've even bought a custom pendant for it," Jake said, pulling out a pendant that resembled a thin, sturdy cuboidal plate with a chain attached.
Engraved on one side was 'Evan,' and on the other, 'Windstone.'
"Wow, I thought you were going to ruin his name like our aunt did with her baby, but you've chosen a good one. I think living with me has rubbed off some good habits on you," Jenny remarked, touching the bridge of her nose.
"Okay, okay, madam, I'm sorry if I angered you, and yes, I named your aunt's son poorly because I didn't approve of her," Jake said, gently placing the pendant around the baby's neck.
"Let's go, Jenny. We have to leave now; we're already past the time we agreed on," Jake said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Can't we stay just a few more minutes? I'm not sure if we'll ever see him again, or how long it will be until we do. Please, just let me play with him for a little while longer," Jenny pleaded, her eyes filled with longing.
"I'm sorry, dear, but we must go. It could endanger our child's life if they find us here," Jake replied, his expression solemn.
"Okay," Jenny said, and after one last look at her baby, she placed her gently on the ground before the door.
After laying the sleeping Evan down, who wiggled a bit before settling back to sleep.
"Please take care of yourself and don't do anything wrong in the future, my baby, okay? Your mom and dad are going to return soon and live with you forever," Jenny said with tears in her eyes, hugging Jake while crying.
"Son, I am very sorry that I won't be able to give you the happiness that a father should, but I promise when we return, I will make you the happiest child in the world. That's my promise," Jake said with tears in his eyes and pressed the bell button, alerting the caretaker inside who started coming toward the door.
From inside the mansion, a fifty-year-old man and his wife walked out, looking around to see who had rung the bell but found no one. Just as they were about to close the door, his wife glanced down and found a baby sleeping peacefully.
"Dear, look! Someone has left a child here on our doorstep," she exclaimed, quickly lifting the baby from the cold ground into her warm embrace.
"Oh boy, this child's body is so cold; I don't know how long he has been here," she said, beginning to take the baby inside to warm him up.
"How careless they are, to give birth to a child and then leave them in an orphanage. Why even give birth if they're just going to abandon them?" her husband remarked, scanning the area to see if anyone was around but finding no one in the dark night.
"Quickly, let's go inside; we need to warm him up or his health will be affected," the woman said, rushing inside towards the bathroom.
The man, after a brief glance, followed inside and headed towards the bathroom to check on the baby.
Meanwhile, Jake and Jenny were standing behind the wall of the large door, peeping through the doorway where Evan had been taken.
They sighed in relief, reassured that the child was in good hands.
"Jenny, let's go. Our Evan is in safe hands now; they will take care of him until we return. So, let's go," Jake said, starting to walk towards one of the narrow streets.
"Okay," Jenny said, and with one last glance, she started walking towards where her husband had gone, and they both disappeared into the night's darkness.
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