ORPHANAGE

When Kaye arrived home around ten in the morning, a silent and cold atmosphere greeted her. Ivan's slippers were placed on the rack neatly and the coat was missing as well.

"He went out? That was unexpected. Well, he might have gotten board here, so that could really happen." she wasn't speaking to anyone specifically as she entered her apartment.

Without dilly-dallying, she threw her bag on the couch, wore an apron without changing her clothes and started rummaging her fridge for ingredients.

Two hours later, she finished baking her banana cake which she will bring to the orphanage. She sliced it before placing it inside the plastic containers she got. After all the preparation with food, gifts and toys, she changed her clothes into simple shirt and jeans before heading out again.

The orphanage that Kaye would often visit was the same orphanage where she stayed after her parents died. The founder of the orphanage which was a nun was very close to her and was like a second mother to her already. More than one hundred of orphans stayed their varying from ages, sizes, colors, and behaviors but she loved all of them. They were taught to read and to write by some social workers that her father hired for them. There were staff who taught them to make jewelries and other handcrafts that can be sold in their stores so that the orphans could save their own money.

"Hello everyone. I'm back!" Kaye surprised them during their math class in the afternoon. When she walked earlier, she saw their confused and gloomy faces so she sneaked a peek and found out why. These children hated math so much so it's not a wonder why. Instead of waiting for their class to end, she decided to give them a surprise and break.

"Sister Kaye, welcome back!"

"Sister Kaye we missed you."

"Sister Kaye, you saved us on time again today."

"Sister Kaye, you look prettier today."

The children were greeting her back with mixed emotions and it choked her, her sob escaping her lips.

"Sister Kaye, are you alright?" one of the children noticed her change of emotions.

Kaye hold on to her self and smiled while giving a pat to the child's head gently. "I'm fine. I missed you guys so much and I'm glad that I'm home now."

"Sister Kaye, we are glad that you're back as well." they shouted in chorus toward her. She was surrounded by the children that she couldn't move at all.

"No wonder the shouts and excitements reached my office. Welcome back my dear Kaye. How are you?" amidst all the shouts and greetings, an old woman of fifty years stood at the door with a blooming smile on her face. It was the head and founder of the orphanage.

"Mother Alicia. I'm back and I'm doing fine." she answered standing in the middle of the crowd.

"I can see that in your eyes. Come and visit me in my office after you're done with your surprise." then Mother Alicia left the room.

"You have a surprise, sister Kaye?" one of the younger children asked.

"Of course. Did you think I just came here with nothing? I brought gifts and food with me. Let's all go to the dining hall." she informed them so they can proceed with a surprise.

Everyone was sharing to her about their new discoveries excitedly. You can see in their eyes the genuine happiness, no jealousy and envy. It clearly shows how fair the children were treated.

"Jane, you call all the volunteers and social workers as well. I got gifts for you, too." she said to one of the social worker who taught them mathematics earlier.

"Yes miss Kaye. I'll call them right away." then Jane left after giving her response.

"Sister Kaye, I want to study in a school and have my own books and papers and pencils and crayons and other school supplies, is that even possible?" Sara, a seven year old child asked her with her head bowed and her hands gripped tightly with each other.

"Of course that is possible. That is why you have teacher Jane and other teachers to help you so you can successfully enter a school. That is why you have to listen carefully." she advised the child gently.

"But they are teaching us numbers. I'm confused and it hurts my head sometimes." the child retorted innocently.

Kaye couldn't help but chuckle hearing the child's comment on the subject. "I understand what you mean. I was feeling helpless like you before as well, but I really want to learn so if I didn't understand something, I would ask the teacher. The same goes for you, if it's difficult and you don't get it, then ask them. Let them explain it to you in a simple way." she answered the child at the same time, gave her advises as well. She received few more questions before they arrived at the dining hall.

When Kaye saw the place, she was stunned. The area where foods were used to display, stood a little high platform, about two feet from the ground. The background was painted colorfully with a girl standing in the field of flowers, clearly the face was hers. Big bold words of 'WELCOME BACK SISTER KAYE' were written as well at the top.

"Surprise!" everyone yelled and a confetti was blown of from different corners. It was a lovely atmosphere and Mother Alicia was standing at the corner full of smile.

Kaye was speechless as she stood her ground. Her heart was beating faster and faster as her emotions choked her. A tear fell from the corner of her eyes unexpectedly. She wiped it off and smile.

"I...th...thought I'm the one gi....giving surprises today." she mumbled incoherently.

"We prepared a little surprise for you as well sister Kaye. Everytime you visit us, you always gave us gifts and surprises, so we decided to do the same for you as well." one of the volunteers told her.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. This place means a lot to me. Thank you." when she couldn't hold it in anymore, she burst into tears and ran toward Mother Alicia. She gave her a tight embrace and burrowed her head on her shoulders crying like a baby.

"There.There." Mother Alicia consoled her. "A woman crying like a baby is a change of sight. I'm glad you like it. They prepared this over two weeks and waited for you to visit."

"Mother, I'm glad I met you and my parents. I'm glad I met these children. I'm glad I can help. I'm glad that I can do something different from what other people do. I'm glad I didn't become like 'them'." Mother Alicia knew who that 'them' she means. Kaye cried for a few minutes for she stopped and went back to the kids. She thanked them once again and started giving her gifts and surprises.

'This place is my first home.' she gave herself a beautiful reminder before she took a seat and watch them perform their presentations prepared for her.