Who The Hell Is William's Child?

Christ the King Orphanage was a Christian institution created to offer a home for those who had been abandoned by their parents or orphaned. Past the main gate was a water fountain, with a statue of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus shooting water out of its mouth. Just behind it was a huge rectangular block, the main reception. Its architecture was ancient, a huge portion of its design owing to Rome's early lifestyle. There was a huge sign of the cross above the entrance, with the words John 3:16 written below it. Behind the reception block was an estate of two-story bungalows, each enclosed with beautiful hedges and green grass. Each house was assigned an individual nun who was charged with taking care of a specific number of children. This was done to ensure that the children got the feeling of being at home, and having fellow children as their brothers and sisters. Beyond the houses were a school, a playground and a chapel.

The Uber driver stopped in front of the reception block. William paid him and alighted, the four kids following him. The taxi then sped off, leaving the five at the reception block, confused.

"Jeff and Luis, you can remain here and check out the garden. Mother Superior doesn't like when too many guests come at once," Marcus told the two, pointing to a small garden just beside the reception block. Luis nodded.

"Yeah, we will. Besides, I've been wanting to talk to him for a long time," he said and looked over to Jeff. Jeff blushed and gazed away. The sight of Luis still made his knees weak.

"Okay then. Let's go," Marcus told William and ushered him inside, leaving Jeff and Luis alone.

"So, the garden?" Jeff pointed at it.

"Yeah. Right," Luis said and they started walking slowly towards the garden.

"So you texted me that you are back home with your parents," Luis began.

"I wouldn't exactly say my parents because my dad ran away," Jeff spoke.

"Well, he's a fool to abandon someone like you," Luis commented, giving Jeff the weak feeling in his knees again. They continued walking into the garden and made way to one of the benches set up, enjoying the afternoon summer sun.

"What did you see in me?" Jeff found himself asking. The idea of self-doubt had been lingering in his head for some time. Since his father failed to appreciate him, Jeff had begun wondering whether anyone appreciated him at all.

Luis smiled at him and placed his hand on his.

"Honestly speaking, I see myself whenever I look at you," Luis confessed. "I see a part of me that has always wanted to be complete. I see something—someone—who motivates me to become better. I see someone who gives me a reason to wake up every day and smile. I see someone who stole my heart. I see you, Jeff."

Jeff was left dumbfounded at Luis speech. The last time someone made his heart feel warm was when a customer allowed him to have the last chocolate bar at a supermarket. But nothing could compare to what Luis had just said to him. He was sure that his heart had skipped a beat.

"Sometimes I think that I don't deserve you," Jeff admitted. Luis extended his hands to Jeff's shoulders.

"Hey! Don't ever say that. You deserve every bit of me, as I deserve every bit of you," he reassured him. He had started to lean over to kiss him when he noticed a nun eying them suspiciously from the corner of his eye. Strategising, he converted the kiss into a brotherly hug, perplexing Jeff.

"Don't be scared. There's a nun watching us and I'm pretty sure we don't want a nun praying for us," Luis explained. Jeff, catching sight of the nun, wrapped his arms around Luis and smiled.

"I still want to show her who's your man."

***

Marcus and William were getting impatient at the waiting lounge. The nun at the reception desk had told them to wait as Mother Superior had been caught up in a situation down at the homes. They were thus left to the uncomfortable stay at the lounge, with multiple crucifixes hanging from the walls, and Marcus was sure all those carvings of the Christ were looking daggers at him, fishing out all his sins.

After what seemed like an eternity Mother Superior finally appeared. She was a plump woman, whose nun outfit had managed to differentiate her from the other nuns as the one in charge. One could see that she had a caring face, but one look into her eyes and she could tell you every wrong you ever did. The other nuns seemed to bear some amount of respect for her as they bowed in greeting wherever she passed. She took notice of William and Marcus and approached them.

"Mr William, you hadn't told me Arabella Academy was going to make another donation. How are you, young Marcus? Your mother has stayed for quite some time without visiting her home," she began, flashing them a smile and extending her hand in greeting. William took it and shook it firmly.

"No, Mother Superior. We are here for quite a different matter actually," William replied.

"Well, how about we talk about it from my office then?" she suggested and led them through the corridors to her office. Marcus was still puzzled from all the crosses hanged on the walls. He started wondering whether the building was haunted, part of the reason why they were so many of them. Mother Superior reached the door to her office and ushered them in. It was a big office, with a big desk and chair in the middle to compensate for the nun's size. Similar to everywhere in the orphanage, there were two crosses on opposite walls. There was a big pile of Bibles stacked at one corner, and some more on top of Mother Superior's desk. She went ahead and sat down on her chair, with Marcus and William sitting at the guest chairs on the other side of the desk.

"So what brings you to my orphanage on a summer holiday?" she asked, adjusting herself on the chair.

"I'm not on official business Madam. I'm here for another matter, a personal one," William replied.

"Have you come to adopt one of our children William? I may have some who are in dire need of guidance from a Principal," Mother Superior joked.

"Not that," William answered. He then took a big breath.

"I've come to see whether my child was dropped here," He finally said.

Mother Superior's face went from a jovial one to a shocked one. She turned her head in question, and also took in a big breath.

"Let me get this right. You have a child who is currently in this orphanage?" she inquired.

"Was," William clarified. "He or she was dropped off here a long time ago. I think that he or she  may have even finished his teenage years here."

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Mother Superior asked, concerned.

"The mother had died during birth. Perhaps I was afraid to face the truth that maybe the child had met the same fate," William confessed.

Mother Superior went silent for a while. She turned her gaze to Marcus.

"How is he involved in this?" She inquired, pointing to him.

"Accompaniment purposes. He actually gave me the encouragement to come and face the truth myself," William answered, looking at him in admiration.

"The boy is growing to become a man," Mother Superior commented, the same look in her eyes. She returned her gaze to William.

"Please tell me the year so that I could look at our records. I suppose I could give you some peace of mind after all you and your school have done for this orphanage," she said as she stood up and walked to the shelf.

"Nineteen eighty-six," William said as he smiled. He was just about to find out the truth. Mother Superior searched among the books and brought out one that had the title 'Admission Records 1986'. She sprayed the dust off of it and placed it on her desk, but Marcus was already getting uncomfortable.

"Please provide me with the name of the mother, the hospital she gave birth in and the date of birth of your child," Mother Superior requested, opening the book.

"Macarena Garcia. Middlewood General Hospital. The thirteenth of March," William said, looking as eager as a bridegroom.

"Oh my God!" Marcus suddenly interrupted, the horror in his face too real to comprehend. William and Mother Superior turned their gaze to him, astonished. But the nun knew why he was shocked.

"Your mother was born on that same day, wasn't she?" she let the words out slowly. Marcus slowly nodded, fearing the worst. William's face suddenly went white, turning back to Mother Superior.

"Please look at the records and tell me if it's true," he whispered, his voice failing him. Mother Superior hurriedly flipped through the pages, finally coming to that date. Her concerned face instantly turned into one of pure and utter shock, and she was only able to say four words.

"Mary mother of Christ!"