Chapter 71: Closure
"Uncle Lorenzo!"
Bryan ran to hug Lorenzo the second he entered the child welfare office located within the orphanage building. He was dressed in the matching lemon sweatpants Lorenzo had gotten him during his last visit.
"Hey, big man!"
Lorenzo crouched to pick him up, ruffling his hair playfully.
"Hey, don’t do that! You’ll mess up Mrs. Grandiff’s hard work," Bryan immediately complained, his tiny hand smoothing over his hair in an attempt to rearrange it.
Lorenzo and the middle-aged woman, Mrs. Grandiff, head of child welfare, laughed.
"I’m sorry. I should’ve known Mrs. Grandiff put in a lot of work to make you look this handsome," Lorenzo apologized, setting him down.
After exchanging pleasantries with Mrs. Grandiff and chatting briefly, Lorenzo walked out of the small office, holding Bryan’s hand. The child welfare had been hesitant to let him take Bryan out, afraid that further emotional attachment might complicate the adoption. But eventually, she gave in, realizing the two of them needed closure—one last time.
"Where are you taking me, Uncle Lorenzo? Mrs. Grandiff said it’s not holiday time yet and I can’t come to your house."
Lorenzo opened the back door of his car and helped Bryan in, securing the straps of the forward-facing car seat. He met the little boy’s curious gaze.
"I’m taking you to the amusement park so we can play together. You like that, right?"