What We Deserve

Part 70: Learning To Cope

The rest of the work day flew by.

Joel napped in my office as I did the rest of my rounds and periodically checked in on him.

I felt horrible.

Knowing now what I do, I want that entire place shut down. I want it dismantled and the men who abused those women and children— well...I want them tortured and dead.

Though violence doesn't truly solve anything.

An eye for an eye relieves the hatred slightly.

But never fully.

"He still conked out?" Max whispers as he stands beside me in the doorway to my office, looking in on the sleeping boy.

"Yes. I fear we pushed him too far today."

"Honey, we needed to know. It's better to know the triggers than to go in blind at this." He holds me from behind and I simply can't fathom how this will get any easier for him.

Or us for that matter.

"What are we going to do about him though?" Max asks quietly.

"What does that even mean?" I turn, slightly angered by his choice of words.

"I mean people are going to notice a ten year old in our family unit. Randomly popping up. Technically he isn't ours Helen- not if there isn't legal paperwork and documentation."

"Aren't you the best person to fraud the government?" I ask slightly serious, but mostly agitated.

"For medical things dear....not...not kidnapping." He whispers quietly and I shut the door so Joel can't possibly hear this conversation.

Though I certainly don't think the hospital hallway is a better option either. Leading Max down the hall to a supply room, we go in and shut the door begin us- locking it.

"I'm simply looking out for us and him. He most likely doesn't have any documentation. No social security identification. No birth certificate. And if that's the case- technically, it's like he's an illegal alien." Max has very good points, but I have no chance to reason with him on them.

"He is Luna's half brother..."

"We don't know that for certain."

"We'll test it. However- going off of that- could we just....ya know...make a record of him in our system?"

"Helen- we can't just create a ten year old out of thin air." He scoffs, but I know he's serious right now. What I'm talking about is prison time if we were to do it and get caught. We'd lose everything.

Including our children.

"Certainly we can find some loophole. You are the king of loopholes!"

"Flattery, my beautiful wife- is not going to persuade me to commit a federal offense. No matter how much I love you."

"Can't we just say he's your son you fathered from donating sperm in your hay day? The woman died and left him to you?!"

"Still don't have birth records or an SSC."

"Huh..." Becoming overwhelmed, I begin to tear up and I turn from him.

"Baby, trust me- I've been thinking all day about how we're going to do this. It would be one thing if his Dad sent him with paperwork- but considering he was most likely born on the cult's grounds where they don't have to register anyone- he essentially doesn't exist."

We stand here in silence for a moment or two and then Max seems to think of something because his face slowly becomes more animated with delight.

"What?" I ask.