"It's you, I am worried about." Samantha and I were on a call. Theo was already there to pick me up. He reached there at 7:45 a.m itself.
"Worried about me? Why?" I questioned her as her last statement, I didn't understood. What did she meant she was worried about me?
"Theo is fine now with your heart and has almost recovered. He can handle a day out without rest but you. You are still under recovery. For now Theo is okay but if anything happens to you, then he will not be fine. I don't want anything to happen to either you or Theo."
Moms! She reminded me so much of my mom. Though, they both were different as person but same at being moms. Every mom and the world is same in that category.
"It isn't a long day. Everything is fine and everything will remain fine. Don't worry." I assured her.
I looked at the time. It was 7:56. We ended the call. I gathered my things I needed for the day and then the food basket. I checked myself in the mirror once before leaving.
I had tugged my hairs into a high pony. Thankfully, it was a good hair day, today. I was dressed in blue torn jeans, paired with yellow and white t-shirt, front hem, tucked inside and white converse. I was looking casual so I was sure that Theo would understand that we are going to do some outing.
•••
"Will you now tell me where are we going and why am I not driving?" He asked looking at Riley, Theo's driver. He simply shook his shoulders in defiance.
"Riley is with us because you just had a surgery and you are not supposed to drive for sometime. And, Riley we'll take the next left." No one had no idea about where we were heading too, except for me.
"Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!" I shouted suddenly. "Riley stop. We're right at our first destination. Theo I want you to meet someone. Come along." I got down from the car and stood facing the pale red building.
"Little Angels Home" Theo read the board, hanging just above the main entrance of the three-floored building.
"Come." I took my hand out to him to take his in mine. We started towards it.
As we entered, the old fashioned building, we heard kids in a unison praying to god.
"Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..."
We entered in the hall and stood silently behind the kids. I joined the kids in the prayer and asked Theo the same. He joined his hands and closed his eyes.
"Do not bring us to the test but deliver us from all evils. Amen!"
As soon as the prayer got over, the silence broke. Kids cheers, shouts and conversations, filled the empty hall. Theo, looked at me confusingly.
"You must be Theodore!" A girl of age around 3 came and hugged him.
"Alice, Alice! This is Theodore, right? I guessed it right?" She babbled in her sweet voice. Half of the words were though, a little to understand.
Theo came to his knees and kissed her cheeks.
"Yes, I am Theodore. But how do you know me?" He looked puzzled.
"Ray, Lily, Sera, Max, Ginny... Look I have Alice's Theo here." She called all the kids around her.
"Theo!" Someone called out.
"Yay!" Two three kids cheered.
"Look that's Theodore." Two girls of age around 7-8 whispered to each other. All the little ones, gathered around Theo.
"Alice? What is this place? How do they all know me?" Theo was confused and not able to understand what was going on.
"This is an orphanage. I have been coming here since two and a half years. When you left, I spent my weekends here. They used to ask me why I used to be sad and then I told them about you. They all have wanted to meet you since then. I told them how lovely person you are and how always help others." I explained to him.
A little boy came and pulled Theo's jeans to get his attention at him. He turned to him and the kid said, "I want to be like you when I grow up." Theo kissed him and said, "Be like you when you grow up." Theo had a smile on his face. Anyone who could be around these kids, will only smile.
"Kids, Theo bought you breakfast today! Come on, everyone on the dining table." I announced.
Theo and I both distributed cupcakes to everyone after the breakfast. Theo was smiling, laughing, giggling, everything at once. I was glad that I brought him here.
"Theo!" I called him. He was busy telling some stories to the boys.
"Yes?" He asked.
"I want you here." The boy sitting on his lap made a face but then got down to let Theo go.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Come there is someone special, I want you to meet." I looked through the kids to find her.
"There she is!" I pointed at a 3-year old girl.
"Grace!" She looked at me when she heard her name and came running.
"Al-ice! I thought you forgot me today." She looked adorable when she talked. I had never seen a girl as cute as her and now I could say the same about Theo. His expressions said so.
"Here." I offered her ab extra cupcake. She took it then looked at Theo once. She smiled at him and than ran off to eat her extra cupcake.
"She's my favourite here. I am planning to adopt her or atleast take all her responsibilities. I want to have her as my daughter. I want to take care of her and give her love that she never calls her an orphan again." Theo kept looking at Grace, as she was busy stuffing the cake in her little mouth with her tiny fingers.
It was eleven past fifteen and now time to leave for our next stop. We gave everyone a packet of choclates and bid them all a farewell. Everytime I left from here, I'd want to take Grace with me forever.
"I want her too." Theo said to me, waving at the kids from the car as we were leaving.
I couldn't help my laugh when he said that. I knew he'd say that because I knew the affect Grace had on people.
"Stop laughing! Where are we going next?" He asked annoyed.
"Riley, take us to the Hunter and Catskills mountains."
