Chapter 6

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After an hour or so of art lessons, the kids were tired and hungry.   While Joey helped distribute the food packs containing fried chicken, rice, and salad, Adrian took out his guitar and rendered several Jason Mraz hits for their young audience.  As the kids feasted on their simple fare, Joey watched and listened.   Adrian's soothing voice filled the room as his long fingers deftly plucked the guitar strings.  It was always amazing to watch a professional performing live and today was no exception.   Adrian was clearly in his element.  Music was his lifeblood.

"You did great.", Joey remarked as she and Adrian sat down to eat.  She wondered where her uncle and his two students disappeared to, but she was too hungry to investigate.

"Thanks.", Adrian replied, rubbing his tummy.  He, too, was famished.

"Dig in."  Joey handed him his food pack and they both buckled down to the business at hand.

Adrian let out a loud burp as Joey disposed of the food containers.   She smiled to herself, recalling how her brothers would try to outdo each other at the dinner table.   Whoever could burp the loudest and the longest would win, and she, the youngest and only girl, was the judge.  Jeremy, the second from the eldest and the heaviest among them, would often win.  Joey sighed, suddenly missing her brothers.

"Hey Joey, why don't you show me around?"   Adrian interrupted her reverie.

She nodded, setting aside her melancholy.  "Sure."

Behind the main building was a huge lawn with slides and swings for the younger kids and a makeshift basketball court for the older ones.  Dozens of kids were now scattered on the playground, some almost colliding with Adrian and Joey as they crossed the field to sit on the bench under the huge mango tree.

Joey closed her eyes, savoring the cool breeze on her skin while listening intently to the rustling leaves above them.   Adrian watched her, wondering what she doing.  Just then, a little girl ran up to them, pieces of paper in hand.

"Ate...Kuya...for you."  She gave Joey and Adrian each a piece of paper folded in half.  Adrian unfolded his.   It was a crude drawing of a young man wearing a yellow t-shirt and holding a guitar. Below the drawing were the words 'Kuya Adrian'.  He smiled at the little girl.  It was then he noticed she had malformed hands.  She had only three fingers on one hand and two on the other.

"Did you make this?", he asked the little girl.  She nodded shyly.  He was impressed and completely moved.  "You're so good.  Do you know that?  Thank you for this drawing."  He learned that her name was Wendy and that she was nine years old.  And that she was left there when she was a mere toddler. All this time, Joey was quiet.  She merely gave Wendy a tight hug and whispered 'Thank you' in her ear.  The little girl gave them a big smile before running off to rejoin her playmates.

Joey stared at Wendy's drawing, blinking back the tears . It was a young woman in a yellow t-shirt, her hair flowing over her shoulders and a paintbrush in her hand.  This simple token of appreciation from a child, like Wendy, malformed hands and all, was enough to melt her heart.

"Hey, don't you start crying. You're making me cry."  Adrian teased.

"You're crazy!"   Joey smiled.

They both fell silent, watching the kids at play.

"I just can't imagine how it feels like..."  Adrian glanced at her, breaking the silence.  "...to be abandoned and left here."  Joey gazed at his sober profile as he went on.  "When my parents separated, I thought that was the worst that could happen to anyone.....but seeing these kids....I'm still lucky."

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