"Dis mine? Dis Mireille?" Mireille asked Maia pointing to a box on the table. At 5 years old, she was just learning to verbally express herself. She had recently been formally adopted by Maia and Chuck. Luisa Pilar or Pipay, found the infant in a box next to their garbage bins. After a few days in the hospital, the baby was going to be sent to a home for special children. However, Maia could not stop thinking about the baby. She and Chuck already had 15 children, 3 of which were biological, and had fostered over 20 children over the years. When Maia held the baby in her arms, she felt a strong connection with it almost immediately.
"She has Down's Syndrome." Dr. Tricia, her children's pediatrician, told Maia when she inquired about the baby the morning after Maia brought the child to the hospital after Pipay found the infant in the box.
"Oh"
"I also suspected a heart defect which might require surgery."
"Actually, I was thinking about adopting her."
"Anong sabi ni Chuck? Yung mga bata?"
"Hindi ko pa sinasabi sa kanila."
"Alam mo naman ang stand ko, diba? Besides, most orphans na may special needs don't get the same opportunities as the normal kids."
"Pero nagkkwento din si Sr. Leonora na madami sa kanila ay na-a-adopt ng foreign couples."
"Sila din kasi ang may pera for the medical expenses of these kids."
"True. But we can also provide for her. Kaya namin..."
"Well, you have 15 kids. Pero, wala naman silang life-long medical conditions..."
"Thank God"
"Pag-usapan nyo muna..."
Maia called everyone to a family meeting, and they agreed that they would give the baby a chance. Even Chuck was excited to have new baby in the family. A month later, after Mireille Aurora was baptized, she underwent an open heart surgery to correct her congenital heart disease. She also had hypotonia or poor muscle tone. This caused delay in hitting milestones such as sitting up independently and walking. Her siblings were enamored with Mireille's charms. She was always smiling and loved to give hugs.
Even with Mireille in the family, Chuck and Maia did not stop fostering children. With experience in raising Mireille, they adopted 2 more children, twins Aiden and Rebecca, from China. The twins were also found in the street and had life-long medical issues.
---
Maia started a tradition of sending out care boxes every year with her kids.
"Will we also get to meet the person who receives our box?" Paoie asked after she sent her first box, months after her adoption. This question was repeatedly asked by almost every child.
"I don't know." Chuck would reply. "Mommy getting my box was pure luck. And, if I just ignored her friend request, we probably wouldn't have met and become friends."
---
A fire broke out in one barangay near the orphanage. The affected families were evacuated to the basketball court next to the orphanage. The weekend after the fire, Maia and Chuck's kids spent the day at the orphanage to do their regular weekend activities.
While some children were engaged in the different activities prepared by the siblings, someone screamed and cried loudly, "Akin yan e!"
Maki ran toward MaryJoy who was crying and trying to grab the box that Mireille was hugging. "Akin yan! Isoli mo! Akin yan!" MaryJoy cried.
"Ang alin?"
"Yung kahon. Binigay ni Sister yan. Akin yan!"
"Mireille? Please give the box back." Maki said gently.
"Is Mireille box. Is mine." Mireille replied her body twisted away from Maki and MaryJoy.
"Hmm. Okay, if it's yours, what's inside?"
"Towel, soap, toothbrush, pencil..."
"Tama ba sya?"
"Opo"
"Mireille, can Ate have a look?"
"No!"
"Mireille?" Maia approached and Mireille looked at her. "Can Mommy have a look at the box?"
Mireille thought for a moment before giving the box to Maia. They inspected it and found the items Mireille mentioned!
"...pen box...open...Mireille paint..."
"Huh? Go over there to Kuya Rocky, they're painting over there" Maki pointed to a group of children in the opposite side of the court.
"Open...move...this..." Mireille said again and tapped on the box which Maia put on the table.
They opened the box again. "Yes, it has a towel, toothbrush, soap, a pencil..." Maki said while holding up each item. There were other things inside the box.
"Paint" Mireille said again.
"If you want to paint, Kuya Rocky is painting over there." Maki repeated.
"Paint! Mireille paint!" Mireille insisted.
"Where?"
"Open! Take out paper!" Marielle said again while tapping on the box.
After opening the box and removing the contents, Maia and Maki showed the box to Mireille again.
"It's empty, anak. Walang paint sa loob." Maia tried to explain to Mireille.
"Paint...inside..." Mireille insisted.
The box had been wrapped in gift wrapper, so Mireille pulled on a torn piece in one corner of the box.
"Mireille. Stop that. Masisira." Maia said.
Mireille ignored her until finally she was able to create a small hole on the gift wrapper. MaryJoy immediately grabbed the box while Mireille was still pinching the paper in her fingers. This caused a bigger tear in the paper, revealing the design of the box underneath.