Daniel's POV
I watched the boy, Jacob, run into the garden completely flummoxed.
"Did you hear that?" I asked her.
Phoebe was kneeling close by; another kid had his face buried in her chest, whispering something.
"I wouldn't take any notice. Jacob's like a brother to me. He's always threatening to gun people down if they hurt me."
"And you think that's okay?" I asked, surprised at her casual acceptance. "He sounded like he was in one of those gangster movies."
"That's probably where he got it from, they are his favourites."
I couldn't believe this, "Seriously... he's allowed to watch them?"
"Some of the films - and why not?" the answer had come from a plump, middle-aged lady. A mass of bronze curls fell to her shoulders.
"Sarah!" in a moment Phoebe was at her side hugging her warmly. "Sarah this is Daniel, a friend... Sarah and her husband John have run this orphanage for years now. They're the official foster carers for the kids here. They do everything for them; raise funds for health care, schooling, let them live life the best they can..."
It was hard not to smile at her enthusiasm but I still couldn't get my head around what Jacob had said. He'd sounded so serious.
"It can't be good for them watching all that adult stuff at eight," I said.
"I don't see the problem and it isn't like Sarah lets them watch any of the 18 censored films?" she said stone-faced.
"Well, when they're that young, shouldn't they be into Disney and Pixar and cartoon stuff?"
Her eyes were cold now. There was little of the warm, gentle Phoebe looking back at me.
"If you know you're likely to live to sixty then you can afford to wait until you're in your teens," she replied. "But for most of these kids, they'll be lucky to see thirty. Why should they be excluded from seeing brilliant films because you think they're too young?"
Confusing didn't get close. I could sort of see her argument, but standing here, surrounded by laughing children wasn't the place to fight this out.
"Anyway," she continued refusing to let it go. "Because of the disease we have, we're all way more mature than most at eight years old..."
"Perhaps," I said not really convinced. "I get that you have to deal with so much more; that goes without saying, but that doesn't mean your brain at eight is ready to deal with the sort of themes you find in those films..."
"I really don't care what you think," she said. The bite of anger was new and vaguely intoxicating. "A lot of these kids were abandoned. Haven't they lost enough without being limited by some small-minded individual? "
I should have left it there, walked away, cooled off for a few minutes.
"That's your perception," I retorted. "Easy when you're from a loving home, two great parents..."
She froze — it was like my words had sucked all the life from her.
She stared at me for a long moment, her lips moving but she didn't make a sound... And then she'd gone, run across the yard as if the hounds of hell were after her.
I looked across at Sarah completely baffled.
"What did I say?' I asked.
"Have you no damned sense!' she chided. "Phoebe is adopted – she was left — abandoned just like a lot of these kids were. She was just three days old. She knows exactly what it feels like to know someone doesn't give a damn about her..."
"But she didn't tell me!" I spluttered, trying to get my head around what a jerk I'd been.
"Why the hell hadn't she told me...!"
What was I supposed to do now— go after her? I didn't have a clue!
Edited by lindajonesAuthor
A/N Was Daniel right in accusing Phoebe? What will happen next?
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