DaisyMaeDuke

"So um....who's your friend?" asked Luke, nodding to the animal clutched tightly in his arms.

Luke shook his head. "No...they didn't. It made me real sad for a while... I cried a lot."

Luke wasn't sure what to do. Telling the little boy to give up hope was more than he could do. "I lost my folks too," he offered softly. "But mine didn't come back."

Luke swallowed. "You know... Ibet they'd like you to be enjoying yourself while you wait...I bet they wouldn't mind if ya came awaY from the window..."

The soft answer would have melted a tougher heart than Luke's. Quietly Luke answered, "Bet you miss 'em huh?"

Luke looked gently at him. "Who you waitin' for Zac?"

Luke tried to hide his surprise that the little boy answered him. "That so?"

Luke's keen eyesight noticed the glance but made no mention of it just staring out the window with him, commenting on how blue the sky looked. "Good day for lookin' out a window," he added.

Luke bit his lip, but didn't budge. Instead he just made himself more comfortable on the part of the bed he was on, rested his elbows on the windowsill and looked out, right alongside Zac. Not for nothing had he always been told he was stubborn as a mule....

Luke sighed, his heart aching for the little boy. "My name's Luke..."

"You mind if I look too?" asked Luke inviting himself to sit on the bed next to the little boy and staring out the window with him.

Luke swallowed hard, biting his lip before quietly moving over to him. "Hi there," he offered quietly.

Luke bit his lip having a feeling the reason for no reply wasn't that he was napping. He shifted nervously on his feet as she knocked again.

Luke shook his head, not one to give up before he tried. "No...no that's ok...can...can I go meet him?"

Luke nodded understandingly. "What...what if he don't like me?" He felt pretty stupid asking the questions he was asking, but truth be told he had thought the help needed would be something like painting a room, or mending some toys...not befriend a child.

"Poor little guy..." said Luke softly. "What d'ya want me to do exactly?"

Luke swallowed. "One in particular?"

Luke rubbed his neck nervously. "So uh...what do ya need help with?" asked Luke, looking around the room he was led to. Adorning the walls were pictures of children, some smiling happily with adoptive parents, others on the wall by themselves or with sibling, obviously still waiting for a family to come along.

Luke nodded. "Thank ya," he said before following her in shutting the door behind him.

"Uh...um...yeah...my name's Luke Duke..." He handed her the flier from his pocket. "I'm here t'help if ya need me."

Luke swallowed hard, standing a little straighter waiting for her to answer the door.

It didn't take long before Luke pulled up in his uncle's old weather-beaten truck to the orphanage, turning off the engine and stepping out. The large brick building loomed in front of him, a bit intimidatingly...especially as the sound of children's voices reached his ears as they played. Quietly he knocked on the door, his palm sweaty as he pounded the door with the old-fashioned knocker.

"Kay.." he answered. "See you later." With that he quickly left the house, a little embarrassed by his actions and anxious to go.

"Oh...right...guess that's a bit too early huh?" said Luke softly.

"I supose,"he said quietly. "I'm pretty tired...think I'm gonna go t' bed early."