Prelude to a Moment

Prelude To A Moment
Chapter 2: Hope and Hurt

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The rain was cold and the pavement was hard as a young boy slept under an overpass in downtown Buffalo. His clothes were dirty and he was thin to an unhealthy level. Warmed only by the cover of newspapers, he was all alone. He had no friends, no family, nobody.

His name was Scott Summers. He had been born into a happy life. He had parents who loved him and a little brother he was close to. But it was all taken away from him in the blink of an eye. And to this day, it haunted him.

“Mommy please! I don’t want to jump!” cried seven year old Scott Summers as the smoke filled the passenger compartment of his dad’s plane.

“I’m sorry sweety. But you have to. I know you’re scared, but we need you to be brave,” said his mother, Katherine Ann Summers, her eyes thick with tears.

Standing beside him, little Alex was shaking his head, not believing in what was happening. He was so young. It was hard for him to process something like this. Scott was older, but it didn’t make it any easier.

“It’ll be okay, Scott,” said his father, Major Christopher Summers, “Please son. I need you to be brave for us. I need you to be brave for your brother. Can you do that?”

With a lump in his throat Scott nodded, his eyes full with tears. He felt his mom and dad embrace him for what they knew would be the last time. He held on hard, but once they let go, there was no going back.

“Goodbye my babies. Please be safe,” said a tearful Katherine as she held onto her husband.

“I love you mommy. I love you daddy,” said Scott as he held his little brother’s hand.

And with bravery well beyond their years, the two boys leapt into the bone chilling Alaskan air just as the plane exploded, taking his mom and dad away forever.

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!”

It had been three years since that day and life had been hell. Scott woke up from a three month coma only to learn his brother hadn’t made it and only he had survived. It hurt so much being alone in the world. Being an orphan didn’t help. He got shipped to one foster home, but the guy beat him so he ran away. And now here he was, just letting each moment pass him by.

Nobody would help him. Nobody cared for him. He shouldn’t have survived that crash. He should be with his mommy, daddy, and brother in heaven, not living like this. He only had the clothes on his back and a guitar he played for loose change. What kind of life was that?

“Why?” he found himself saying into the night, “Why me? Why?”

He couldn’t stop crying. He couldn’t stop hurting. Nobody was there for him. Nobody was listening. Tomorrow would come, but he didn’t care. Nothing ever changed. It never got better, it only got worse. When would it end? When would the pain leave him? Scott kept crying, but nothing changed. Everything was still the same.

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It was a beautiful Saturday morning as the rain cleared up and the sun was shining. Logan and Ororo had woken up early to get ready for what was sure to be one of the most important meetings of their lives. Having called social services, they set up an appointment at a local orphanage. It was all happening so fast, but it’s what they wanted.

While Logan was waiting for his wife, he took the time to talk to Sarah about this. Over the past few days, he had been discussing the likely possibility of her having a new brother or sister. And naturally, it left her with mixed feelings.

Sarah was used to being an only child. She had always been the center of her mother and father’s attention and she valued that. But lately, she was becoming more independent. She was spending more time with friends and hobbies. It was natural they would want something like this, but still it left them with plenty to discuss.

“So you and mom are going to the orphanage today,” mused Sarah as she and her dad sat at the table eating grapefruits, “Does this mean you’ll be coming back with my new brother or sister?”

“We’re just meetin’ with the social worker, darlin’,” said Logan with a chuckle, “Gotta get the paperwork through first and there ain’t no tellin’ how long that could take.”

“I guess so,” said the young teen, her voice sounding distant.

Logan could tell this had her conflicted, but being the supportive father he was he took her hand gently in his.

“Hey, it’ll be alright,” he told her with a smile, “I know this is a big change, but your mother and I have been giving this a lot of thought and we think this is right for us.”

“I know,” she sighed, “It’s selfish of me. I just…I don’t know how to be a sister to somebody I’m not even related to, less alone someone I’ve ever met before.”

“Sarah, yer a sweet, caring girl…when you don’t lose your temper that is.”

“Gee, thanks dad,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“I mean it,” said Logan, giving her hand a squeeze, “I know there’s a lot to consider. You’re used to being an only child. You’ve always been the center of our universe. And don’t think that because someone else joins us that it’s gonna change. You’re still my little girl and ya always will be. Ya got that?”

“I know, daddy,” said Sarah with a smile, “It’s just going to take some getting used to.”

“That’s for sure,” said Logan with a sigh, “But it’s worth it. We always wanted to give ya a brother or sister, but ya know yer mom can’t have anymore kids. This is just our way of makin’ up for it.”

“And I know first hand that any kid to get adopted by you guys would be the luckiest kid on the planet.”

Logan smiled at his daughter’s words. Even though he and Ororo weren’t typical parents, they had developed a strong bond with their daughter. She may have been growing up, but her parents still meant a lot to her and she was proud of that.

As they finished their breakfast, Ororo came down the stairs ready to go. Wanting to make a good impression on social services, she chose to wear something more than casual, so she picked out her favorite African style skirt with a light purple shirt to match.

She was never one to hide her African pride, having come of age in the beautiful land she treasured and she wanted to show that confidence for this momentous event.

“Hey, there she is,” said Logan as he got up to give her a good morning kiss.

“Sorry it took so long. I wanted to make myself presentable,” she said with a radiant smile.

“You’re always presentable, darlin’,” said Logan with a husky grin.

“Glad you think so, lover.”

“Get a room you two,” said Sarah with a laugh.

“Sorry sweetheart, I guess I’m just excited,” said the African beauty as she gave her daughter a good morning hug, “This is such a big step for us.”

“And I’m sure they’ll be impressed with you guys. They’d have to have a screw loose not to give you guys a kid,” encouraged Sarah, “Just look at me.”

“Ya got some modesty, ya know that, Sarah?” chuckled Logan.

“You know it, bub!” she replied in a tone that bore a striking resemblance to her father.

It was nice to see Sarah warming to the idea of them adopting a kid. It was sure to be a big change for all of them. She didn’t know how she was going to handle being a sister, but Logan and Ororo had raised her to be strong and caring. So they weren’t worried, but it was sure to change their family forever.

“Well then, you know how to reach us if something goes wrong, right?” said Ororo, going through the general rules Sarah knew all too well.

“Yes mom. I know,” said Sarah in an exasperated tone, “I’m thirteen years old. You know I can do this.”

“We know, sweetheart,” said Ororo kindly, “But it never hurts to be reminded.”

Sarah just rolled her eyes.

“If ya need anything, I made sure the Rogers would be home,” added Logan, “You know the number and the rules. Any monkey business and your Aunt Natalia will sniff it out.”

“She always does,” sighed Sarah.

“Be safe sweetheart. We’ll let you know how it turns out as soon as we can,” said Ororo, giving her daughter a kiss on the forehead.

“Thanks mom. I love you both. Good luck.”

“Love ya too, darlin’,” said Logan, giving Sarah his trademark bear hug, “By this time next week, ya could be a full fledged sister!”

Even though she still had mixed feelings about it, Sarah Howlett couldn’t help but smile at such a possibility.

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

And with that, Logan and Ororo made their leave, knowing this moment was sure to have a major impact on their lives.

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Riding in Ororo’s white Saturn, the couple made their way into downtown Buffalo. Traffic was light for a Saturday morning and it was still damp and humid from the rain last night.

The orphanage was located in a fairly run down part of the city. At a time when state welfare was being cut back, certain areas started to decay and unfortunately state sponsored buildings were one of them.

When they reached the orphanage, it was somewhat depressing. It was a big, three story brick building with dirty windows, littered streets, and an overall run down appearance. It was a sad to think that little orphans had to live in a place like this, but that made their role as prospective parents all the more important.

“What a dump,” commented Logan as they pulled up to the building.

“Logan,” scorned Ororo.

“Well it is,” he said as they got out, “This is the place where they put kids who have nowhere else to go?”

“I agree it’s no palace, but try to keep that to yourself,” said Ororo, beginning to feel a little nervous.

“You know me, darlin’.”

“And that’s what worries me,” she retorted, earning her a look from her husband.

Walking up to the building, they could already hear the playful voice of young children. It was enough to get their anxiety up, but Logan and Ororo pressed forward.

“Hi, you must be the Howletts,” greeted a tall, brunette woman kindly.

“Yes, and you are?” said Ororo, shaking the hand of the young woman.

“Greer Grabt. We spoke over the phone,” she said, turning to shake Logan’s hand.

“Ah right. Well I’m Ororo and this is my husband, Logan,” she said politely, wanting to make a good impression.

“Nice to meet you. Victor Creed already told me a bit about you two.”

“Well I guarantee half of it is bullshit,” remarked Logan.

“Logan,” sighed Ororo.

“You know him, Ro. That’s what Creed does,” shrugged Logan.

“Yes, well I hope the good things he said about you two aren’t part of that half. Come, I’ll give you a tour.”

For the next half hour, Ororo and Logan got a first hand glimpse at how orphans lived. It was somewhat depressing because the place looked so run down in certain areas. The plumbing was antiquated at best, parts of the walls needed repainting, and the rooms were fairly crowded with five beds crammed into an 8 by 14 foot space.

It was hard to believe so many kids lived here, but to them it was home and the condition of their living space didn’t get them down. There were activity rooms, playgrounds, and lots of books for those that could read. Greer even said they offered some reading courses to help them, but it was tough when money was so tight.

Walking around, they saw many kids looking at them with a hopeful look in their eyes. There were kids as old as teenagers and as young as toddlers and they all yearned for the chance to go home with a mommy and daddy. It was a touching sight, but before they could claim one as their own they had to go through the complicated bureaucracy.

“So many kids…I don’t see how you manage them all,” said Ororo as the playful cries struck her.

“We’ve been getting by,” sighed Greer, “It’s tough with all the budget cuts, but we still manage. Cameron Hodge keeps us afloat, although I’m not sure how he does it.”

“Must take a lot of charity,” commented Logan.

“Well whatever he does, it keeps us going and I’m grateful for it,” said Greer, smiling as a few of the kids looked at them with that expression that cried ‘adopt me!’

Just then, a new presence entered and diverted their attention.

“Ah, these must be the Howletts,” said a middle aged man dressed in a business suit, “Pam, why didn’t you tell me they were here?”

“Oh, sorry sir. We were just talking about you,” said Greer as she introduced them to the man who made this place run, “Logan, Ororo, this is Cameron Hodge, the head of our home.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hodge,” said Ororo as she shook his hand.

“Please, the pleasure is all mine,” he replied with a strong poise.

He then turned to shake Logan’s hand, but Logan didn’t seem as enthused to meet him. He didn’t know why, but there was just something about this guy that was off.

“Well then, what do you say we step into my office?” he said, “Thank you, Ms Grant. I’ll take it from here.”

“Of course, sir,” she said as she returned to the children.

“Now then, right this way.”

Following Hodge into a secluded office away from the raucous of the kids, the couple held their breaths in anticipation.

“Please, have a seat,” he offered as he sat behind his desk and took out their folder, “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Water?”

“No, we’re fine,” said Ororo politely, “So what are our chances? What do we have to do in order to take one of these kids home with us?”

Looking at their file, Hodge sighed and shook his head.

“Well I’m glad you two are so interested in adopting one of our children. You both seem to have a loving, stable relationship,” he said as he went over some basic information, “I’m sure any child would be lucky to have you as their caregivers.”

“So then what’s wrong?” said Logan, picking up on the subtext of his words.

“Nothing, it’s just…” he began, trying to put this in the right form, “We don’t usually get many prospective parents of your…socio-economic level.”

“But we’re not poor,” insisted Ororo.

“I never said you were,” said Hodge quickly, “But you have to understand that the state is careful about giving a couple a child that may be hurt financially by adoption.”

“We’ve already planned this, bub,” said Logan, getting defensive, “We ain’t Donald Trump, but we make a good living. That shouldn’t be a factor when it comes to adopting a kid.”

“I agree,” said Hodge, keeping an amicable tone, “But you see…there’s a reason why the state promotes our organization to upper middle and upper class families. You must understand that keeping this building up is no easy task. At times we must be…selective with the parents we allow to adopt and the children we take in.”

Logan’s expression changed as he caught on to what he was saying. Ororo flashed a worried look, knowing all too well how her husband could get when faced with things like this.

“I see. So that’s how you do things around here?” he grunted, “Ya make sure there’s a nice stock of healthy kids around to woo rich people and milk them for donations?”

“I assure you it’s not that,” said Hodge quickly, but his shaky tone gave him away.

“Then how is it? Do ya just turn away kids who need the most help because it’s bad for business? Or is it because rich families can get ya more grants? Well if that’s the case, then where does that money go? I notice you’re able to dress nice while half the kids here are wearin’ shit with holes in em.”

“Logan!” said Ororo, stopping him before he went any further, although she too found such possibilities sickening.

Feeling too angry in this man’s presence, Logan got up from his chair and stormed out.

“Sorry darlin’,” he said, shooting Hodge a look that could stop an invading army, “I need to get some air.”

Slamming the door behind him, Hodge took a second to catch his breath. Normally, people didn’t get that temperamental when he mentioned some of their ‘unwritten’ policies. Unfortunately, it was the only way to stay afloat in these times and that didn’t seem to bother Hodge.

“I’m sorry,” said Ororo, not making eye contact with the man after what she just heard.

“It’s alright,” he said, going back to their file, “Let’s just do this. By law, I can’t stop you two from adopting a child. I just…”

“Please don’t give me any more details,” sighed Ororo, “Just give me the paperwork so we can be on our way.”

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While Ororo went through the steps to qualify them for adoption, Logan tried to burn of his excess anger by taking a walk down the street. He couldn’t believe a prick like that was allowed to run an orphanage. He might as well have been herding cattle, making sure only the best went to market while the others were left behind. He should have decked that son of a bitch on the spot. But unfortunately, he was the one they had to go through if they were going to adopt a child. There was no way around it, but it still ticked him off.

He was lucky. He was never good at keeping his temper when someone agitated him like that. Ororo helped keep him calm during those times of distress, but when it came to dealing with people like Hodge it was hard for him to hold it in.

‘Damn. I can’t believe they let a dick like that run an orphanage. What a world.’

Letting out a frustrated grunt, he stopped on a street corner to collect his thoughts. Then suddenly, he heard something that caught his attention…something soothing.

Baby’s black balloon makes her fly
I almost fell in to that hole in your life
And you’re not thinking about tomorrow
‘Cause you were the same as me
But on your knees…

Turning towards the source of the song, Logan’s was caught off guard by the sight of a sickly looking young boy sitting on the corner with a dirty guitar playing the haunting melody. It was good, real good considering his voice was weak and he struggled at some points. It was a sight that hit Logan in a strange way. And as he approached him, he kept singing.

A thousand other boys could never reach you
How could I have been the one
I saw the world spin beneath you
And scatter like ice from the spoon
That was your womb…

Comin’ down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Or are you someone’s prayer?

The lyrics brought a smile to Logan’s face as he watched the boy play. People walked by, occasionally dropping loose change in a small bag, but it wasn’t much. It should have been more, but Logan kept on listening.

You know the lies they always told you
And the love you never knew
What’s the things they never showed you?
That swallowed the light from the sun
Inside your room…

Comin’ down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder

Suddenly, the boy stopped, looking up nervously at the imposing figure before him. To him, Logan was a big, strong, scary sight, but the smile on his face helped reassure him.

“It’s okay, keep going. It’s really good,” he said with a smile.

With a nervous glance, he kept playing.

And there’s no time left for losin’
When you stand they fall

Comin’ down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you grow colder
All because I’m…

Comin’ down the years turn over
And angels fall without you there
And I’ll go on to bring home
All because I’m…all because I’m
And I’ll become…what you became to me

Once he finished the song, Logan smiled and fished out a ten dollar bill from his wallet and dropped it into the bag. The boy didn’t say anything in response, but the look on his face seemed to say enough. To him, Logan was still an intimidating sight. But his gesture was enough to assure him that he meant no harm. And while it was hard for him to show it, he had his gratitude.

Feeling better now, Logan turned back towards the orphanage, leaving the little boy to keep playing. He wasn’t sure why he stopped to listen, but it helped him calm down and he no longer felt the urge to punch Cameron Hodge in the face.

Still, it was a sad sight to see a little boy having to play on the streets for chump change. It was a tragedy of this complicated world they lived in. It was just too bad he couldn’t do anything about it.

“Logan?” said Ororo as she stood outside the orphanage, looking as though she had been waiting for him to return.

Letting out a deep sigh, Logan faced his wife for what he knew was worthy of scorn.

“I’m sorry, Ro,” he told her.

“It’s okay,” she told him, taking his hand, “I don’t like it either that men like Hodge operate places like this.”

“I wish I could deck him,” he muttered.

“Well let’s be glad you didn’t,” she said, managing a smile, “I put our paperwork in and it should go through by the end of the week.”

“That’s good, as long as we don’t have to see that prick again.”

“Hopefully we won’t,” she said, taking her husband’s arm and making their way back to the car, “But let’s not worry about him now. Let’s just focus on bringing home a new child.”

Logan smiled as he gave his wife an affectionate hug. Even being married for 15 years, she still amazed him. It was remarkable a guy like him could end up with a woman like her. Together, they were going to make this work. Regardless of Hodge, they were going to adopt a child and love it on their terms and theirs alone.

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The week passed agonizingly slow as Logan and Ororo waited for their paperwork to go through. They were both nervous and excited, knowing that they could have a new child by the end of the week. So they spent much of their free time getting ready, turning a room they had used as storage into a bedroom for their new kid.

All their friends got into the spirit too. Steve and Natasha Rodgers, Sarah’s trusted Godparents, lent their support and helped them every step of the way. Even Victor Creed, a guy Logan had a friend/enemy relationship with, helped out and offered advice since he was already the proud father of an adopted little girl named Clarice Ferguson.

And while Sarah still had mixed feelings, she was beginning to feel genuinely excited about being a sister. As nice as being an only child was, it did get lonely at times. Many of her friends had siblings already and it would be nice to join in their lively conversations about them for a change.

Finally, Ororo got the call she had been waiting for on Friday night. They had been approved and were ready to pick up their child. It was finally happening. They were going to be parents again. But what kind of child would they adopt? They would soon find out.

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Arriving at the orphanage early next morning, Logan and Ororo had to contain their anxiety. They knew when they walked out of these doors they would be the parents of a new kid. It was exciting, but nerve racking. Yet they remained determined.

“This is it, darlin’,” said Logan, holding his wife’s hand as they prepared to take the final step, “Ya ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” affirmed the African beauty as she took a deep breath.

“Then let’s go. Our new kid awaits.”

Walking through the threshold of a dramatic new change in their lives, Logan and Ororo were once again confronted by Greer Grant.

“Ah, right on time you two,” she said with a welcoming smile, “Come, right this way.”

The air was thick with anticipation for the couple as they followed Greer towards the main activity area where the playful sounds of young children echoed through the walls.

“I’m glad you two got approved,” commented Greer as they entered the room, “There are so many children here in need of a loving family.”

“Yes, it’s a shame we can’t take them all,” sighed Ororo, the sounds of children striking her profoundly.

“We’d need a much bigger house for that, darlin’,” grinned Logan, “But what we can’t do for everybody we can still do for one kid.”

“Yes, and I’m afraid that’s all our policy allows,” said Greer as she handed them their paperwork, “State law stipulates that a couple can’t adopt more children than their income level allows. It’s a ways of protecting families financially. And since you’re combined income isn’t in the top brackets…”

“I know, I know,” muttered Logan, “We ain’t rich. But ya shouldn’t have to be to adopt a kid.”

“I agree. It’s just that sometimes people will adopt children for purposes other than nurturing. Even with these laws, we’ve had cases where people forge paperwork and bribe officials so they can get their hands on kids for welfare money or in some cases illegal trades.”

“That’s terrible,” said Ororo, appalled that anybody would exploit children like that.

“I know, but it’s an unfortunate fact of society,” sighed Greer, “We try to root those people out, but as you’ve seen…Mr. Hodge doesn’t always act as strictly as he should.”

“Big surprise,” scoffed Logan, “That prick ain’t here, is he?”

“No,” said Greer quickly, “He said he had some other business to take care of.”

Logan grinned somewhat. Business was probably just a codeword for not being there when an angry Canadian returned with his wife to adopt a kid. He hoped he at least put a little fear in him after their last encounter. Maybe then he’d think twice about exploiting children for his own personal gain.

“Now then, what do you say we get started?” said Greer with a smile.

“Yes, let’s do this,” said Ororo in a determined tone, “What are our options?”

As Greer walked them around the room, she explained to them the usual bureaucracy that went along with this process. She explained the legal responsibilities, paper work, and welfare policies that they were entitled to.

There were also restrictions. Because of their socio-economic status, they couldn’t qualify for a newborn. The only age range they could have was 7 to 13. They were told it was for financial reasons, but they wouldn’t be surprised if that was Hodge influencing their paperwork.

There were just so many kids to choose from. Finding the one they would call their own was no easy task. Greer told them about a few here and there, focusing mainly on the healthy boisterous ones that were usually more popular with couples. But neither Logan nor Ororo wanted to take this decision lightly. If they were going to adopt a kid, they were going to adopt the kid right for them.

“Young Calvin over there has been here for a couple of years,” said Greer as she went through each kid they showed interest in, “He’s a very smart boy. They say he picks up on people in a way that almost makes him psychic. Then there’s little Callie. She lost her eye in an accident three years ago, but she’s very strong willed and garners a lot of respect from the others.”

“I can see that,” said Ororo, smiling at the way the other kids surrounded her as if she was their leader or something.

As Greer went on, Logan’s eyes wandered. He wasn’t really listening. He’d rather scope a kid out on his own. Not all the kids were as strong as the ones Greer pointed out and Logan never was one to ignore stuff like that. After all, the weak ones often needed the most love in any home.

While Ororo followed Greer, Logan began walking around on his own. He looked down and smiled at some of the kids that took notice of him, each of which had that look on their face that screamed ‘adopt me!’ It was a touching site. Even he was taken by it.

Then suddenly, something caught his attention.

“Hey new kid!” yelled one of the older boys, “Are you just gonna to sit there all day?”

“Leave him alone,” said the girl Greer called Callie, “He’s been like that since he got here. It’s probably best to stay away from him.”

Looking over towards the corner of the room, Logan saw a most unexpected sight. Sitting in the corner hugging his knees was the same kid he saw a week ago playing a guitar on the streets. It caught him by surprise and sparked his curiosity. He wasn’t sure why, but he found himself drawn to the poor kid who looked as though he didn’t have a friend in the world.

“Hey,” he said as he approached the shy little boy.

Looking up at him, young Scott Summers recognized the man from a week ago. He had been the only one to comment on his playing and because of his generous donation he didn’t go hungry that night. But that didn’t make him any less anxious. He didn’t know this man and after his last foster home, he was very weary about any potential would be caregivers.

“What’s your name?” asked Logan as he kneeled down to the boy, trying to come off as friendly even though his intimidating appearance made that tough.

Scott was silent, not knowing what to say. He never talked much, but since he had asked he found himself blurting it out.

“Scott,” he said in a low monotone.

“Scott huh?” said Logan with a smile, “You remember me, don’t ya?”

Scott nodded, but was still afraid to make eye contact.

“You were pretty good on that guitar. Better than I was at your age, that’s for sure. Where did ya learn to play?”

Scott didn’t know how to respond. This man seemed friendly, but he was also very intimidating. Logan had a very tough aura and Scott had plenty of bad experiences with people like that on the streets. They come off as friendly at first and then they go on to use that as a tool to manipulate people. Still instilled with street instinct, Scott stayed silent.

Logan was quick to pick up on this. He knew something terrible had to have happened to this kid in order for him to be like this. And if his previous state back on the street corner was any indication, it was probably something he’d rather not know.

“Not much of a talker, eh?” said Logan, still smiling at the boy, “Hey that’s okay. You don’t have to talk. People talk too much nowadays as it is. Bet that makes you a good listener, eh?”

Scott’s demeanor lightened somewhat. Even though this guy was intimidating as hell, he did show hints of a kind aura. And that was something Scott hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Suddenly, Logan’s attention was diverted from the boy by his wife.

“Logan? Logan, what are doing?” she asked.

“Ms Grant, could ya tell me a little about that kid right there?” asked Logan, gesturing over towards Scott.

Looking over at the boy in the corner, Greer looked surprise that he even bothered.

“Oh him? That’s Scott Summers. He just came in three days ago and as you can see he’s still adjusting. But I don’t know if you want to get involved with that boy. His story is just too depressing.”

“What do you mean?” asked Logan, now more curious than ever, “What happened to him?”

“Near as we can tell, he’s a victim of physical and psychological abuse. He’s been living on the streets for some time now. The police brought him in for trying to steal some food.”

“Good God, but he’s so young,” said Ororo as she looked over at the young boy.

“I know. That’s the depressing part. His whole family died in a plane crash three years ago in Alaska. He was the only survivor. Since then, he’s been deeply traumatized. According to his records, he was adopted in Alaska and moved here, but the man who took him abused him. It’s probably why he ran away.”

“How awful!” said Ororo, feeling sickened that someone would hurt a child that was already so traumatized.

Greer just cast the boy a sad gaze. In her line of work, there were always lost causes. And Scott Summers was among one of the worst.

“He hasn’t said much since he arrived. Some of the other kids tease him for that, but he’s just got it so rough. He’s one of those hopeless cases people in my line of work hate coming across. But unfortunately, there’s not a lot we can do.”

Ororo and Logan exchanged looks. Hearing that a boy had gone through such hardships was sad enough, but to hear he was without hope was even worse. Unlike many other orphans, he had a loving family, but it had been taken away from him. That kind of hurt pain could never truly be described.

But as the couple looked at the boy, their hearts just went out to him. Of all the children in the world who needed the love of a family, he was by far the most deserving. He looked so sad and lost. And there was nobody out there to give him the love he needed.

“Ms Grant, could you excuse us for a moment?” asked Ororo.

“Of course,” she said, allowing the couple to speak, hoping that maybe they would be the ones to help this boy.

Once she was gone, they took another look at the boy and then at each other.

“What do ya think, Ro?” said Logan, cutting right to the chase, “Think he could be the one?”

“Logan, are you saying what I think you’re saying?” said Ororo in a serious tone.

“I know it’s a little sudden, but I saw this kid in the streets last week when I walked off,” he told her, “I heard him playing a guitar for chump change. I heard him sing too. And I don’t know…maybe I saw him for a reason. Maybe it was a sign. Nobody deserves to suffer like that. This kid needs a family.”

Looking back over at young Scott Summers, Ororo felt her heart skip a beat. Perhaps this was the chance they had been waiting for. Here was a child that needed a family so desperately. And having lost her parents as well, the African born woman couldn’t help but reach out to this distraught child.

For a moment, the couple stood in silence, contemplating what they were going to do. Once they made this decision, it couldn’t be unmade. If they were going to take Scott Summers into their home, he would be their son. But could they really given him the kind of support needed when he was already so distraught?

“Such a poor boy,” said Ororo in a distant tone, “He needs a home. But do you think we can handle him?”

Shaking his head in uncertainty, Logan gave his wife the cold hard truth.

“I have no idea, Ro. But I guess there’s only one way to know for sure. And besides, ya know I don’t believe there’s such a thing as a lost cause.”

Ororo smiled at her husband’s words. Despite his imposing, rugged demeanor he truly had a heart of gold. It was one of the many aspects about him that she had fallen in love with. And this seemed to seal their decision.

“So does this mean we’ve made our choice?” said Ororo, looking back over at the boy, “Have we found the child we wish to call our own?”

“I think we have, darlin’,” said Logan confidently, “You up to the challenge?”

“You know it, bub,” she said, getting him to smile widely at her words.

From Scott’s point of view, he didn’t know what was going on. He just watched with as the mysterious couple took Ms Grant aside and started talking to her. And while he wasn’t sure why, they all began to smile. It made him anxious, yet curious.

Then, as Ms Grant gave them a file of legal documents, the three of them came back over towards him with a life changing message.

“Hello Scott,” said Ororo as she knelt down to the young boy and smiled warmly, “My name is Ororo. I guess I’m your mother now. I know you’re scared and I know you’re hurting, but we’re going to change all that. I promise you. Now please, let us take you to your new home.”

And with those fateful words, Scott Summer’s life would never be the same.

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Up next: Scott arrives at his new home with his new family.