The Big Reveal (part 4)

It’s 8:29 AM on August 26, and I am sitting behind my computer in my office at church.  Skype rings, and I am soon talking to the woman in charge of our kids' orphanage.  This has happened before, so it’s no big deal to me.  However, this time the news could not have been any worse.  Our friend in charge of the orphanage has been talking with Y for close to a month now about the adoption, but Y has finally made his decision.  His exact words to her were, “I just don’t see myself living in America.”  

She tells me these words, and I remember being crushed and thinking, “This is it!  It is really over.  We are not going to adopt them.”  But at the same time I also thought, “God, this cannot be right.  You said these are our kids.” 

After a more thorough explanation, I asked to speak to Y.  I did not know what I was going to say, so I just made small talk with Y at first.  Y would not look at me, and he just stared off into the next room as our friend interpreted.  My final plea to Y was this, “Y, would it help if I came and visited you next week?” 

Silence for 10 seconds…20 seconds…25 seconds…And by this time, it was so uncomfortable that I almost changed the subject until Y spoke up in Russian.  Translated, he said, “I want to tell Z” and he left the room.  I did not know what was happening until our friend said, “Y is going to get his sister and ask her.”  

My immediate response was, “What do I tell Z?”  Since we had not told her that we wanted to adopt her, I did not know what to say.  Our friend in charge of the orphanage blurted out, “Joe, you must tell her everything!!!”  

Oh, wow!!!  This is it!!!  I am about to tell Z right now that we want to adopt her.  Oh no!!!  Lisa is not with me at my office.  What do I do?  So, I frantically sent Lisa this text, “I am telling Z right now on Skype!!!”  And then Y and Z sit down right in front of the video looking at me.  My phone chimes from Lisa saying, “What? I am on my way!” 

So this is it!  It’s do or die!  It’s my last chance to pull this thing out.  This is the Big Reveal!

Joey