Annie’s loss

Annie is seven and has upwards of twenty siblings. Her older siblings know with precision where they themselves were born, which is often one hospital or another that's named after a Saint. Annie thinks it cool to be born at a hospital named after a Saint and wishes she knew where she was born, but she doesn't; she just knows that when she opened her eyes for the first time, Aunt Celeste was the only person there.

Annie gets along only with Timothy, a brother two years her junior. They are playmates and each other's best friend. They share everything with one another but never with anyone else.

Timothy is bullied often by older kids, for his fiery red hair and skin so fair that it prevents him from playing outdoors on beautiful days. Timothy loves the warmth, but he's told to stay inside when the sun is out, and he's an obliging boy so inside he stays to ride his timber horse, backwards and forwards on its crescent feet. On such days Annie would stay with him. They remain in the playroom with the stuffed animals and the newborns and younger kids who can't yet walk properly by themselves.

Timothy does everything in his power to make Annie laugh, even faking falls that at times do hurt. Despite his age, he's protective of her. Annie is a feisty girl and other girls hate that about her because they want to enjoy the attention too. When Annie had her first quarrel with another girl, who had dark braided hair, she shouted so constantly the other girl couldn't get a word in, so she picked up a small rock and hurled it at Annie's forehead, missing her eye just a little. Annie put on a brave face, but when Timothy heard her shallow breaths—which come in short bursts whenever she's bound to cry—he marched towards the girl with dark braided hair and yanked on one of her pigtails so hard she bawled. He claimed victory on Annie's behalf.

Young boys and girls sleep in the same room until they're teenagers, and then they get separated. Every morning Annie stands at the foot of Timothy's bed waiting for him to put on his uniform. She combs his hair now and again, then they walk together to the dining room for breakfast.

But today the bed is empty, and nobody has told her the reason. She wanders down the lobby towards Aunt Celeste's office and pushes the door open slightly to have a peek. Timothy's sitting at a table, Aunt Celeste by his side, and across from him is a man and a woman, who has just slid Timothy a square box with blue wrapping and a red bow. When Aunt Celeste spots Annie at the door, she says, Wait outside, dear.

Annie obliges and walks away. As the door swings shut behind her, she hears the other woman ask, Would you like to see your new home, Timothy?