The adoption

Modesto and Rimfire sat at the breakfast table in the kitchen. This was finally the day where they both had been waiting for, besides their wedding day already eight months ago. Today was the day, they were going to adopt a child. Rimfire looked at Modesto and smiled.

“Are you nervous?” He asked after which he sipped his coffee. “Actually, my nerves are quiet but I do find it rather exiting,” Modesto replied while buttering a sandwich. “Have you thought about a name?” He asked.

Rimfire swallowed his coffee and put down his cup. “Actually, I haven't,” he said carefully. “Why not?” Modesto said not understanding. “I'm quite bad with making up names,” the mouse replied. “Yeah, so am I, but you must have some names in mind,” Modesto said.

Rimfire looked out of the window as he started to think. “Maybe we can name him after my uncle. Modo,” he suggested. Modesto looked at his husband. “No,” he said curtly. “At least, not as a first name. Second name perhaps.”

“I was more thinking about...Fredrick,” Modesto smiled. “Fredrick,” Rimfire said sceptically as he raised his eyebrow. “Yeah, why not. After my favourite composer. Fredrique Chopin.” Rimfire repeated the name a few times.

He frowned. “Fredrick, Modo...and then?” He asked. Modesto took a sigh. “His last name, maybe,” he said and began to laugh. He thought. “Fredrick Modo Schoone Voorburght van Waldeghem. Something like that?”

“Hmm,” Rimfire mumbled and scratched behind his ear. “Sounds pretty decent to me,” he sniggered. He stood up. “Do you want some more coffee?” He asked as he took the kettle from the kitchen counter. “Thanks, honey,” Modesto replied with a smile and raised his cup.

He went to sit down and put the kettle next to him on the table. “Imagine a child,” he sighed. “Yeah, lovely aren't they?” Modesto said as he stirred his coffee. “But aren't you afraid that he might be teased at school?” Rimfire asked.

“Teased at school? Whatever for?” Modesto said and he lifted his cup to take a go. “Well, the child has already two fathers. And I don't know whether you've noticed, but I'm a mouse,” Rimfire said annoyed. “Kids can be so judgemental these days.”

Modesto nodded and but his lower lip. “Yeah, maybe. But I hope not. After all, I want that we raise him as a happy child,” he replied. Finally they ended their extensive breakfast and went upstairs to prepare for the adoption.

They walked hand in hand downstairs and left the house. Modesto locked the front door and they stepped into the Bentley his father left him as a wedding present. They drove off on their way towards the orphanage.

They stopped at a large modern building. They got out and walked towards the door where they became welcomed by the owner of the orphanage. “You must be Mr and...eh...Mr Christofori,” she said as she reached her hand.

She looked questioningly at Rimfire as she let them pass. She lead them to a large room where at least a dozen little children were playing. “How old are these children?” Modest asked after he had looked around the room.

“The oldest one is five and the youngest one is almost a year,” she replied. “How sad. Not even a year and then already an orphan,” Modesto said compassionately. “Yeah, quite tragic,” the woman said. “The father committed suicide after they were divorced and the mother died with childbirth,” she added disappointingly.

Modesto walked further into the room and all the children looked at him. They were too young to understand that there was a celebrity standing among them. He looked around and saw a two year old boy sitting alone in a corner.

He strode towards him and saw that he was crying. He squatted down next to him and laid his hand gently onto his shoulder. The boy was slightly tanned with pitch black curls, just as Modesto imagined. “Hey, little one, why are you crying?” He asked with a soothing voice. “The other children don't want to play with me,” the little boy sobbed.

Modesto smiled and the kid looked into his dark eyes. “You know why I'm here, don't you?” He asked. The boy shook his little head. “I've come here to adopt a child. What's your name?” “They all call me little Freddy,” he said and dried his tears.

“Hmm. Little Freddy. You know that Freddy comes from Fredrick?” Modesto asked still with his soothing voice. “I don't know,” the boy said. “It does,” Modesto smiled. “And that's exactly the name I had in mind.”

“You did?” The kid asked with disbelief. “I certainly did,” Modesto replied to him. “Would you mind coming with us?” He asked and looked behind him at Rimfire. He stood up and reached his hand. The boy also stood up and took it. Together they walked towards Rimfire and the woman.

Rimfire looked from Modesto to the child. He smiled and nodded. Modesto sighed. “We take him,” he said to the woman. “Let's fill in some paperwork,” she said with a smile. They went to her office where they filled in an adoption form.

They all stood up and the woman gave them a final handshake. “Congratulations. This child is now officially your son.” She showed them out and they got into the car. Modesto secured Fredrick as Rimfire went to sit behind the wheel.

Modesto sat down next to him. “Try not to drive like a lunatic. It's not a bike, okay?” Rimfire smiled weakly at him, clearly a bit insulted. “I will restrain myself,” he replied dryly. He started the engine and put the car into gear.

They drove off to their house. Modesto looked over and saw those big dark brown eyes. Fredrick smiled at his father. “Daddy!” He shouted with excitement. Modesto and Rimfire both began to laugh. “Tomorrow we're going to buy clothes and we've prepared a nice bedroom for you,” Modesto smiled as he reached his hand.

Fredrick grabbed it and they felt immediately a strong father and son bond. Rimfire looked in the rear view mirror as he bared his teeth into a wide smile. Finally they were home again. Modesto held open the door and Fredrick jumped out of the car.

They walked towards the front door as the little boy looked along the façade of the large villa. Rimfire opened the front door after which they entered the hall. The boy looked around and his eyes widened. Despite the fact that he was just two years old, he realised that he was going to live in a massively large house with room to spare to play and run.

They spend the rest of their day playing. They fed him and in the evening they sat onto the couch in the lounge. The clock on the mantel piece struck ten after which they decided to bring Fredrick to bed. The kid yawned widely as he laid in Rimfire's strong arms.

The mouse put him underneath the sheets and tucked him in. The full Moon, which stood high into the sky, lit his cute little sleepy face. Modesto laid his hand lovingly on Rimfire's chest and smiled at him. “There he lays. Our own little child. So perfectly innocent,” he sighed. And for little Freddy. He was on his way to dreamland.