Chapter 180 Too Many Oddities
Grandpa Joe had been incredibly skilled—he could have easily found a position at a prestigious hospital with excellent benefits. But his kind heart kept him here, quietly caring for these unfortunate orphans in his own way.
Grace looked at Liam, who clutched the box with a sad expression. The sadness was written all over his face, and tears threatened to spill from his eyes.
"What's inside the box?" she asked gently.
The caregiver shook her head. "We don't know. Grandpa Joe left it specifically for Liam, and we haven't opened it."
Sorrow laced her voice. ‘Liam must be devastated, Grandpa Joe was the kindest to him—truly like family. We’ve been struggling with how to tell him the news properly."
Grace asked, "How were Grandpa Joe's final arrangements handled?"
The caregiver sighed. "Grandpa Joe had no family. He donated all his remaining savings to the orphanage. He didn't leave much of a will, just repeatedly insisted that when he passed, his body and organs be donated to the medical school."
Grace felt deeply moved by this revelation.
No wonder Liam was such a gentle, kind-hearted person—he'd learned from someone equally compassionate.
She approached quietly and gently stroked his hair. "Liam, this is what Grandpa Joe left for you. Would you like to open it and see?"
Liam nodded silently.
As he opened the box, Grace and Alexander peered inside with him.
The contents were neatly organized and carefully preserved.
There were many of Grandpa Joe's treasured medical textbooks, along with toys he'd bought for Liam over the years—dolls, rattles, and other small treasures.
These were things Liam hadn't been able to take when Alexander brought him home, items that Grandpa Joe had lovingly safeguarded.
And then there was a photograph.
It was the only picture Liam had ever taken with Grandpa Joe at the facility. The old doctor had carefully preserved it, mounted it in a frame, and kept it spotlessly clean without a speck of dust.
Tears welled up in Liam's eyes as he lifted the framed photo, pressing his small face against it. His tears began to fall.
Grace knelt down and gently squeezed his chubby little hand. "Don't be sad, sweetheart. Even though Grandpa Joe isn't here anymore, he'll always be watching over you from heaven."
Liam suddenly broke down crying. "I miss Grandpa Joe..."
Alexander felt his heart ache.
He'd never seen Liam cry with such heartbreak before.
The little boy held the frame close to his chest, tears streaming down his face in an endless flow.
...
Later, in the office, Alexander held Liam in his arms. The child had cried himself to sleep, still clutching the photograph tightly.
Grace sat across from the caregiver, discussing Liam's background. The woman smiled sadly. "Grandpa Joe was especially fond of Liam—maybe because he was such a sweet child, or because he felt sorry seeing him get picked on here. Facilities like ours rely partly on government funding and partly on private donations. With so many children, it's impossible to give each one individual attention..."
"How did Liam end up here?" Grace asked.
"We're not entirely sure. The police brought him in after finding him wandering the streets alone. They initially thought he'd gotten separated from his parents, so they put up missing person notices. When no one came forward after two weeks, they transferred him here."
Grace pressed further. "With DNA technology being so advanced nowadays..."
The caregiver nodded. "We did try to locate Liam's birth parents. We submitted his blood sample to the DNA database, which is how we eventually found his biological father—Mr. Hayes."
Grace furrowed her brow. "What about Liam's birth mother?"
Alexander answered curtly, "No match."
Years ago, he'd suspected Grace might have given birth and abandoned the child, so he'd had DNA tests run comparing Grace and Liam's samples.
The results proved they weren't related.
Liam's origins remained a mystery.
Before marrying Grace, Alexander's romantic history was virtually nonexistent. After their divorce, he'd maintained no intimate relationships with other women.
Grace's pregnancy had resulted from the procedure arranged by his grandmother.
How Liam came to exist continued to dodge investigation.
If the DNA database couldn't find a match, it meant only one thing: Liam's birth mother's sample had never been registered.
Grace glanced at Lily, who was nestled close beside her, tiny fingers gripping her sleeve. The little girl clearly adored Grace and wanted to go home with her, but she was too well-behaved and understanding to voice such requests.
Grace felt equally drawn to Lily. Now that the child was in the orphanage system with her mother gone and her father refusing to acknowledge her, she was completely alone in the world.
"Is it possible to adopt children from the facility?" Grace asked.
"Certainly, though there are specific requirements for the adoption process."
The prerequisites were fairly standard: financial stability to support a child, no medical conditions that would interfere with parenting, minimum age of thirty, and childlessness.
Beyond these basic requirements, there were additional considerations.
For instance, married couples were strongly preferred.
"Are you thinking of adopting Lily, Ms. Foster?" the caregiver inquired.
"I'm considering it," Grace admitted.
The caregiver nodded, glancing at Max nearby. "Is this your son?"
Grace confirmed with a nod.
"Are you currently single?"
"I'm divorced," Grace replied.
The caregiver spoke diplomatically. "Ms. Foster, I'm touched by your compassion. Looking at how wonderfully you've raised your son, I'm sure you could provide Lily with a loving home. However, your current status doesn't quite meet our adoption requirements."
Lily looked up, seeming to understand the conversation, her eyes flickering with disappointment before she lowered her head sadly.
Grace reassured her gently, "It's alright. Even if I can't adopt you right now, I'll visit you often."
...
Grace and Alexander left the orphanage, with Alexander carrying the sleeping Liam to the car while Grace settled Max in his seat.
"Mommy, do you want to adopt that little girl?" Max asked curiously.
"I'm thinking about it," Grace replied. "But it's just an idea right now. I wanted to hear what you thought about it."
Max tilted his head thoughtfully. "Why do you want to adopt Lily?"
"Because she's all alone now—her mother is gone, and her father doesn't want her," Grace explained.
Max considered this seriously. "If you want to adopt her, I'd be okay with it."
Grace smiled warmly. "I knew you'd understand, sweetheart. But unfortunately, I don't meet the adoption requirements yet."
Her emotions were complicated. While she genuinely wanted to care for Lily, she knew such a decision required careful consideration—adopting a child meant taking responsibility for their entire future.