Michael went to the front door and opened it. He immediately wished he hadn't though. Standing outside the house was Bill.
"Morning Michael." He said. He seemed very jumpy.
"Bill, what are آپ doing here?" Michael asked. "You're meant to be in London."
"I was...it's just...someone wants to see you."
"Who?"
Bill stepped aside and revealed Joseph was had been behind him. Michael suddenly felt ill.
"Joe, I thought آپ were in Indiana." Michael said, stepping outside.
"That's not important right now. I need to ask آپ something though. Did آپ really take that girl back to her orphange?"
"Y-yes, I did."
"You're stuttering Michael. I knew you'd lie to me. Why didn't آپ do it? Did آپ really think آپ could get away with something like this? What do آپ think the media will..."
"Hold on Joseph, I got some سوالات of my own."
"Answer mine first."
"No, you're listening to me this time. Why have آپ been asking the rest of the family for money?"
"I needed it."
"For what?"
"For my flight."
"I doubt one flight would cost half a million dollars. Tell me the real reason."
"Alright fine. I promised Bill the money so he would keep his mouth shut."
"What's Bill got to do with this?"
"I told Bill that I was coming to London and that he needed to drive me to that orphanage آپ went to."
"You went to London to check if I gave Rosabel back? Why?"
"I don't want آپ getting into any trouble."
"But now that you've been to the orphanage you've seen how terrible it was and why she can't go back there."
"It's not that bad."
"They abuse the children every day!" Michael yelled. "Her best friend even died not long ago!"
"How did آپ know about her friend? That was supposed to be a secret!"
"Janet told me."
"And how did Janet know?"
Both of them suddenly looked at Bill who had turned bright red and was sweating like he had just ran a marathon.
"Does this have anything to do with you?" Joseph asked.
"Well...sort of...I didn't mean for this to happen though. I just couldn't handle it anymore. I needed to get things off my chest."
"That's complete bull-"
"Don't blame him Joseph."
"Look, Michael." Joseph sighed. "I didn't come here for an argument. Just give the girl to me and I'll take her back."
"No. Not now at least."
"When?"
"Come back in January."
"Why?"
"You can't take her now. This is her first Christmas. You'll ruin it for her."
"So that's why your house is covered with all that junk. Take it down. آپ know that you're never meant to celebrate Christmas."
"It's for Rosabel though, not me. And how many times do I have to tell آپ that I'm not your little boy anymore. I can make my own decisions."
"May I remind آپ who got آپ where آپ are today?"
"You only started me off. I've been fine since 1979. Just come back in January and آپ can have her."
"Fine. Bill let's go."
Michael watched as Joseph and Bill left. He felt confused. Why didn't Joseph trust him? How could he tell Rosabel that he had to take her back to the orphange? Would she understand? Michael went back inside and closed the door. He didn't notice Rosabel about to go back to the lounge, from behind the staircase, with tears in her eyes.
"Morning Michael." He said. He seemed very jumpy.
"Bill, what are آپ doing here?" Michael asked. "You're meant to be in London."
"I was...it's just...someone wants to see you."
"Who?"
Bill stepped aside and revealed Joseph was had been behind him. Michael suddenly felt ill.
"Joe, I thought آپ were in Indiana." Michael said, stepping outside.
"That's not important right now. I need to ask آپ something though. Did آپ really take that girl back to her orphange?"
"Y-yes, I did."
"You're stuttering Michael. I knew you'd lie to me. Why didn't آپ do it? Did آپ really think آپ could get away with something like this? What do آپ think the media will..."
"Hold on Joseph, I got some سوالات of my own."
"Answer mine first."
"No, you're listening to me this time. Why have آپ been asking the rest of the family for money?"
"I needed it."
"For what?"
"For my flight."
"I doubt one flight would cost half a million dollars. Tell me the real reason."
"Alright fine. I promised Bill the money so he would keep his mouth shut."
"What's Bill got to do with this?"
"I told Bill that I was coming to London and that he needed to drive me to that orphanage آپ went to."
"You went to London to check if I gave Rosabel back? Why?"
"I don't want آپ getting into any trouble."
"But now that you've been to the orphanage you've seen how terrible it was and why she can't go back there."
"It's not that bad."
"They abuse the children every day!" Michael yelled. "Her best friend even died not long ago!"
"How did آپ know about her friend? That was supposed to be a secret!"
"Janet told me."
"And how did Janet know?"
Both of them suddenly looked at Bill who had turned bright red and was sweating like he had just ran a marathon.
"Does this have anything to do with you?" Joseph asked.
"Well...sort of...I didn't mean for this to happen though. I just couldn't handle it anymore. I needed to get things off my chest."
"That's complete bull-"
"Don't blame him Joseph."
"Look, Michael." Joseph sighed. "I didn't come here for an argument. Just give the girl to me and I'll take her back."
"No. Not now at least."
"When?"
"Come back in January."
"Why?"
"You can't take her now. This is her first Christmas. You'll ruin it for her."
"So that's why your house is covered with all that junk. Take it down. آپ know that you're never meant to celebrate Christmas."
"It's for Rosabel though, not me. And how many times do I have to tell آپ that I'm not your little boy anymore. I can make my own decisions."
"May I remind آپ who got آپ where آپ are today?"
"You only started me off. I've been fine since 1979. Just come back in January and آپ can have her."
"Fine. Bill let's go."
Michael watched as Joseph and Bill left. He felt confused. Why didn't Joseph trust him? How could he tell Rosabel that he had to take her back to the orphange? Would she understand? Michael went back inside and closed the door. He didn't notice Rosabel about to go back to the lounge, from behind the staircase, with tears in her eyes.
