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heavy
and it was getting hard to keep them open.
    Luke reached under the table and pulled out
two shiny wrapped gifts, setting them on the table.   “We’re glad you’re finally here, kiddo,” he
said with a warm smile.   He pushed the
glittering presents towards her.   “These
are for you.”
    Amelia opened then closed her mouth, not
knowing what to say.   She wanted to
cry.   She wanted to laugh.   She wanted to run out of the room and hide.   They had bought her presents?   Presents just for her?   It seemed like such a touching gesture and,
sort of, really scary.   It dawned on her
that maybe they felt sorry for her.   Why
else would they buy her things?   They
probably thought she was some poor little homeless girl.   She flushed with embarrassment.   “You guys didn’t have to do this,” Amelia
said in a small voice.   “Really.   You don’t
have to pretend to like me.   I’ve had
enough charity to last a lifetime.   I
don’t need yours.”
    “Really, Amelia,” Angelle said, sounding a
bit hurt.   “They’re nothing special.   It’s just a few ‘welcome home and to the
family’ presents.”
    Home?   Family?   That sounded so perfect and so terrifying all
at once.   Amelia rolled it around in her
mind, trying out the words.   She looked
around the table, it did feel like home.   She hesitated for a second and then took the glittery box in her hand,
gently peeling the tape, afraid of ruining the lovely paper.   “It’s just paper, Millie,” Eric said, rolling
his eyes.   “You’re supposed it rip it.”
    Amelia giggled and ripped into the paper to
find a shiny pink iPhone.   “I pre-loaded
it with all the best music,” Eric said proudly.
    “And I put your class schedule in the
calendar for you,” Luke added.   “And programmed all our numbers on speed dial.”
    “Mine next,” Angelle said, pushing a
wrapped envelope across to Amelia, not giving her a second to check out her new
toy.   She looked so excited that Amelia
thought she was about to jump out of her seat.   Amelia opened it to find a single piece of paper that said shopping .   She looked up at Angelle, confused.   “It’s a shopping spree!   We’re spending the day tomorrow shopping and
I’m buying you a new wardrobe.”
    Luke and Eric groaned in unison.   “I tried to stop her,” Luke said with amusement
in his voice.   “She insisted.   I’m really sorry but I just couldn’t get you
out of it.”
    “Hey,” Angelle said, shooting him a look.   “It’s going to be fun.”
    “Don’t worry, Millie,” Eric said.   “You can use the present from Luke and I to
make an escape when you can’t take it anymore.”
    “This is just…” Amelia started, tears
brimming.   It was so hard to believe that
this was all happening.   They were
actually being nice to her.   They
genuinely seemed to like her.   It was
wonderful and overwhelming and she just didn’t know what to say.   “It’s just so wonderful.   Thank you.”
    Another loud yawn escaped and Luke gave her
his fatherly smile.   “You should get some
sleep, kiddo.”   He rose from the table. “I’ll
walk you back to your room.”
    “Of course,” Angelle said, standing up as
well.   “But nice try Luke, we still need
to have our little chat.   Eric, why don’t
you take Millie back?”   She came around
the table to Amelia and gave her a big hug.   “I can’t wait for tomorrow.   We’re
going to have so much fun.”
    Luke followed Angelle’s lead and gave her a brotherly kind of hug.   “Sweet dreams, kiddo,” he said and ruffled her hair.
    “After you,” Eric said, giving a grand
gesture towards the door.   Amelia laughed
and padded her way out of the room, Eric following behind.   At the doorway, she turned back to her new
friends.   “Goodnight,” she said with a
sleepy smile.
    “Goodnight,” Angelle and Luke said in unison.
    Eric and Amelia walked in silence through
the big house towards