Prologue: my dad, the bear

I was very young when I met him. I was barely an eight-year-old cub when he suddenly found me lost in the street, walking to his work. He was a very big bear, he wore a very clean suit and carried a couple of things in his hands.

— Hello little one. Are you lost?

— Y-yes. I got here without knowing how and I can't go back ...

He just looked at me, with a very tender look. I just stared at him for a while. I had no exact idea why he was looking at me like that, or why I felt that way.

— Okay, do not worry. I will accompany you until you remember where you can get to your home.

— r-really ?! Thank you very much sir!

I think he liked saying that, because he looked at me again very tender. He took me by the hand gently. I felt a warmth that I liked very much, that I had not felt before. We were talking about various things. Things like '' where he works '', '' why does he do it '', '' maybe he does it with happiness ''.

A short time later, I manage to recognize a couple of places.

— I think I know where we are, sir.

— Seriously? So it is early time to say goodbye ...

— I suppose...

I guide him through the places I remember until he reaches my home. A large place, an old shabby-looking house, dark in color, but with a beautiful front garden full of colorful flowers and shrubs of different shapes and sizes.

— Well sir, here it is.

— Here?

He begins to look around the place and notices the name on a large sign. The sign said

«Grace Fitzton Orphanage».

— O-oh ... so ... are you an orphan?

I did not respond to it. I just kept my gaze down. Suddenly, a familiar voice comes out of the entrance of the place.

— So there you are. We were very worried about you, Meik.

It was Miss Trinity, the director of the orphanage.

— Excuse me Miss Trinity. I just wanted to get out a little bit and ... I got lost.

— Luckily you're not hurt. Imagine what would have happened if something happened to you. The National Juvenile Service could file a lawsuit against the orphanage if that happens. There is not enough money to pay the workers and also pay a lawsuit.

He took my arm a little hard. It hurt, but I didn't mention it.

— Excuse me miss—. Said that bear — What will happen to the little one?

The lady turned around to realize that he was there.

— Good morning sir, and you shouldn't worry about that. we are in charge of taking care of it. You shouldn't get into business that doesn't concern you.

— I think you are not understanding what I mean — said the bear later — I intend to adopt the little one.

Miss Trinity stared at him for a long time, with a shocked and incredulous face.

— In order to adopt a child, you must have a certificate stating that you are physically and emotionally stable to support a minor. Besides, there is no one who wants a child as unruly as Meik.

The bear takes a clipboard that he carried with him and shows Miss Trinity some papers that he carried inside it, showing the adoption permit certificates, in addition to several attached papers.

— I know what the adoption process is in this country. I know how their orphanages work. I had thought about adopting a child for a long time. In addition, this child is too tender to continue living in a place where they do not value him enough to realize that they were missing one.

Miss Trinity was surprised.

— ...Well, sir. If you're sure of it ... then come over to me to sign your papers.

We went together to the reception, where Miss Trinity borrowed a pencil and stamp and signed the necessary information on the adoption papers. the process was faster than I thought.

— Well little cub, I'm officially your father now.

With his sentence finished, a feeling of happiness washed over my entire body. I hugged the bear in a stroke of excitement.

And from that day until I was fourteen, I began to discover little by little how much I loved that bear. Unfortunately, the day I told him, the day he accepted a love affair with me, he was a complete asshole ... so I ran away ...