CHAPTER I

Melanie tapped her fingers on the product shelf, unable to decide which oil she should buy. She wasn't a brand-specific person, she always liked to try new things. Whether it is a new cream or a new pair of jeans. She had the habit of changing her choice. This time she wanted to buy something effective for her hairs.

A sudden whimpering cry reached her ears and it distracted her. Probably, it was from a kid. She looked around to see where did it come from. Her legs moved in the direction of the voice. The cry did not stop, but when she reached there, she was disturbed.

Melanie spotted a four-year-old kid who was standing all alone behind the grocery stand, no one else around him. Her brows drew together, her face stiffened, she couldn't believe it

How could someone leave a small kid all alone? or was he lost in the big mall?

She looked around; there was no one. She came to him and bent forward to him"Dear are you all alone? Why are you crying my son" she asked, her anxious tone. She wiped his tears and hugged him making an effort to calm him.

"Stop crying kido, look here, look at me, tell me what happened, has someone left you over here? Is there no one along with you? Dear, please look at me. Okay fine, tell me where are your parents? Mom-Dad with whom did you come along?" Concerned about him she rained a series of questions on him but that effort was all in vain. This child cried unstoppably, he didn't utter a word.

"Dear if you are not going to tell me anything, how would I help you?" she said caressing his forehead. Now she couldn't bear to see him in pain. She looked around to find help for this little kid, holding his hand.

Finally, the kid spoke something "I don't know, I came here along with my Allan " he sobbed through the hiccups.

'Allan' or 'Allan' was what he was trying to say through his lisping words. But who was this irresponsible 'Allan' of him? How careless was he to leave a four-year-old all alone, she thought. Melanie hugged him close to comfort him.

A voice broke her trail of thoughts "Luis! Where were you and why did you leave my hand?" A man said approaching them. When this little boy saw him he pulled his hand out of her hold and reached to him. He tightly hugged him wrapping his hands around his waist.

"Where did you go Allan?" the boy asked in his sobbing voice. Melanie was watching the two of them.

"This is not good Luis, Why did you leave my hand and run away?" he asked creasing his forehead, worry written on his face.

"Sorry, Allan" he held out his ears "I will not do it again," he said pouting at him.

"You better don't repeat it Luis, you don't even know how scared I was when I didn't find you around," he said wiping the little one's tears. He picked him in his arms and kissed on his cheek.

'Luis' kissed him back cutely flashing a smile. "Come on let's go, you naughty one," the man said carrying him along. But then Luis tugged his arm "Allan, this 'Didi' is very nice, she helped me when I was crying" he said looking at Melanie.

Melanie smiled at his words "Well, that was all my pleasure... umm...Luis" she said pulling his cheeks.

"I'm sorry he's a bit naughty, I hope he hasn't troubled you much, and thank you so much" he smiled at her.

"Why do they procreate if they can't handle kids?" she muttered.

"Sorry? You said something?" he asked when he heard the unclear words of her.

"No! Meet you some another time Luis," she said grinning at him.

"His name is Alvin, It's only I who calls him Luis, right Luis?" the man answered raising his eyebrows.

"Hmm" Melanie smiled without any warmth. She waved at the little boy and left the place.

"Strange!" he sighed shaking his head. "Come on Luis, let's go" he picked the little boy in his arms.

Melanie was walking down the road. The encounter with this person in the mall was something that occurred almost every day of her life. Every second day she met people with their selfish reasons who either didn't have the time to handle their kids or they didn't want to do so. The other kind was the one who didn't want them at all.

Melanie was running a non-government organization named '2M foundation' which managed a few daycare centers all around the city and another was an orphanage. First, when she started this organization, she couldn't believe that there were a countless number of 'selfish' people (according to her) who couldn't even take care of their own elfin lives.

She increased her speed when she felt the droplets on her skin. Raining was quite expectant during this time, in the city. Her hands had already turned cold and she was shivering with the coolness. Soon she reached her place. She removed her over-jacket and stepped inside the house from the back door, directly to the reading room.

"Melanie, are you back?" a woman called her in a gentle tone.

"Yes Maa I'm home" she replied picking up the book from the shelf. She walked to the living area and placed the book aside. She turned the electric heater on and sat by the side chair.

"Melanie, here's your coffee" her mother placed a cup of coffee on the table.

"Thanks, Maa I was so in need of this"

She sipped in the warm cup, savoring the taste of the coffee lingering on her tongue. When the cup was still half, she heard a knock on the door. Who would it be at this time and in such rainy weather, she thought. She kept the cup on the table and stepped to the door to open it.

She looked around to see who it was, but there was no one around. She felt an unexpected touch on her hand as if someone pulled her stole. She looked down, she was surprised to find a small baby in a basket.

What was this tiny creature doing at her door? How did she appear out of nowhere?

The baby was wrapped in a white soft blanket. Her tiny legs moved in a jagged motion through the white blanket. Her coal dark eyes shined in the moonlight. She smiled at Melanie through her strawberry pink lips. The baby was looking at her intently. Melanie instantly took the baby in her arms, her skin felt extremely cold. Melanie's forehead furrowed, she immediately took her inside.

"Melanie who is it?" asked her mother when Melanie took too much time to come inside.

"Maa, a baby" she replied.

"A baby?"

"Yes Maa, someone has left this baby at our doorsteps," she said. She checked the basket and found a note in it. She gave the note to her mother.

Her mother opened the note and read it aloud

A mother's heartfelt plea, please accept her as your '2M'

It read!

"No, I can't take her to 2M foundation, especially not in this weather, and not only in this weather, but till the time I find her mother I can't take her there"

"But dear, her mother wants you to keep her in 2M foundation, I mean at least this note says so .Why do you want to find her mother? If she had to keep her, she wouldn't have left her at our door in this streaming cold rainy weather"

The day's incident came to her mind, she recalled how the person had left the little boy in the mall all alone "Yes Maa, I don't know what's happening to people these days. Why do they even give birth to someone if they can't afford to have them?" she snapped, her lips set in a line.

Her mother touched her shoulder "Calm down my dear, and take her inside, think about it later with a relaxed mind, she must be hungry, let's first feed her "

"Hmm.." she nodded fixing her eyes at the baby in her arms, the baby chuckled slapping her tiny hands on her face. Melanie's smile grew wider and she pressed her lips to her temple.