Elora

I waved my hand again, and Elora finally seemed to notice. 

She moved one hand from her baby, and placed it in mine.

The guard rushed up to help as I tried to pull her up. 

When she stood up fully, her legs were shaking, and I knew they could not hold her up for much longer.

I understood that feeling. 

I led her to one of the sofas, wondering where my own child was, and when he would return to me. As if on cue, my father walked in through the door, with Oliver in his arms.

I ran up to them, momentarily forgetting all about Elora. 

I took Oliver from him, hugging him and sniffing his scent. When I moved my head back to look all over his face again, to confirm that he was fine, my son had a bewildered look on his face, and then he revealed his two bottom teeth in a smile.

My eyes misted as I giggled at his innocence, and hugged him close to my chest, and finally turned back to my father.

“Thank you so much,” I mouthed, and he nodded. Then he reached out and patted my shoulder.

“Should I take him up?” he asked, his eyes traveling to Elora behind me. 

I shook my head. “I’ll hold him. It’s fine.”

I turned away, walking back to Elora. 

“You cannot stay here, Elora,” I took the couch opposite her and settled Oliver on my lap. 

She began to sob, but was nodding her head the whole time. “I know. I know.”

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” I asked, leaning my cheek against Oliver’s temples, who was staring open-mouthed at Elora and her baby like they were some entertainment. 

“This is my baby.” She turned her child towards me, and I immediately saw how underfed and neglected he looked. “I did not kidnap him. I simply had to find a job because his father could not provide for our needs.”

Kan came to sit beside me now.

“The agreement was that I would work for six months when I could afford a roof over my head, and then come take him. But my ex resisted me from even seeing him when I returned.”

“Was this agreement verbal between both of you?” Kan asked in a cool, hostile voice, and Elora shivered. 

“Yes. He did not agree at first, but I assure you he did.” She looked up at me. “I would never have left my child there if he did not.”

Kan was about to speak again, but I placed a gentle hand on his thigh and he went quiet.

“How can I help you?”

“I want to take my son back home. My mother would care for him.”

“You are Canadian?” I asked.

“Yes.’

“You cannot travel with a minor without both parents' consent,” I said, even while I was wondering why I was meddling in affairs that did not concern me. 

“I have sole custody. He never really wanted anything to do with our son,” she said.

I felt a shiver run through my body, “Are you sure about what you are saying? You mean you have sole custody over your son here?”

Elora looked at me with wide eyes, taken aback by my intensity. “Yes. I do.”

“None of this makes sense.” Kan spoke up again. “How would a man who wanted nothing to do with your son agree to care for him? What are you even saying?”

Elora’s eyes went to the floor, and I could see the tears falling from her eyes to the skirt of her dress. 

I felt sorry for her, and empathy for how scary it was to be on the run with your child as a young mom, with no real home.

I was exactly like her, only richer. 

But I also understood Kan’s sentiment.

“Explain from the beginning, Elora.” I said gently, and reached out to touch her knee.

She nodded, and finally looked up.

“None of my family lives here. My ex was the only person I really knew here. We met when he came out on vacation in Canada. We began dating and then thought we could take a trip back here for a vacation too.”

“I found out I was pregnant here, and preferred to start a life here.” 

I nodded, watching her. Of course, I understood everything she was saying. These kinds of stories and choices would not make sense to full citizens like the Sullivans and Tuckers and Turners.

But it made perfect sense to a foreigner like me who understood the need to want to stay in a country that was relatively easier than where you grew up. 

But unlike me, who had roots here, and was even born here to a Japanese father before both my parents left, Elora was a plain stranger.

“My ex did not object, till my money ran out, and he realized my pregnancy would not let me work.”

“Was he not working?” I asked.

She shook her head, “I did not know this till we came here, and I was halfway into my pregnancy. He suddenly did not want to have anything to do with us and insisted I claim full custody in writing.”

Kan and I looked at each other, and back at Elora. 

Oliver had gotten bored now, and was restless to get away and crawl around. I stood up and began bouncing him around. 

“I did, because that was the only way he would even let me remain in his house till I had the baby,” Elora continued. “To get him to care for my son while I was away working this job, I gave him 60 percent of what I made.”

“What?” Kan and I said in unison.

“Did you really not have any friends?” I asked her.

“No. My Japanese is terrible and the only reason I got this job was because the mistress was a foreigner.”

I stared from her to Kan. 

He no longer looked angry and irritated. He sat with his legs crossed, contemplating.