Free Half a World Away by Cynthia Kadohata Page B

side, as if it was too heavy for the neck to support. Its thin limbs fluttered in the air as if the baby had no control over them. Penni started to speak, but then the woman took the baby out of the office without talking to Akerke, as if bringing that baby in was just a formality. Jaden stared after them. He hoped someone would adopt that child.
    Penni and Steve spoke quietly to each other for a moment. Jaden heard Penni say to Steve, “What can we do? Apparently, we have to decide now . I actually read about this type of situation on a Yahoo group—they said that you hardly have any time to decide.”
    Steve stuck out his lower jaw with determination. “Then we have to decide before this gets even worse.” He asked loudly, “May we see the second one again?” Penni’s eyes opened wide in surprise, but Jaden thought it was good for Steve to act with determination and abandon Bahytzhan. Bahytzhan was gone. Bahytzhan had probably come into this room, gotten accepted, and then his path had diverged from theirs.
    Akerke spoke to the director. The director yelled out, and a minute later the second baby was brought back in. Jaden thought he was very cute, his eyes huge and gray. The woman spoke in Russian but watched Penni and Steve as she talked. When she finished talking, she held the baby extra close and smiled.
    Akerke translated. “I tell you again. Fifteen months old. Though he cannot walk yet, he can get up and hold table and stand. Does not speak yet. I think this is best baby. I would take this baby, and the director believes this is very good baby. The other couple will get this baby if you do not want him.”
    â€œI thought you said he was eighteen months,” Steve said.
    â€œIs fifteen.”
    â€œBut you just told us—” Steve said.
    Jaden’s head was spinning. Akerke had definitely said eighteen months the first time. “How do you know the director likes him?” he piped up.
    â€œThe nurse has told me. The director knows the babies very well.”
    â€œI don’t care about his age! May I hold him?” asked Penni politely, standing up.
    â€œIs fine,” said Akerke.
    Penni took the baby, who didn’t show any sign that he was now being held by someone new. “What’s his name?”
    Akerke said, “Is Ramazan.”
    â€œRamazan,” said Penni to the baby. “Fifteen months old. Ramazan, what a handsome boy. Is Ramazan a happy boy today?”
    Ramazan stared at Penni’s lips. Jaden squeezed the baby’s leg; he didn’t feel strong like the baby from the airport. But what did Jaden know about legs?
    â€œYou must accept him. Is no more babies,” Akerke said.
    Ramazan’s blankness made Jaden feel that the baby was vulnerable, as if nobody had ever responded to his cries, and so he had learned not to cry. Jaden knew what that was like. Ramazan was probably used to being handed off from one person to another. Poor little guy, Jaden thought, but then he immediately went full circle and felt a stab of jealousy. He could tell they were going to end up with Ramazan. How was that fair when Jaden had languished in group homes for four years?
    â€œDo I get a vote?” Jaden asked bitterly. Without waiting for an answer, he blurted out, “I don’t like him, Mom.”
    â€œYou don’t?” Penni leaned toward Jaden. “That’s important.”
    â€œStill, you must decide,” Akerke said urgently. “Please do not anger director, or you can end up with nothing.”
    Jaden spoke up again. “Why don’t we go to a different baby house?”
    â€œIs no more baby house in Kyzylorda,” Akerke said. “Jaden, I must talk to your parents.” Akerke stood up to get closer to Penni.
    Penni was frowning hard. “But if none of them is right—”
    â€œYou cannot tell who is right or wrong. Only in time you will see.”
    â€œBut he seems so, well,