A Long Way from Home. Cathy Glass

up outside the orphanage, parking in virtually the same spot he had on all their previous visits. Elaine’s heart missed a beat as she looked at the decaying building, even more desolate now that the surrounding trees were barren. But one positive was that a children’s slide had appeared in the strip of land at the front. ‘That slide is new,’ she said.

      ‘Yes, it was donated two weeks ago,’ Danny said. ‘It was cemented into the ground so it can’t be taken away.’

      ‘Good,’ Elaine said. Although of course it would only benefit the children if the care workers had enough time to help them play on it, which from what they’d seen before was highly doubtful.

      ‘I wait here like before,’ Danny confirmed as they opened their car doors.

      ‘Yes, please,’ Ian said.

      They got out and went to the tall metal gate. As before the only way of attracting attention was to rattle it. Danny also gave a blast on the cab’s horn. ‘Not much has changed then,’ Ian said.

      ‘But that slide is nice,’ Elaine said, wanting to stay positive.

      A few moments later Dr Ciobanu appeared at the orphanage door and with a wave came down the path. ‘Hello Mr and Mrs Hudson. Good to see you again.’

      ‘And you,’ Ian said.

      He unlocked the gate, waved an acknowledgement to Danny and then shook Ian’s and Elaine’s hands and relocked the gate behind them. ‘So three months wasn’t so long and passed quickly,’ he said as they went up the path.

      ‘It was long enough,’ Elaine said.

      ‘Some families have to wait much longer,’ Dr Ciobanu said. ‘The flight was comfortable?’

      ‘Yes.’

      Inside, Dr Ciobanu didn’t show them into his office but stopped in the lobby, which was exactly as it had been on their last visit. ‘There are no more forms for you to sign until after the court hearing,’ he said. ‘You have the time and date of the hearing in your diary?’

      ‘Yes,’ Ian said. ‘And seared in our minds. Eleven o’clock on 23 November.’

      Dr Ciobanu nodded. ‘You need to book a cab to take you to the court and back to your hotel afterwards when you will have Anastasia with you. Arrive by 10.30. Use the same cab firm. They know where the court is and will wait for you.’ Ian and Elaine nodded. ‘Take your passports with you to court. Sometimes the judge wants to see them. Take a warm coat for the child. If you haven’t brought one with you then you must buy one here.’

      ‘We have one,’ Elaine confirmed, ‘and boots, gloves and a warm hat for her.’

      ‘That is because you have come from the UK,’ Dr Ciobanu said with a smile. ‘Some families fly in from warmer countries and forget it is cold here. Also bring a drink for the child. She will have been waiting around for some time. Although the court hearing time is set for eleven o’clock, things in this country don’t always happen on time.’ They nodded again. ‘And prepare yourselves for meeting the child’s mother. You don’t need to talk to her but the waiting room is small so she will be seated close by.’ They’d already been warned this could happen, but even so Elaine felt her heart clench. She knew she was going to have to be very brave when she met Anastasia’s mother, especially when the time came for her to say goodbye to her child.