A cold December night in the year 2000, at the doors of the Reina house. A young woman dressed in a beige dress walks in front of a door with a stroller. Sweat beads on her forehead and blood stains her cheek and the sleeve of her winter coat. Seeing her reflection through the window, she wipes off the blood as best she can. The coolness of the night creates a cloud as she exhales to catch her breath. She turns around looking for a noise or a person following her. The woman turns and thinks ironically that the poorly lit street makes it easier to do her job. She faces the big door of the establishment again. She thinks about everything that happened that night, the promise she made and the consequences her actions will have later. But she has no choice. A tear slides down her ebony cheek, to end up on the beautiful face of one of the infants. He observes her, who seems to suffer horribly, without understanding. She looks at him and smiles. She lowers herself and speaks to him in a soft voice.
- Everything will be fine my love, don't worry. Here, we will take good care of you, until a nice family takes you with them, she says.
The baby remains silent and watches with curiosity the strange facial expressions of the woman. The second child wakes up and cries because of the cold. She tries to calm him down, but finds herself unable to hold back her tears. Lights appear through the large windows of the building. Footsteps grow louder and closer to the front door. The woman nervously wipes away her tears. The door opens to reveal a man in his forties. He looks the woman in front of him up and down. He has seen this face before, the face of a mother faced with a choice. This is not the first time this has happened, unfortunately. She wants to speak but the man cuts her off.
- Come in and have some tea with me. Come on, don't stand there on such a cold night.
The man takes the crying child and invites the woman to come in. She looks at him with surprise at first, then, seeing the man's smile, she gives him a grateful look back and enters.
He brings her tea in the living room. He invites her to sit down and settles in the armchair opposite her. She takes a sip and feels satisfied with the warmth that finally warms her chilled body.
- Thank you for the tea, she says as she sets the cup down.
- You're welcome. With this cold, it's better to warm up with a good tea to avoid getting sick. So, I guess you didn't come to visit the orphanage in the middle of the night after a health walk, did you? I would like you to think carefully about what you are doing. Are you sure this is what you want?
She turns and looks at the beautiful faces of her two children. One with his sparkling green eyes, pink lips and still pale newborn skin is like the moon lighting up the leaves on the forest trees in the dark. He looks so much like her, he reminds her of her partner, her family. The other one shines like the sun, but his calm and peacefulness are reflected in his metallic blue-gray eyes and his little nose. She has a duty and therefore she must protect them. They both have fates that could pursue them, but to give them a chance to escape, she must do so. What awaits her children is sad, says the woman.
- Yes, that's what I want. It's for their own good.
- You still have the choice to be brave and try to integrate them into your life. Don't you have relatives who can help you through this? And what about their father, does he agree?
She smiles bitterly as she thinks about the sir's proposals. She knows the truth and knows that despite all the good words of this good man, she will not change her mind.
- You are mistaken, sir. It's not a matter of choice or courage when the die has already been cast for you. And as for my relatives, they are in the know, she said, the last part of her sentence whispered. However, that is none of your business, she told him coldly.
The man stiffens at the way the woman's tone and gaze have suddenly changed. There is definitely no way she will change her mind.
- Well, since you seem so determined, I'm not going to keep questioning you," he said, looking away. So, you want to leave your children here? You know that in order to do that, you have to have a reason that fits into our acceptance requirements? Besides, there are plenty of other support systems in Belgium since the creation of social security and...
- I know. But this institution is known to make exceptions for some people. And I happen to be one of them.
- I don't know what you're talking about," says the man, frowning.
The woman gets up and heads for the stroller. She stoops down to retrieve her bag from the bottom pocket. She opens it and looks for the letter her mother gave her. She takes the black letter in hand and hands it to the man.
- What is this he say when he opens the mysterious letter and reads its contents. After reading it he looks at the woman, doubtful. Are you a descendant? Sorry, I didn't know. Everything becomes clear. Come, I'll show you the children's room.
- That's not necessary. Besides, I'm pressed for time. Originally, I just wanted to leave them in front of the door with the letter, she said while getting up. Sir?
- Kaylan Sleutel, ma'am at your service.
- Mr. Sleutel. Thank you again for the tea.
Then she stoops to look one last time at the child with the gray eyes that had not stopped looking at her. She would have liked to see them grow up. But she knows it's for the best. A tear fell from the corner of her left eye and she quickly wiped it away with her sleeve.
- You can always come and find them if you ever feel the need," he said as the woman angrily wiped her cheeks.
- That won't be necessary, she said, taking her jacket and bag. They are brothers," she said, smiling, "don't separate them. The home will have to take them together.
- Of course, he agrees.
The woman moves towards the door, trying not to turn around. She thinks back to the whole nightmare evening and tears fill her eyes, clouding her vision, but she keeps going. The corridor is so long, she laments. A voice takes her out of her thoughts:
- Madam! Wait! Shouts the man. You didn't tell me their names. Do they have any?
The woman answers before walking out the door.
- Their names are embroidered on their blankets.
The man joins the children. He takes the stroller and heads for what will now be their room until they find a home. The room is painted gray, which contrasts well with the wooden furniture. Two cribs sit in the middle of the room, separated by a wooden stool. Mr. Sleutel leaves the stroller at the door and puts each of the infants in their respective cribs. He wonders if he shouldn't have cleaned the room before putting them in, when one of the children starts to cry. He rocks him a little and manages to put him to sleep.
- Sleep well... he says before stopping to realize that he still doesn't know his name. Remembering the woman's words, he gently turns him over in search of embroidered words: Isaac. Sleep well, Isaac.
He goes to the other crib where the baby seems to express no emotion and stares at him with the same piercing gaze he was giving the woman. His gray eyes are really something, Kalyan thinks. He gently turns the child and discovers his name: Lior.
- Well, you have a name as unusual as your eyes, my good man. It is time to sleep. Don't tinkle, I'm here, you can stop being so stiff, he says while caressing his belly.
The baby seems to fight sleep, but gives in after a few minutes.
- Goodnight Lior.