The Double Dabble Surprise (2 page)

Abby finished the prayer. “Please help us show Your love to them. In Jesus' name, Amen.”

They turned off the flashlights and crawled out of the closet.

Abby curled up on Carly's bed and cuddled two teddy bears.

Carly looked worried. “What about our secret place? Can we keep it a secret from our new sisters?”

“Definitely,” Abby said. “But not for
too
long.”

Carly looked like she was going to cry.

“What's wrong?” Abby said. She moved close to her sister.

“I'm afraid you won't be my best friend anymore,” Carly whimpered.

She hugged her bear. “Maybe you'll like our new sisters better.”

“Don't be silly,” Abby said, patting Carly's hair. She wished her own hair would grow. Long and curly like Carly's.

“Let's make a braid,” Abby said.

“Goody!” Carly said. She hopped off the bed to get some hair ribbons.

“Make four braids,” Carly begged.

“Four will look silly,” Abby said.

Carly pouted. “Come on, Abby. Just for fun?”

Abby tossed the hair ribbons onto the bed. She stomped out of Carly's room. She could hear Carly yelling for Mother.

Let her tattle.
Abby didn't care.

It would be great having a sister who wasn't such a baby.

THREE

Abby put the bride bears in a yellow basket.

“I'll carry it,” Carly said.

Abby slid the welcome-home cards into the basket.

Carly twisted her hair. “Do you think they've seen bride bears before?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. There will be lots of stuff in America they've never seen.”

“When will we give the presents?” Carly asked.

“You'll see,” Abby said. She wished Carly would stop asking so many questions.

The airport buzzed with people. Some carried suitcases. Others pushed carts and pulled luggage.

Mrs. Roop, the caseworker, spotted the airline schedule. “Flight 225 is late.” She pointing at the screen above their heads.

Abby and Carly groaned.

“Let's have some dessert while we wait,” Mother suggested.

They strolled toward the snack shop.

“Show us the pictures again,” Abby said after dessert.

Her father pulled out pictures of two Korean girls.

Carly stood on tiptoes to see the pictures. “Will they get homesick?”

“Our home will soon become their home,” her father said. “We want to make things easy for them. You and Abby can help us.” He hugged Carly.

“We'll help them learn our ways, Daddy,” Abby said.

Carly nodded. “And God's ways. We promise.”

Abby couldn't wait to give the bride bears to her new sisters.

She remembered getting her first bear dressed as a bride two years ago, at Christmas. Her father had read the Christmas story from the Bible on Christmas Eve. Everyone opened one present. They saved the rest for Christmas morning.

Abby's was a bride bear. It had a tiny red bow on its veil.

That same Christmas, Abby's parents had told them the plan to adopt Korean girls. It was a long wait. Too long for Abby. She had always wished for another sister closer to her own age. Soon she would have that sister. Carly would too.

Abby thought the hour would never end. She leaned against her mother, who seemed tired. Maybe the waiting bothered her, too.

At last, flight 225 arrived. The Hunter family raced to gate B-7. Abby arrived first.

The waiting area was full of families and caseworkers. All of them waited to welcome Korean kids to America.

Abby watched the kids and their escorts stand in line, showing their passports.

She held her breath. There were hundreds of people. How would they find their sisters? Or Miss Lin, the escort who brought them from Korea?

This could definitely be a problem, Abby thought.

Definitely.

FOUR

Abby spun around. Her parents and Mrs. Roop stood behind her. “Quick! Get the pictures out.” She tugged on her father's coat sleeve.

“We know what our sisters look like,” Carly insisted.

But Abby wanted to be double sure.

“We'll stay here and wait for the escort,” her father said. He unfolded a paper square and gave it to Abby. On the paper were the words: HUNTER FAMILY.

“Great idea, Daddy,” Abby said, holding it high. “I'm going to explode if we don't see them soon.”

“Be patient, dear,” Mrs. Roop said. “It won't be much longer.”

“I can't wait,” Abby said. “Come on, Carly, let's go look for them.” She handed the sign to her father, but kept the pictures. Grabbing Carly's hand, Abby led the way through the crowd.

In the far corner sat two girls.

Abby studied the girls, then the pictures. “What do you think?” she asked Carly.

“Maybe they grew a lot.”

Abby inched closer. She saw the name tag on the escort. It was not Miss Lin. Abby felt brave. “Excuse me, do you know who Miss Lin is?”

The lady smiled. “Are you getting a new sister?”

“Two,” Abby said. She felt like a jitterbox inside.

The lady pointed. “Miss Lin is over there.”

“Thank you,” Abby said, looking. She stood stone still. “Something's crazy wrong,” she whispered.

Carly came closer. “What is?”

“Can't you see? Miss Lin is with two
boys!”

The girls stared.

“Let's find our
sisters
,” Abby said. She walked up to Miss Lin.

Carly followed.

Miss Lin knew nothing about sisters. She introduced the boys. “I'd like you to meet Li Sung Jin and his little brother, Li Choon Koo,” she said.

Carly reached out to shake hands.

Abby turned away. She hurried to find her parents and Mrs. Roop. “Daddy! Mommy! Come quick! Something's crazy wrong!”

They pushed through the crowd and found Miss Lin again. She introduced the boys who bowed to Abby's parents.

Mrs. Roop studied some papers. So did Miss Lin.

Abby watched her mother's face turn pale. She was puzzled at the twinkle in her father's eyes.

The Korean boys sat down and waited.
They looked stiff and scared as Abby's father led Mrs. Roop around the corner.

Abby stared at the boys' black hair. It was dark blue. The younger boy was skinny. She couldn't see a single muscle on him. Not one.

The older boy had sad eyes. He played with a shiny round tag. He seemed to be in charge of his little brother, Choon Koo.

Abby walked around behind the seat for a better look. She was dying to see Sung Jin's silver tag.

What is it?
she wondered.

Both boys sat as straight as boards.

At last the grown-ups returned.

“Let's take a walk,” Mother suggested.

The Hunter family huddled in the hallway.

“There's been a mistake,” Mr. Hunter explained.

“But I . . . uh . . . we don't want brothers,” Abby said.

“Your sisters will arrive in three days.” He put his arms around Abby and Carly.

“What about the boys?” Carly asked.

Mother answered, “They will stay with us until Mrs. Roop clears up the mistake.”

“We have to
keep
them?” Abby cried.

“It's only three days,” said her father.

“Oh, no!” Abby shouted. “Where will they sleep?”

“In the new room,” Mother said softly.

“Not our
sisters'
room,” Abby said. She pushed the presents down in the basket. She looked at Carly. “Keep the bears hidden.”

“Good idea,” said Carly. “But what kind of gifts can we give them?”

Father smiled. “What about kindness? That's one gift these boys could use right now.”

Abby stared at the floor. “They won't want bride bears, that's for sure,” she said.

Her throat felt lumpy.
This can't be happening
, she thought.

FIVE

Abby lagged behind as Sung Jin and Choon Koo walked between her parents, down the long hallway.

Abby's father talked to them. They seemed to understand English. Choon Koo kept nodding—not talking.

Carly giggled. She pointed to a crop of hair sticking straight out on Choon Koo's head.

Abby poked her. “Shh!”

Abby stared at Sung Jin's wrinkled shorts and T-shirt.
He must have slept in them
, she thought.
Boys! How will I ever get through the next three days?

They waited for Father to bring the car around.

Abby set the yellow basket down.

Choon Koo stared at the shiny paper peeking out. He bent down to look inside. “Pret-ty pa-per,” he said slowly.

Before Abby could stop him, he pulled a present out. His brother spoke to him in Korean.

Choon Koo held the present up. He turned it over and over.

Abby wished her mother would do something.

In a flash the wrapping paper was off! A bride bear smiled up at Choon Koo.

Abby thought she would choke.