The sun was just about setting as I woke up from my nap. I was curled up next to Nicole, her arm was around my shoulder as her hand kept my head close to he chest. The warmth of her body heat gave me the sensation of safety and love. I heard a small tapping, I didn't notice it during my sleep but it was constant. I rolled over to see Bob putting together something, it was so far from completion that I couldn't make out what it was meant to be. Nicole stirred behind me, I noticed that the clock displayed 6 p.m. I felt a small hand rub my bare back. It startled me at first, but I didn't show it.

"Never show emotion," I thought to myself, "that way it can't be used against you."

"I'm glad you're up Karen, it felt good holding you, it gave me the fuzzies." Nicole whispered into my ear.

"Ahuh," I mumbled back, still waiting to see if this was a dream or when it was going to turn into a nightmare.

"I see my angels are up and about," Bob said with a smile as he put down a hammer and turned to us.

"Ya Bob, traveling all that way takes a lot out of me. So what you got going over there?" I asked.

Bob gave me a quizzical look as he propped him self up on the bed. "Well you're a bit to small to have a big girl bed like Nicole, so I ran out and got a crib. Instructions are a mess though."

"Need any help?" I asked.

Bob laughed, "You, my little friend, are in no shape to help me now."

I chuckled too, my laugh was light and high pitched, it almost frightened me when it came out of my body. I suppose he was right, I probably didn't have the strength to use tools or hold anything up.

"Let's see if we had any accidents during our nap" Bob announced. With that he cupped his hand between my legs and slipped his thumb under the elastic band. I sat there submissively, but I did not like this at all. "I suppose we made it through alright. He released me and I was able to sit up.

"Hey," I said "there should be a game on. Do you get the Magic games?"

"We do, but..." Bob started.

"Great," I interrupted "I would hate to miss that." I climbed out of the bed and waddled out the door. It wasn't so much that I was a huge basketball fan, but I felt uncomfortable with someone who was going to put a finger in my underwear. My balance was so poor that walking was a struggle. Don't get me wrong, he didn't do anything that was questionable for a parent of a child this age. But, I am not a baby, even if my body is. I found a room with a TV. I think it was the master bedroom. I guess I should of asked, but I went right in. I turned on the game, but wasn't really watching.

"Oh, Kevin," I thought to myself. "What in the world have you gotten yourself into. You let them play with your emotions and look at what choice you made. You couldn't back out now if you wanted to. What is ahead of you now, being a child again, going through that kind of hell. They spoke a good game, but how can you believe them? Stupid, stupid, stupid. You have to think, how many times have you been crushed because you wanted love, don't you ever learn? Maybe that blanket is still here, maybe I can back out. Your life may not of been great, but at least you controlled yourself, could keep people at bay."

The buzzer for the half went off and Amy walked into the room. "Hon," she started "we have a ton of dolls and toys for you to play with, wouldn't you rather be doing that."

"Hi Amy," I turned towards her, "no offense but that isn't the sort of thing that I am into. A Sunday newspaper perhaps, or dinner now that would be great."

Amy looked a little put off, "Oh, sorry baby. Dinner is going to be in a few minutes."

She left the room. I sure hope I didn't hurt her feelings, but she's got to realize I'm still who I am. Well maybe not physically. She will have to get adjusted to who I am, we just met. I hope she doesn't keep calling me baby or any other pet names. I smelled the air. "Mmm, steak!" I thought as the aroma danced on my senses. Bob came in, picked me up and carried me downstairs. I didn't like this being carried bit one bit, but I doubt I would of been able to make it down the stairs without it. I was put in a highchair, I didn't put up a fuss, it was a logical choice.

"Boy am I hungry," I stated, "and I haven't had steak in a long time."

"I'm glad you are looking forward to your first meal." Amy said as she placed Bob's plate in front of him. It was a great cut of meat, with potato and green beans. She filled her own plate and Nicole's next. Finally my time, I hope I get a nice cut. She put down a plate on the highchair. "What is this?" I asked as I looked down on mush.

"Baby, you can't eat steak yet." Amy said.

At that point I was fed up with the names. "Can you stop with the stupid names? I'm not baby, I'm not angel, I'm not anything, call me Karen or Kevin. I don't care what but stop talking to me like I'm some kind of kid. I'm still 27 for Pete sake."

All three of them stared blankly at me as I made my tirade. I thought it needed to be said. "Nicole, I think you should go to your room for a little while, we will call you when dinner is about to start. Amy, bring Karen into the den."

Nicole scampered off and I was released from the highchair. Amy led me to the den. "That was not a very nice way to tell us you are upset, I feel very hurt." I was placed on the floor. Oh great, I let my emotions get out of hand again. Crap, what's going to happen to me, I can't defend myself. It was only five minutes, but when you are expecting pain, seconds seem like an eternity. Bob entered the room, looked at me, shook his head, and sat down in a recliner. My only defense was to appear to some logic and maybe I can be spared some of the pain he was going to inflict.

"Listen," I started, "maybe I could of said it a little bit better, but you guys act like you knew me all my life, like we are connected in some way. In fact, we just met, I think this is a mistake and I should be changed back and just be on my way."

"Karen," Amy said, "We can't do that, when Bob went out for the crib, he handed the blanket to one of those Salvation Army trucks. It's going somewhere where it can be useful."

"So I'm stuck, just great!" I exclaimed.

"I'm afraid so Ba--, Karen" Amy said.

"I appreciate what your trying to do, really Amy, really Bob, but you guys don't even know me. I was a random selection, it could of been anyone. I'm not special to you, just the fact that I'm a baby girl that you could have. I know you want me to play the part, but I'm not going to live my life doing what you tell me just because it's what you want."

"I've heard enough." Bob said as he rose up from his chair. He made his way towards me. I looked around trying to find a place to escape, there was none. His hand came towards me, this predicament was all to familiar. I covered my head with arms and cringed away from him, knowing that I could survive a beating to the body but one to the head would kill me. I tensed my body the best I could as I awaited the blow. A second, an eternity passed and no blow arrived.

"Poor child, what have you gone through in your life." Bob said as he hovered over me. I slowly turned to see what the situation was. Bob's hands were held out, not to hit me, but to pick me up. "I would never hurt you child, I would kill myself before I purposely caused you pain." With that he backed off.

Amy kneeled on the floor next to me. "You think you were random but you weren't. We prayed for you, we prayed specifically for you. We might not have known all the details of your life but we knew who you were, what you were. We weren't surprised that Nicole left the bus with you, we expected it. Come here." She said as she held her arms open. Whether it was her words, or the shock of expecting to get a beating, I walked into her open arms. She lifted me and placed me on a leather love seat. Bob and Amy sat one on each side of me.

"We knew this would happen that you may have had a problem accepting our love, so we have something for you." Bob said as he reached into the draw an end table.

"They're going to try to bribe you. Beware!" I thought.

Bob handed my an envelope. "Read the postmark."

I looked on the back side of the envelope and saw an unbroken seal, the stamp on the front revealed today's date but a year ago. "Go on open it" Bob said. And I did just that and pulled out the letter.

Dear Kevin/Karen,

It's going to be a year before you enter our life and we wanted you to know that you are in our prayers. It may seem silly to write to you, seeing that we don't know exactly were to mail this. Yet, God has compelled us to write this note in order to relieve some of your fears. Let us explain. We have a daughter, Nicole, who is 7. We wanted to have another child but my wife is unable to conceive. Both of us has prayed for another little girl for about a year or so. Last week my wife and I had a dream, a dream about you Kevin, struggling. Not only struggling with materialistic needs, but struggling because you have never knew love. We had had a glimpse into your life and saw the pain that you bore from those who were supposed to love you. Fear not, we love you. God is going to grant a miracle, we don't even know how yet. But both my wife and I know that in a year you will be here and our little girl. You are one of God's children and soon you will be our child as well. You will learn love, because it is all we know what to give.

With love, Mom & Dad.

I closed the letter, dumbfounded. I looked up at Amy and Bob as they had there arms around each other. They looked down at me smiling. "Come on angel," Bob said, "lets get something in that tummy of yours." Even though Bob used the baby talk that I objected to, I didn't object. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't even realize that Amy had picked me up and put me in the highchair. I didn't even object to the Bib that was tied around me. Nicole had joined us and Bob cleared his throat. "Karen in our family we pray before our meals."

I had no objection to that and Bob thanked God for the food and for the new addition to the family. I also said a prayer to myself that God would send a sign to make me know this is where I belong.

The meal went off without a hitch. I was still in contemplation at the last day's events that I didn't even object to Amy feeding me. I tried to do it myself but I couldn't hold the spoon in order to be successful. I then started to get thirsty.

"Amy, can I have something to drink?" I asked.

"Yes honey" Amy replied and she came back with a bottle. "Let me give this to you." she said.

"I guess its OK" I answered.

Amy lifted me out of the high chair and held me horizontally in her arms. She gently placed the bottle in my mouth. I had started drinking when something caught my attention. I heard her heart beat, strong and comforting. A wave of peace came over me. The warmth filled my whole being, the outside world didn't exist, the past never happened. In that one instant I felt more love then the 27 years I had previously lived. Amy removed the bottle from my mouth.

"Anything wrong baby?" she asked.

"Nothings wrong but..."

"But what Karen? What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I love my new mommy and daddy."

Not only did mommy start to cry but daddy did as well. "We love you to baby" they said. Mommy hugged me tight and held me tightly in her arms. I heard her heart once more and closed my eyes. As her gentle rocking put me to sleep and realize that I was finally home.