Running late for her abortion appointment, the woman realized she had left her documents in the car…

It says ‘no,'» she admitted quietly. «Then listen to it.» «Alex is the past.

And the child is the future. Your future. But how will I manage alone? How will I cope?» «You’re not alone.

You have friends, colleagues. You’re a doctor with a good salary, you have an apartment. You’ll manage.

And what will people say? What do you care what people say? Your life—your choice.» After talking with Karen, Paula felt a little calmer. But the question of the mysterious note still tormented her.

Who could know about her situation? And what did those strange words mean? She stood up and went to the window. It was already getting dark outside, the streetlights were turning on. Paula looked at the passersby, and suddenly her gaze caught a small figure near the entrance opposite.

A boy about 11-12 years old stood under a streetlight and looked toward her window. He was dressed poorly, worn jacket, jeans with holes, disheveled hair. Paula opened the window and waved her hand.

The boy jerked as if waking from a trance and quickly disappeared around the corner of the building. But Paula managed to see his face. And something in it seemed familiar to her.

Her heart beat faster. Could this be the same child who left the note? But how could he know where she lives? And most importantly, how could he know about her problems? Paula grabbed her jacket and ran out of the apartment. She went down the stairs and rushed out to the street.

But the boy was nowhere to be seen. He dissolved into the evening twilight like a ghost. She walked around the entire yard, looked into all entrances and nooks.

No one. Only rare passersby hurrying home after work. Paula returned to the apartment upset and puzzled.

At home, she called the neighborhood security service. «Hello, this is Paula Jenkins, Garden Street. I have a question.

Have you noticed any homeless children in our area lately?» «Good evening,» a male voice answered. Yes, the patrol reported searching for a boy who appears in different places. Age about 10-11 years.

Not local, presumably ran away from an orphanage. And he hasn’t done anything illegal. No, he just wanders around the area.

We tried to talk to him, but he’s very cautious. As soon as he sees adults, he runs away immediately. I see.

«Thank you,» Paula hung up and thought. A homeless boy from an orphanage who somehow knows about her problems. This was becoming more and more mysterious.

She went to bed late, but sleep wouldn’t come. Paula tossed and turned in bed, replaying the day’s events in her head. The note, the boy at the window, the conversation with Dr. Bell.

All this formed some incomprehensible picture. By morning, she had made a final decision. She needed to find this boy and talk to him.

Only then could she understand what was happening and make the right decision about the child. But where to look for him? Paula knew only that he was homeless, presumably from an orphanage, and that he was very cautious. The patrol couldn’t catch him, meaning the boy was good at hiding.

She got up, took a shower, and had breakfast. She took time off from work for the first time in many years. Now finding answers seemed more important than anything else.

Paula dressed and went outside. She started from the place where she saw the boy yesterday. She walked around the entire yard, questioned the janitor, neighbors.

No one saw anything, and no one noticed a boy about 11 yesterday evening. She asked every passerby. «No, haven’t seen,» people answered, hurrying past.

Paula expanded the search area. She walked around neighboring yards, looked into basements, checked abandoned garages. The boy was nowhere.

By lunch, she was tired and went into a cafe near home. She ordered coffee and a sandwich, sat by the window, continuing to watch the street. «Maybe he needs time to appear again?» «Excuse me,» the waitress, a girl about 20, addressed her.

«Are you by any chance looking for a boy?» I overheard when I was going out, how you were asking people on the street near the cafe. «Yes, I’m looking,» Paula perked up. «Do you know him?» «Possibly.»

«A boy about 11, skinny, in worn clothes?» «Exactly.» «Where have you seen him?» Paula comes here, stands by the window, looks at the food. We tried to invite him, feed him, but he runs away.

Very skittish. And when did he appear last? The day before yesterday morning. Stood for five minutes, then as soon as we started calling him, he left.

And where did he go? Toward the park. There’s a playground there, maybe he’s hiding there. Paula thanked the girl and headed to the park…