Being a parent had never been a role you envisioned yourself fulfilling. A lack of partner to share the responsibilities, joys, and burdens for one, and the idea of settling in one location to provide some stability for someone other than yourself was a daunting notion.

Weak were those convictions when you stumbled upon an abandoned child—Ollie. Left behind by his family due to a deformity that hindered his flight, he became the son you never knew you wanted.

“I can’t do it.” Ollie peered over the edge of the roof of your small cabin. It wasn’t a terribly far drop and you were there to catch him. However the confidence he’d shown after his morning meal of porridge and blueberries had dimmed.

You’d been trying to encourage him to fly and Ollie was more than happy to take on the challenge just to make you proud of him. But he wasn’t a big fan of heights or falling. What if you left him too? “May I try again tomorrow? I promise to help you in garden today without complaining.” he said, his voice trembling slightly as his little hands gripped the hem of his tunic.