Johnny watched Lucy with envy in his heart. Lucy was being taken from the childrens home. Her new mum and dad were finalising the paperwork, and soon shed have a family of her own. Lucy chattered about all the things shed done with themthe zoo, which Johnny had never visited, the puppet theatre where shed seen a real-life witch, and the jars of homemade jam, apricot with the stones still inside.
Johnny was five. For as long as he could remember, hed lived in the childrens home. Kids came and went. When Tommy disappeared, Johnny asked Miss Thompson, “Miss, wheres Tommy?”
“Hes gone home, to a family,” she replied.
“Whats a family?” Johnny pressed.
“A family is where youre always wanted and loved,” Miss Thompson said.
“Wheres my family?” Johnny asked.
Miss Thompson sighed, gave him a sad look, and didnt answer.
From then on, Johnny stopped asking about families. He understoodit was something important, something he didnt have.
When Lucy vanished for two days and returned in a pretty dress, her hair done up, clutching a new doll, Johnny cried. No one had ever taken him. He decided no one ever would.
Then Miss Thompson walked in, carrying a jumper and trousers. “Johnny, get changed. Youve got visitors coming.”
“Me?” Johnny blinked. “Who?”
“They want to meet you.”
Johnny dressed and sat on the bench, waiting. Miss Thompson took his hand and led him to the visitors room. A man and woman sat there. The man was tall with a beard and moustache. The woman was small, slim, and beautifullike a rose, Johnny thought. She smelled of flowers, with big eyes and thick lashes.
“Hello,” the woman said. “Im Alice. And you?”
“Johnny,” he mumbled. “Who are you?”
“Wed like to be your friends,” Alice said. “And we need your help.”
“What help?” Johnny glanced at the man.
The man crouched beside him. “Hi, Im David. We heard youre brilliant at drawing. Could you draw us a robot?”
Johnny straightened. “Yes. What kind?”
David fetched a bag, pulling out a sketchbook, pencils, and a massive robotstill in its box, gleaming under the sunlight streaming through the window. Johnnys breath caught. Hed never seen a robot so big.
“Wow,” he gasped. “Its Optimus Prime! Hes the leader of the Transformers!”
“You like him?” David asked.
“Love him!” Johnny beamed.
“Take the robot and pencils, draw us a picture, yeah? But first, lets chatlike friends.”
For an hour, they talkedabout his favourite things, his bed, the shoes that let in the cold. Alice held his hand; David ruffled his hair.
Miss Thompson appeared. “Johnny, time for dinner.”
David shook his hand. “Well be back in a week. Can you draw the robot by then?”
“Yes,” Johnny said. “Youll really come?”
“Of course,” Alice said, hugging him so tight his ribs creaked. Her eyes shimmered.
“Why are you crying?” Johnny asked.
“Just dust, sweetheart.”
After dinner, Johnny raced to his room where the robot waited. He marvelled at its movable limbs and swivelling head, then started sketching.
Older boys burst in. “Blimey,” Jake jeered, snatching the robot. “Gimme that!”
Johnny lunged. “Its not mine!”
“Nothing heres yours!” Jake laughed, tossing it.
They wrestleduntil a crack echoed. Johnny stared at the broken leg in his hand. He sobbed, blood dripping from his nose as Miss Thompson cleaned him up.
“You know the toys are shared, Johnny. Now its ruined.”
“It wasnt mine! They lent it to me!”
Miss Thompson sighed. “Go draw.”
Somehow, Johnny propped the robot up, balancing the leg with a box. He filled the sketchbookpage after page of robots.
Days later, he asked, “Has it been a week? When are Alice and David coming?”
Miss Thompson looked sad. “Theyre not coming, Johnny.”
He cried all night, convinced it was his faultMiss Thompson mustve told them.
The next morning, she smiled. “Get dressed. Youve got visitors.”
Johnny opened the doorand there they were.
“Hello,” Alice said. “Were here for you.”
“Where are we going?”
“The zoo! You wanted to see it, right?”
Johnny burst into tears. “Wait” He fetched the sketchbook and broken robot. “Im sorry Jake and I” He held out the pieces.
David laughed. “Johnny, its yours! We gave it to you.”
Johnny handed him the sketches.
“Perfect!” David said. “Exactly what we needed. And dont worryIll fix him.”
At the zoo, Johnny gaped at the monkeys swinging wildly, stuffing their faces with bananas.
Later, Alice asked, “Would you like to come home with us?”
Johnny nodded.
Their flat smelled warm. “Make yourself at home,” David said.
Alice led him to a roomspace-themed wallpaper, a race-car bed, shelves of toys.
“Who lives here?” Johnny whispered.
They sat on the floor, each holding a hand. David said, “Johnny, we want you to stay. Forever. This is your room, your toys, your bed. If youd like you could be our son.”
“Forever?” Johnnys voice cracked. “You mean a family?”
Alice nodded. “Yes. Our family.”
“But why me? I broke the robot.”
“Johnny,” Alice whispered, “youre not just anyone. Youre ours.”
Johnny cried, nodding. He loved themAlice, David, the room. He never wanted to leave.
“Promise to behave?” David teased.
“Yes!”
They scooped him up, laughing, kissing his cheeks.
And Johnnyfinallyhad a family. His own. Real.
