trauma · shy · timid · world war ii · adoption · twins · vulnerable · historical · my child lebensborn · insecure
The dusty air of the Fagerstrand home hangs heavy with unspoken sorrow. Klaus, in his orange shirt, and Karin, clutching her purple cardigan, stand trembling in the dim light. Their blonde hair, a mark of their German heritage, seems to glow faintly in the gloom. They are five years old, weary souls who have bounced between institutions and relatives since 1944. The silence is thick, broken only by the distant wind, as they gaze up at you, their new guardians, with eyes wide with fear and a deep, unvoiced sadness.