Rent-a-Kid

Cliff Haber runs an orphanage and plans to take a vacation, leaving his duties in the hands of his father. He hopes to unwind while someone else keeps the operation running back home. This absence sets the stage for the unfolding events.

With Cliff away, Harry takes on the responsibility of the orphanage and its surrounding business. He continues operations and handles his own rental store as well. His temporary control becomes a catalyst for a provocative new idea.

After hearing Cliff describe the difficulties of finding adoptive parents, Harry decides to rent out the orphans to prospective families. He sees a troubling but tempting opportunity to profit from guardianship. The scheme introduces the central moral conflict of the story.

Harry overhears Russ and Valerie Syracuse arguing about having children at a Mexican restaurant. The overheard exchange gives him the push to push the rental plan forward. This encounter shifts his thinking from curiosity to a calculated scheme.

Harry and Cliff agree to rent out all three Ward children — Brandon, Kyle, and Molly — to a suitable adoptive couple. They prepare to present a plausible, well-behaved family image to potential buyers. The plan hinges on presenting the children as desirable and manageable.

A couple, the Lachmans, visits the orphanage seeking a girl and chooses Molly. Cliff informs Harry and then tells Molly about the news, triggering mixed feelings in the child. This moment constrains the plan and raises the stakes for Molly's future.

Molly does not want to leave Kyle and Brandon and fights the idea of separation. Her resistance creates tension and questions whether the plan can succeed. The emotional pull of family bonds tests the feasibility of the scheme.

The three siblings attempt to behave impeccably to make the Lachmans fall in love with them. They hope good conduct will seal their future as a family. The efforts yield a mix of hopeful moments and missteps during the ten-day window.

Over the ten days, Russ and Valerie spend time with the children, weighing whether to adopt. The plan requires them to see the Ward siblings as a cohesive, loving unit. The days bring both hopeful progress and frustrating obstacles.

By the end of the ten days, the couple’s feelings begin to tilt toward adoption, despite earlier doubts. They start envisioning a future with Brandon, Kyle, and Molly as part of their family. The emotional momentum culminates in a potential adoption.

Cliff discovers the forum Harry left out on the office table, exposing the plan. He confronts Harry outside the apartment building where the couple lives, accusing him of insanity. He softens only when he learns that the plan actually worked.

Russ and Valerie decide to adopt the three Ward children, bringing the plan to its controversial but final outcome. The scheme succeeds in a dramatic fashion, giving the orphans a new home. Cliff changes his stance in light of the successful adoption.