“Hi, Mrs. Jackson,” I shyly say.
She comes and visits me every month, and was here earlier in the month, so I don’t understand why she’s here today. Before I can ask, she states, “Becca, I wanted to tell you that you’ll be moving soon.”
My heart drops. If I have to move, and Anna has told me what that means, I’ll have to change schools, and I just finally got my first ever friend! As tears start to silently fall, she sits next to me and pats my shoulder. “Why? I like it here,” I whisper through my sobs.
“Because we found out that you have an uncle who wants you,” she says. Seeing the fear that’s no doubt on my face now, she looks over to Mrs. Talbot, who sits on the other side of me and puts her arm around me.
“He’s not like your aunt, Becca,” Mrs. Talbot says. “Do you remember seeing your friend, Mina, the other day?”
I nod, still crying. “Y-y-yes,” I stammer.
“And do you remember the lady who was Mina’s mommy’s friend?” she asks. When I nod, she says, “She is engaged to your uncle and told him about you. He checked into it, called Mrs. Jackson, and they’ve checked everything out. He was your daddy’s older brother and had moved away a long time ago. When he found out what happened, he told Mrs. Jackson that he wanted you to come and live with them.”
“So… would I have to go to a different school?” I question.
Both women laugh before Mrs. Jackson replies. “No, Becca, you’ll stay at the same school. Your uncle is part of the same motorcycle club that your friend’s father is in.”
“Mina?” I ask, grasping onto whatever I can.
Mrs. Talbot answers this time. “Yes, sweetheart. In fact, I suspect you’ll see her quite frequently. I’ve talked to Marnie, that’s your uncle’s fiancée, and she’s good friends with Mina’s mom.”
“Becca, they want to adopt you, so you’d be their little girl, not just their niece,” Mrs. Jackson says.
All of this is confusing to me. “But I already had a mommy and daddy,” I say. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m sure it’s very confusing, and we’ll explain it all as it happens, okay?” Mrs. Jackson states. “Now, Mrs. Talbot will be getting all of your things packed up because you’ll be there tonight.”
“Really?” I ask.
“Yes, really. Now, how about I take you to school so we can get this taken care of?” Mrs. Jackson suggests.
“Okay. I have to get my lunch,” I reply, getting off the couch. I grab my book and head to the kitchen where my backpack is sitting on the hook by the garage door. Once I have my lunch from the refrigerator, I put it in my backpack, get my jacket, then head back into the living room. Dropping my bag, I run to Mrs. Talbot and wrap my arms around her. “I’ll miss you,” I tell her, my head buried in her lap.
“Oh, sweet girl, I’m going to miss you too, but I know Marnie, and I’m sure I’ll see you again,” Mrs. Talbot replies.
CHAPTER
FIVE
Ash
“It’ll work for now until we get the house finished,” Rebel says as we look around the new suite of rooms we moved into.
Instead of one bedroom, this one has two, and Marnie and Holly have been hard at work getting it set up with everything a little five-year-old girl could possibly ever want or need. Our suites are really like mini apartments, complete with a sitting area and a small kitchenette.
“True, true. I just can’t believe how fast all of this has happened,” I admit, looking at my best friend.
Practically as soon as I made the call to the Department of Family and Children Services, I was put in touch with Aileen Jackson, Becca’s caseworker. Marnie and I went in and met with her, I gave her the information I had, and after she confirmed it, she called to let me know that Becca would be coming to live with us.
“Hopefully, she likes it,” I murmur while looking around her room.
Marnie and Holly decided to create a fairytale forest, so her bed resembles a treehouse, complete with a solid wood ladder that’ll allow her to climb up to the bed, as well as sturdy railings to keep her from falling out, something I was worried about considering Marnie says she’s tiny for her age. Not that it’s all that high up, but it’s still off the ground enough that underneath, there’s a cozy area for her to read or do her homework, since we put in a desk, along with bookshelves, and a futon.
She’s probably on the smaller side because of the malnourishment,my mind whispers. Once again, I find myself irrationally angry with my sister, Alice. Granted when we were growing up, she was extremely selfish, but I would’ve never expected her to abuse a child, especially not one that has the same blood flowing through her veins.
“I think she will,” Rebel replies, grinning as he looks at the mural that Prophet painted that depicts small animals and fairies peeking out from the woodland forest he created in a complimentary theme to go along with the bed. “He’s got so much talent, I kind of wish he’d be willing to open a tattoo parlor. Hell, he can ink with the best of them.”
I shrug and say, “I don’t remember why he laid his gun down, but until he’s ready to pick it back up again, we need to let him be.” He still works on the brothers, which is good for us, of course, but the world at large is missing out on his talent.
