Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 117820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
“Does she know about us?” I ask, voice trembling. “Does she know I didn’t give her away?”
“She does.”
“And how did she take it.”
He clears his throat and my hope starts to wither away. “She was… emotional. She doesn’t quite believe it and nobody can really blame her for that. But she’ll come around.”
“You said she has difficulties and Webber said she has abandonment issues,” Kane puts in, sounding guarded and wary. “What does that mean exactly?”
“It means that Connie struggles to form relationships with people. She was abandoned at a church with no reason as to why and unfortunately her adoptive parents were a little too transparent with her over that fact, and then she was abandoned again by them and she never understood why. She loved those parents like any kid would. She remembers being happy, she remembers baking and painting and going on trips to the park and museums. They didn’t even say goodbye when they left her.”
My heart breaks.
“It was my colleague who dealt with her case back then and it took her six months to get Connie to stop sitting in the hall, waiting for them to come back. It’s a tragic case really. I wish things could have been different for her.”
Kane’s hands have balled into fists. “Don’t ever tell me their names, Chief.”
“Sometimes, in this line of work, and I never said this, but… I wish I could say their names.” He laughs sadly. “It’s gut wrenching and I know it must be hard to hear but kids are so resilient and so strong. Connie will start connecting with people, she’ll learn to love again, and you guys will be such a beautiful family. What happened in her past will become just that. The past.”
If she’s anything like me she’ll never be able to let it go.
A tear slips from my eye, I’ve been desperately holding onto it because I don’t want my voice to shake while I talk. Kane hooks me around the shoulders and kisses my temple.
“Right, so when can I come see y’all? The sooner the better. I want complete honesty from both of you. Don’t pretend like you’ve gotta be together or you’ve gotta live together. I’m here to help you figure all that out. You don’t have to parent together you’ve just got to support each other and most importantly, always prioritize Connie. She cannot take another hit. She cannot be in another family that’s going to break.”
“We will do anything…” Kane bites out through gritted teeth. “Anything for that kid. Understand that. You’ll have the whole picture of who me and Imogen are. Don’t worry about that.”
“Good.” There’s a pause as he seems to shuffle through something, maybe papers but I can’t be sure as I’m only hearing it. “Right then. When can I come and see y’all?”
“Soon as you like?”
Connie – 8 Years Old
I’ve been raised my entire life to respect my elders and always use my manners. Because manners don’t cost nothing. I disagree, these old people always doing me wrong. Why should I use manners or be respectful? I’m not some little girly princess wanting a fairytale like all the other girls I share a room with. I had parents; they weren’t nothing special. Which means I ain’t nothing special. Which means I don’t deserve nothing special.
The girls in my room all are waiting for it, that something special. Daydreaming about a happy home, refusing to believe they could be loved by the family who already failed them. I’m not that deluded, and I wish they wouldn’t be either.
Deluded is my new word of the week.
“It’s perfetic,” I declare, folding my arms over my chest and wincing as Stacey pulls the brush through my hair.
“Pathetic,” she corrects.
“I can’t say that, Stacey, you know I ain’t got enough teef!”
She laughs at my reflection in the mirror and twists three strands of my hair into a tight braid.
“Stop laughin’ at me.”
“I’m laughing with you,” she insists, laughing harder when I scowl.
“Those people still comin’ today?” I ask with a lisp.
She raises a brow, the perfect pointed end lifts making her green eyes look bigger. “You mean your parents?”
I snort and roll my eyes.
“You be kind to them Connie. I’m warnin’ you.”
I roll my eyes again, this time with a sigh. “I’m never mean.”
“We both know that’s not true.”
“Okay then I’m never mean on purpose.”
She grins and shakes her head as her fingers wind a hair tie around the end of my braid. “We both definitely know that’s not true.”
“You’re always bullyin’ me.”
At that she laughs and gives my hair a tug. “You’re ready. Did you brush your teeth? Or what’s left of them anyway.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Good. Then let’s go meet your parents, shall we?”
A girl from my room, her name is Melody, let’s out a happy sound and insists, “You’re so lucky, Connie.”