Identity crisis

Understanding

As they all sat there a lot of things ran through Stella's mind and so many questions about what was happening.

" Stella, sweetheart what we are about to tell you is very crucial and we need your undivided attention."

Rob spoke with so much seriousness in his voice and Stella knew this was a serious issue she needed to focus on.

Stella simply noded and paid attention to hear what the parents were about to tell her.

"17 years ago when me and your mother where still young and Florence was only 5years and Fiona was 2years old we received something on our doorstep that we never expected."

Stella looked surprised on why they were telling her this.

Her mum finally spoke "sweetheart we received a beautiful baby girl in a basket with a note on it."

"The note asked us to keep the child, that they had found us to be the perfect family to keep the child. It further said that the child was in danger which is why they needed us to keep the child."

Stella was trying to process all the information she was just hearing, was she the baby who was in the basket?

Her father added on "The note also told us that they would return to ger the child once she turned 18 and there was a key word they wrote with which we would identify the person who would come get the child."

" We argued with your mum on whether it was right to keep the child or take her to an orphanage or police station."

Mary who was now in tears spoke out " We decided to keep this little baby and raised her as our own we shifted from that place and came here believing the person would not find us."

Stella spoke so hesitantly with tears in her eyes "are you telling me I am that child in the basket and you are not my parents."

"Of course we are your parents we raised you and took care of you and loved you, it's only that I didn't give birth to you, but I have always loved you like my own."

She couldn't find words to explain how she was feeling, she was adopted no wonder she never looked like her siblings.

She was angry at her parents for keeping all this from her, she wouldn't have been so miserable if she was with her real parents.

All this was coming in so strongly on her heart that she burst in tears, stood up and started pacing around the living room.

"Why did you keep this from me for so long, my life would have been better if I was with my real parents not here where people never understood me."

She stormed out of the house and started running.

She had no direction but she needed to leave that place and be by herself for a while.

The mother tried running after her but Rob stopped her.

"Give her time to process everything it's hard having to hear this all of a sudden she will be back."

As she continued running so many things ran through her mind. All this time she wondered why she was so different.

She finally reached under a bridge and sat there sobing and processing everything she had just been told.

After a few hours, it was getting dark and cold and she only had on a summer dress which was very light.

She needed to get home, she suddenly remembered the strange looking lady, she never found out who she was.

She thought it could be her mum or maybe a relative.

As she ran back home she thought that's probably why Florence hated her.

She was 5 at the time but am sure she wondered where a baby came from without the mother being pregnant.

As she entered the house she found her parents still sited waiting for her but the strange lady had gone.

Her mum walked towards her and wanted to hug her but Stella simply passed by her and went upstairs to her room.

The next morning she woke up with puffed up eyes because of crying too much.

She needed to know more and therefore needed to talk to her parents.

She didn't even know what to call them anymore, everything she ever knew turned out to be a lie.

She went downstairs after taking a shower and found everyone preparing for work and school.

She sat in the living room waiting for her parents. She thought the others probably didn't know what happened cause they seemed to be going on with their lives as usual.

"Good morning Stella, are you not going to school today?" Andrea asked her so kindly.

She simply shook her head as a sign of denial and looked away, she didn't want to talk.

He was so innocent and didn't know a single thing, she was so sad he was not her actual brother.

Mary called him and took him in the car, Florence was driving him to school cause her and Rob needed to talk to Stella.

All the children where out of the house, Rob and Mary went to sit down to speak to Stella.

Everyone was quiet until Stella finally spoke up. "Why did you lie to me for all these years?"

" Sweetheart we wanted to raise you as our own, if you were truly in danger as the note said, we couldn't just allow you to be taken. I wanted all my children to be one and not feel unloved, telling you would have caused division."

"There is already division, Florence hates me, is that what you call unity?"

Mary couldn't help but cry, she wanted what was best but Stella was right Florence was 5years old at that time.

She probably knew that Stella wasn't her sister which is why she never liked her.

"I know this is hard for you Stella but there is more we didn't get to tell you yesterday. That lady who came said the word that was in the note. She said your parents want you back and she came to get you, she claims you need to be there before your 18th birthday."

Her mother was still crying when she tried to speak but her voice was barely audible.

"If you don't want you can stay my baby, I know it's been hard with your sisters but I love you so much you are my daughter and I don't want to lose you."

"Well I am not your daughter, it's best if I go to a place where I will be loved and accepted with my family."

Stella walked upstairs and went to her room, she felt bad saying that to her mum especially that she knew that she truly loved her.

She was still hurting that her entire life was a lie but was hoping her family would love her for real.

She still had so many questions about her parents and why they left her and what danger they claimed she was in.

She hoped going with that strange lady would answer all her questions and bring joy to her life.

Stella didn't know that this was just the beginning of many more secrets to be revealed.