The Orphan's Secret [ON HOLD]

Chapter 1: Again

IMPORTANT A/N AT THE END. PLEASE READ.

MONA POV - 

I was heading to meet my ‘new family’, again. They say new but it never seems to end. All kids like me ever want is to have a normal life, without all the questions; who are my parents? Why did they leave me here? Where are they? What are they doing?

Do they even remember I exist? Did they ever love me?

I would love to know all the answers, but the closest lead I have is a note. A note left to me by my mum after she left me in front of the orphanage.

Mona, 

I’m so sorry I had to leave. If I had a choice, I’d like to think you would be in my arms right now. I hope you get the life you deserve and go to a nice place where you can be free and loved. 

Loved and raised the way I should’ve been there to do.

There is so much that you need to know but are not yet ready to hear. So much about your heritage and your role in life but there is too much to put on paper with so little time and some things that just can’t be written. I wish there was another way but there isn’t, and I’m so sorry about that.

We will meet again someday and I will tell you everything. I’ve sent someone to watch over you, I trust him with my life but it is now his turn to protect and watch over you. I hope he does a better job than I ever did. I don’t know if you two will ever meet but just remember my dear child, you are never alone.

I wish we had more time. I love you Mona Olcan, and I always will. I just hope you know that too.

Love your mother, Amaris

It’s almost as if she’s speaking in riddles. And who is the ‘he’ she speaks of? For the last 15 years, I have been in the system, I’ve never met someone who says that they are there to protect and watch over me. I sometimes wonder if the ‘he’ is my father, but that’s just wishful thinking. If my father was watching over me, would I still be in the system?

Something I could never understand about the note is that my father is never specifically mentioned, not once. Was my father ever in the picture or did something happen that my mother couldn’t stand talking about — or write?

I was jerked out of my thoughts as the car came to a stop. Getting out of the car, I looked towards Julien, my supervisor, unsure of whether or not he took a wrong turn, because this doesn’t seem like the right place. It was an extravagant story house backed with a forest and providing a large yard to run, relax and play around in. it didn’t seem like the kind of place that would take in a foster kid, let alone me, going off my wonderful track record. People tend to be afraid of me sometimes, even my friends from the system. They say my sudden mood swings freak them out but I know that there’s more to it. I just don’t have control. Most of my past homes couldn’t take me after a few weeks, saying many different yet similar things; I wasn’t what they asked for, I was a freak, I don’t belong with them, was beyond help. These were all said in much nicer ways of course, well most of them. It wasn’t normal. In the end, I somehow freaked them out so much that I’d be surprised if they survived a few minutes in my presence.

Looking towards the house, I take a deep breath and follow Julien, who's already waiting at the door. Answering it was a friendly-looking couple consisting of a tall 6”2 man with what can only be his pregnant wife judging by the rings on their fingers and his arm wrapped around her waist with his hand resting on her bulging stomach. They invited us inside and we all headed to the lounge room where two kids, who look to be about my age, are sitting. Pushing my deep red hair out of my face, I take a look at what is to be my new family.

***

“Don’t be shy, take a seat,” the woman says gesturing towards some empty seats. Taking a seat next to Julian, facing the family; they all have different expressions on their faces and yet they are the same. The kids were curious about me, The kids were curious about me, the adults probably were the same however the woman's happiness and excitement was stronger than her curiosity. Meanwhile, the man was quite chill and was looking like he was holding back his laughter when he saw his wife trying to hold her excited self back. 

"I hope the trip here wasn't any hassle?”

 “No, of course not,” replied Julien, polite as ever.

“Well anyway, I'm Marion and this is my husband, Dominic.”  the man smiles at his wife's introduction. “ And these two twins of ours are Lucia and Luca,” she finishes, gesturing to the kids on the other couch. Both twins had Raven black hair inherited from their father but had different eyes. The boy, Luka, was a spitting image of his father with the same blue eyes and Lucia had her mother's bright green eyes. Marion's golden blonde locks, however, stood out in their little troop of a family. “Lucia and Luka meet Mona. She'll be staying with us for a few weeks.”

I looked to Julian to see him rummaging through his bag for the official papers that need to be signed for legal care of me. “So these here are the papers, you can take your time to read them fully if you want and/or are unsure, we are in no rush,”  Julian clarifies, handing over the folder.

“Thank you,” grabbing the folder, Dominic looks our way. “Why don’t you kids show Mona around and help her with her stuff to her room while your mother and I sort out these papers.” He negotiates seeing how uncomfortable we all are; sitting around in silence, begging to be dismissed. 

All three of us jumped out of our seats, happy we don’t have to sit through this. Especially me since I feel as though I’m on replay going off the number of times I have gone through this process. 

Lucia grabs my hand, along with her brother’s, and tugs us to where the tour is to begin. “Okay, to start off the tour, this is the kitchen, obviously, so help yourself whenever you're hungry or thirsty.” Feeling as though she is going to dislocate my arm, she’s dragging us upstairs. “So every room has its very own bathroom and walk-in closet so you will have your privacy, don’t worry. That’s Mum and Dad’s room,” she points towards what could only be the master bedroom, “our bedrooms are further down the hall. Mine’s on the left and Luka’s is on the right,” pointing out to two doors directly across from each other. There is also a guest bedroom downstairs so you can choose whether you want downstairs or the room at the end of the hallway. Okay? Cool.” Pushing open the door to her room, we file in with her leaping straight onto her bed and Luka taking the couch in the corner.

Looking around, her room is what you would class as the definition of girly. There was some shade of pink everywhere you look. A furry hot pink rug on the floor, queen bed with pink and white bed covers, fluffy pink cushion on her pink couch. Thank god her walls were white otherwise you would be seeing pink for the rest of your life. At least the room was tidy so you could still find things.

Noticing me standing at the door awkwardly, she gestured for me to come to sit beside her on her bed, and they began to tell her all the ins and outs of the house including the rules, dining options, and so on.

*** JULIAN POV ***

On the way to the Chester family, all I could think about was whether or not what I'm doing is right. I've lost count of the number of places Mona has come in and out of. She deserves a life filled with a loving family and friends to depend on, and not have to suffer the constant negative feeling that she is unwanted.

Once introductions had been made and Mona Chester children had left, I started to speak, “ I must warn you about Mona. She's quite unusual for a child her age and it's because of this that she has moved around a lot. Most families she's been through haven't truly understood this so under the circumstances, I'll be popping around every now and then to check up on how things are progressing. Only if that is ok with you?”

“That  perfectly fine-”

“Plus it will be good for her to see someone she knows,” Marian elaborates on what Dominic began to say.

“Well then, if there are any concerns that I haven't yet discussed or based upon, then you can tell me over the phone or when you see me next.”

Both Dominic and Marian have finished reading over the contract. “Is there anything else we should know in association with Mona? “

“Well, she's extremely sporty and tends to enjoy her alone time so if she suddenly disappears she probably needs fresh air. I can see that you live on the edge of a forest so I wouldn't be surprised if you'll find her there at times. She tends to find peace in nature but there's no need to be worried about dangers, she's quite the fighter.”

With all that said, they signed the contract and I started to head off to find Mona and assure her I'll be back in a few day's time.

I just hoped and wished this family to be the one where she can stay, do school, and live the life her mother wanted me to help give her. To live a normal life for as long as she can.

*IMPORTANT A/N*

Hey everyone, I know it's been a while and I kind of fell off the grid and I apologize for that. I have recently been really busy and haven't had much time to do school work, let alone writing. As I have said before, this is my first story and I have had a really bad case of writer's block. And just to add to it, I have had loads of schoolwork to do, am currently moving houses, and going through a few surgeries (nothing bad). I haven't had much time to write and I am so sorry about that. My plan for this book is a bit liquid in a few areas and I might put it on hold for now (not like it wasn't already),.

I did come up with another book idea that has a more solid plan as of yet and I am not sure what is going to come from it but we will see.

Once again, I am sorry and I will try to keep you all updated with what is happening but there is no guarantee that I won't be disappearing at any point.

I do read the comments and if there is any clarification needed on anything, you're welcome to jot them down for me.