I was a very alert child, and ever since I can remember I knew something
from my life was missing. I thought of myself as a puzzle with missing
pieces. I suppose that's why I began 'acting out' as my mother would like
to call it. I was frustrated because I knew something wasn't there, but
didn't know what it was and no one would tell me. It started with me
throwing little tantrums towards my parents and continued with being
grounded all the time, have detentions, suspensions and even one expulsion.
But it did me no good, because I still felt like something was missing.
I was only sixteen when I was kicked out of my second school, St. Xavier.
One of my girlfriends and I set fire to a garbage can in the hallway, it
was just supposed to be a little flame, but we ended up burning down the
whole east hall. I felt terrible for doing such a thing, but I couldn't let
anyone see my inner soft side.
Until my parents could find a new boarding school to ship me off to I was stuck at home.
"Good morning, Bertha!" I sang to our English maid and I skipped down the halls.
"Ms. Reid I don't know how your parents put up with you. Why, if you were my child I would swat you one," She mumbled. "Mrs. And Mr. Reid are downstairs in the study sick with worry about your behaviour!" I was used to Bertha's accusations about my behaviour, however I wasn't used to my parents worrying about me.
"It's been nice talking to you, but I have eavesdropping to catch onto." I yelled as I skipped farther down the house, towards the stairs.
"The pleasures mine." Bertha stated sarcastically.
I didn't usually listen to my parents conversations without them knowing, but I was far too curious to let it slip. Slyly I made my way toward the study. The door was ajar so I could see my mother sprawled out on the black leather sofa with her left had placed dramatically over her forehead. My father sat in his office chair behind the large oak desk.
"Honestly, Fredrick, she's gotten to be to much for me to handle. Sometimes I wish we decided against it." Mother moaned and groaned.
"I know what you mean, but darling it isn't like we could ever return her." Return whom? Return me? Return me where?
"That's exactly what I want to do!" She practically screamed. "We gave Emma everything her heart desired, a fine home, the best opportunities, a life of luxury! But in return she shows no gratitude. she belongs in that filthy bayou."
"We should give her one more chance before sending her back. That old woman can't handle the burden of two children. Besides we paid nearly ten grand for this child!" Father said reasonably. They paid nearly ten grand for me? Why would they do such a thing?
"No, absolutely not! She's mocking our family and everything we stand for in this community. I want her gone. Get her files ready Fredrick; she'll be packing today and leaving tomorrow! The Bayou is the only thing that will control that thing" Mother shrieked. For years it seemed she never wanted me around, but Father kept me here because it was the sensible thing to do. But now she wanted me to live in some Bayou? She wanted me to live with an old women and another child? And why did they have a file for me?
Father walked over to his filing cabinet, slid it open and flicked through some files till he found the one marked "EMERALD LANDRY" then slapped the file down on his desk.
"Fine." Was all he could say?
I was completely bewildered and panicky. Who was Emerald Landry? Did they want me to move out? What were they talking about?
Both of them set out to talk to me, they went through the far-door on the east side. When they were out of sight I raced over to my father's desk and gingerly took the file.
"Well, let's see who this lucky Emerald Landry is, shall we?" I said to myself. I could hear my mother's shrill voice calling me in the background.
"Emma, Emma darling. I have to talk to you."
Ignoring her pleas I took the file and sat down on the floor, under my father's desk. Opening up the first page it was just information about this girl. She had been born in the Bayou that mother was talking about. Her full name was Emerald Lynn Landry-Dumas. Also, she was the same age as me-the exact same age! She had my birthday! But, unlike me she had been born a triplet, her other sisters were Ruby Landry and Giselle Dumas.
The files babbled on and on about other information, but the next page was adoption forms. Emerald had been adopted by my parents when she was three, where was she now? Did they send her off to some boarding school as well? Growing bored of the question that filled my head I flipped through the rest of the pages. And then I saw it-pictures of Emerald. pictures of me!
Scared I threw the file across the room. It was a pretty thick file, so when it hit the vase on the coffee table, pieces of glass went everywhere. In a flash both my mother and father were in the room.
"So, Emerald." Mother sneered. "You know the truth. You aren't our daughter, you're the daughter of some dirty trash Gabrielle Landry."
"Stella, calm down. She's just a child, this has to be hard on her." Father protested.
"Hard on her! Hard on her! I have spent years of my life trying to control this child. She is a menace and belongs in that Bayou with her menace family!" She slowly turned towards me, "Did you know your Grandpere sold you to us? When things got to difficult to handle both you and your sister, he decided to sell you off!"
"But, I'm a triplet." I whined.
"We don't know the details about your other sister." Father said quietly.
I got up from my place on the floor. They can't kick me out of there precious home. I'd run away to find my real family and finally the puzzle would be complete. Quickly I ran up to my room and packed everything I could fit into one suitcase. Neither of my so-called parents came up to check on me. So, I went into their room and slid open their 'secret drawer'. It was filled with wads of cash, a smiled devilishly as I took my share. In cash I stole at least five hundred. When I was finished packing I called Samuel, our chaffer to take me to the airport. Before leaving the place I've called home for nearly sixteen year I went back to my father's study and grabbed my file. At the front door I couldn't help but yell 'Good Riddance.' I didn't bother to say goodbye. I was only thinking of saying hello, to my real family.
Until my parents could find a new boarding school to ship me off to I was stuck at home.
"Good morning, Bertha!" I sang to our English maid and I skipped down the halls.
"Ms. Reid I don't know how your parents put up with you. Why, if you were my child I would swat you one," She mumbled. "Mrs. And Mr. Reid are downstairs in the study sick with worry about your behaviour!" I was used to Bertha's accusations about my behaviour, however I wasn't used to my parents worrying about me.
"It's been nice talking to you, but I have eavesdropping to catch onto." I yelled as I skipped farther down the house, towards the stairs.
"The pleasures mine." Bertha stated sarcastically.
I didn't usually listen to my parents conversations without them knowing, but I was far too curious to let it slip. Slyly I made my way toward the study. The door was ajar so I could see my mother sprawled out on the black leather sofa with her left had placed dramatically over her forehead. My father sat in his office chair behind the large oak desk.
"Honestly, Fredrick, she's gotten to be to much for me to handle. Sometimes I wish we decided against it." Mother moaned and groaned.
"I know what you mean, but darling it isn't like we could ever return her." Return whom? Return me? Return me where?
"That's exactly what I want to do!" She practically screamed. "We gave Emma everything her heart desired, a fine home, the best opportunities, a life of luxury! But in return she shows no gratitude. she belongs in that filthy bayou."
"We should give her one more chance before sending her back. That old woman can't handle the burden of two children. Besides we paid nearly ten grand for this child!" Father said reasonably. They paid nearly ten grand for me? Why would they do such a thing?
"No, absolutely not! She's mocking our family and everything we stand for in this community. I want her gone. Get her files ready Fredrick; she'll be packing today and leaving tomorrow! The Bayou is the only thing that will control that thing" Mother shrieked. For years it seemed she never wanted me around, but Father kept me here because it was the sensible thing to do. But now she wanted me to live in some Bayou? She wanted me to live with an old women and another child? And why did they have a file for me?
Father walked over to his filing cabinet, slid it open and flicked through some files till he found the one marked "EMERALD LANDRY" then slapped the file down on his desk.
"Fine." Was all he could say?
I was completely bewildered and panicky. Who was Emerald Landry? Did they want me to move out? What were they talking about?
Both of them set out to talk to me, they went through the far-door on the east side. When they were out of sight I raced over to my father's desk and gingerly took the file.
"Well, let's see who this lucky Emerald Landry is, shall we?" I said to myself. I could hear my mother's shrill voice calling me in the background.
"Emma, Emma darling. I have to talk to you."
Ignoring her pleas I took the file and sat down on the floor, under my father's desk. Opening up the first page it was just information about this girl. She had been born in the Bayou that mother was talking about. Her full name was Emerald Lynn Landry-Dumas. Also, she was the same age as me-the exact same age! She had my birthday! But, unlike me she had been born a triplet, her other sisters were Ruby Landry and Giselle Dumas.
The files babbled on and on about other information, but the next page was adoption forms. Emerald had been adopted by my parents when she was three, where was she now? Did they send her off to some boarding school as well? Growing bored of the question that filled my head I flipped through the rest of the pages. And then I saw it-pictures of Emerald. pictures of me!
Scared I threw the file across the room. It was a pretty thick file, so when it hit the vase on the coffee table, pieces of glass went everywhere. In a flash both my mother and father were in the room.
"So, Emerald." Mother sneered. "You know the truth. You aren't our daughter, you're the daughter of some dirty trash Gabrielle Landry."
"Stella, calm down. She's just a child, this has to be hard on her." Father protested.
"Hard on her! Hard on her! I have spent years of my life trying to control this child. She is a menace and belongs in that Bayou with her menace family!" She slowly turned towards me, "Did you know your Grandpere sold you to us? When things got to difficult to handle both you and your sister, he decided to sell you off!"
"But, I'm a triplet." I whined.
"We don't know the details about your other sister." Father said quietly.
I got up from my place on the floor. They can't kick me out of there precious home. I'd run away to find my real family and finally the puzzle would be complete. Quickly I ran up to my room and packed everything I could fit into one suitcase. Neither of my so-called parents came up to check on me. So, I went into their room and slid open their 'secret drawer'. It was filled with wads of cash, a smiled devilishly as I took my share. In cash I stole at least five hundred. When I was finished packing I called Samuel, our chaffer to take me to the airport. Before leaving the place I've called home for nearly sixteen year I went back to my father's study and grabbed my file. At the front door I couldn't help but yell 'Good Riddance.' I didn't bother to say goodbye. I was only thinking of saying hello, to my real family.