~Prologue~
As a single 27 year old woman, I'd say that I'm pretty content with my life. I have no tragic childhood story to tell, no whining and crying over things I've never had. No, if anything it was the complete opposite.
See, I grew up with the picture perfect example of the modern middle class family. Three bedroom house in the suburbs, two cars, two loving parents who had 2.5 children...if you're willing to count our rescue mutt Revus as the half. And as is typical with families these days, those loving parents eventually divorced when I was 8, though they claim to still love each other, just not enough to be married.
My mom ended up marrying her and my dad's best friend Luke when I was 10 and now we're all one big happy family. I'm not even joking. Every Sunday the family gathers together for this great big dinner that rivals most family's Thanksgiving or Easter meals. And on those days, you can find me, my brother Jon, his wife and two kids, our mom Jocelyn, our dad Valentine, and our step-dad Luke seated around the table with Revus securing a spot at our feet to act as the vacuum for any dropping food...which there is guaranteed to be plenty of with my niece and nephew having recently entered the "throwing food phase" of toddler-hood.
That's not to say my life has been without any trials...I've experienced true heartbreak, once...and it was a doozy. But that was my own mistake in thinking that it would be a good idea to graduate with the absurd plan to let my high school sweetheart take care of me instead of going to college. Lot of good that did me when just three days before our fully planned wedding I found him in bed with none other than the preachers daughter. Needless to say, all those promises of giving me the world were nothing but lies. I dumped his ass and swore off men for good several months later when I realized that I can make myself happier than any man ever could.
Of course, I couldn't have gotten through any of it without my best friend, and roommate Izzy. It hasn't been easy, but we make it through and live comfortably despite our tiny little two bedroom apartment in a shady part of town. We could afford better, but saving to start our own business means cracking down on frivolous spending and lots of double shifts at the diner where I work. There's only one thing I hate more than those double shifts...Izzy's adopted brother Jace.
Seeing him when I opened the door to our apartment after one of those shifts, I should have known everything was about to go to hell, I just didn't think he'd be taking me with him.
Short, yes...the rest of the chapters are much longer though. And, I'll be posting Ch. 1 immediately after this so you won't have to wait for a little bit more of the story.
Disclaimer: Cassandra Claire owns any and all references to TMI and its characters...I'm just taking them for a spin around the block.