When I think back to four years previous, I had never heard the name Maura Doyle and I didn't know she was my older sister and I certainly never would have guessed I'd be living with her, after my parents basically threw me out. Now I can't even imagine my life without her.

I woke up at 8am to get ready for school as per usual dad was in a mood and my mother was fussing over my sister Kayleigh. Kayleigh hasn't gone to school in nearly a year because she's waiting on a kidney transplant, the doctors thought that I would be a match but unfortunately I wasn't. My mum was in an weird mood, she was very sharp when I said I was going to school. I went to see Kayleigh before I left, of coarse she's not seriously ill, she's able to go to school our mom just won't l let her. As I walked up the school path my phone started buzzing who on earth I thought would be ringing me now. It was just a text from someone in Kayleigh's year their having a party tomorrow night. Since there's only two years between us we hang out with the same friends usually. I heard the school buzzer and went to class, forgetting about the text altogether.

I stayed back at school to work on my biology assignment in the library, I was an hour late and Kayleigh had been ringing me constantly. I'm sure she was just bored out of her mind so I decided to stop at her favorite cafe and pick her up a hot chocolate and a brownie. As I went into the house I called Kayleigh see where about was. "In the living room" my mother replied. I wondered what she was doing home. I went in and dad and mum told me to sit down. I took at seat next to Kayleigh and gave her the hot chocolate and brownie. "What's going on?" I asked. "They wouldn't tell me until you came home". I turned to look at my parents, "We have some news" my mother began "We have a kidney donor for Kayleigh" "That's great!" I said excited and confused "Who is it?" "It's your sister" my dad said. "But I'm not a match" I said bluntly.

"No your not" my mother said "but ye both have another sister who I had a very long time ago and put up for adoption, she went searching for me and couldn't have at any better timing, it's faith!" She beamed. Kayleigh on the other hand did not look impressed. "What?! No, who is this woman? Where does she work? What does she do for a living? Why didn't you tell us about her before?!" She screamed angrily. "Well, her name is Maura and she works with the police as a forensic investigator, she's a professional medical examiner. I didn't tell you because I put her up for adoption, besides girls the only difference she is going to make to our lives is that Kayleigh gets better". "But mum you can't just take her kidney and ignore her, when do we get to meet her?". "That's not going to happen, I don't want you to get to know her it will be bad news, we don't agree with her lifestyle" my father says as he gets up to leave. "Yes I agree" my mum chirps in "now excuse us we must get back to work", and with that they both left leaving Kayleigh and myself speechless.

"We have a sister?" Kayleigh finally spoke up. "Yes isn't it great!" I said excitedly "great? No." Kayleigh said storming to her room and slamming the door behind her. A couple of hours later, I was in my room studying when my mum and dad came home and Kayleigh rushed down to start asking lots of questions about our sister but it ended up being an argument between mum and dad. I knew I wouldn't get much study done now, as usual the racket was unbearable. I decided it was time for an early night and went off to sleep. Next morning I slept late and never heard Kayleigh leave, I found a note taped to my forehead saying 'ring me when you wake up'. I called and no answer, then I get a text 'I've gone to have a chat with Maura, put her in her place.' Oh my god no! I can't believe she would do that what is she thinking. I replied 'Do not do anything you might regret' all I got in response was 'Becca chill, I'm always right'. Just because she's older she always thinks she's right. At this point I was dressed and heading to the station before she made a fool of herself. As I was going up the steps she burst out though the doors, looking very angry. "I certainly told her where to go, she won't be bothering our family again" and off she went.

I felt so bad for this person I never met, because really she is our family and Kayleigh's angry explosions can be hurtful. I decided I was going to apologize for my sisters behavior. As I entered I seen a door with 'M.E: Maura Doyle' on a sign above it. I went in and a short woman with glasses was looking into a microscope, "Maura?" I said, my voice a little shaky. She replied "No, I'm Kim. Maura is in that office there." "Oh, thanks" I said. I went into her office, she was sat at her desk with her head in her hands. I could tell she was crying, I knocked on the edge of the door as I closed it behind me, "Maura?" "Look Kayleigh, please I've heard enough you can go now" she answered sounding like she was about to have a meltdown. "N-no I'm not Kayleigh. I'm Rebecca and I've come to apologize for my sisters behavior and I guess I also wanted to meet you" "Oh I'm sorry ye look very alike, why would you want to meet me?" "We get that a lot, well your my sister now too and I was curious I guess." "That's really sweet of you, how old are you?" "I'm 14" I told her. I spent the rest of the day with Maura, she is such a lovely person.

We just seem to have bonded the minute we met. She gave me her number and told me whenever I want to talk or hangout to give her a call. When I got home Kayleigh was all dressed up, "eh? Where are you going missus?" I said "I need a drink" she replied "so out, cover for me" "But you know you're not supposed to be drinking and mum will kill you for sneaking out". "Becca I'm going end of, my doors locked music is on so just say I'm working on a project". And with that she left. 'Beep beep' her friend had pulled up in his new sports car. "What was that?!" My father shouted as he came into the living room "oh, ehh.. I got a lift home... With a friend from school" I said nervously. He seemed satisfied and went into the kitchen. I ran upstairs and took out my books and began my study, mum was in her office, until she came into my room "Becca, where's Kay?" "In her room, working on a project" I blurted out "that's why her doors locked" "Her doors not locked that's why I know she's not in there, now where is she?" She said sternly. "I don't know" I whispered "Denis! Come up here now!" "Yes" my dad said coming through the door. "Kayleigh's gone and she won't tell me where she is!" She started to cry.

"What?! You stupid girl! How could you let her go out on her own?!" "Dad, I didn't let her she left" "oh Denis now she left, all by herself" my mother repeated, smartly. "If you don't tell me right now Rebecca where my daughter is you're in serious trouble" "Dad, she'll be back in a few hours, she'll be fine. Wait and see" "So you do know where she is?" My mother chirped in, "Where is my daughter?" Dad roared at me. "You say that like you only have one daughter" I said sadly. "Because I only have one daughter and if you have done anything to put her in harms way you will be so sorry" he said seriously. "Denis you didn't need to tell her" and with that final statement from my mother I grabbed my bag and walked out. I walked for what felt like hours, it had be raining, I was freezing and my clothes were soaked right through. I sat in an ally and cried my eyes out, I stayed there all night.

Then Maura sprang to mind, I took out my phone and dialed her number. "Hello", I couldn't speak I hadn't thought it through what was I going to say, I went to hang up until she spoke again "Rebecca? Is everything alright?, you can talk to me sweetie" eventually I said "I ran away" "What? Why?" She replied shocked "Where are you now sweetie?" "In an ally somewhere, I've been here all night" "okay, I'm coming to get you, tell me is there any road signs around?" "I know the stations only two blocks away" "okay do me a big favour and walk there yeah?" "Okay, Maura?.." "Yes sweetie?" "He's not my dad" "It's okay sweetie, you can explain everything in a little bit". I walked to the police station and sat on the steps outside, I was shivering with the cold. Everything felt so surreal almost as if it were a dream. I couldn't help but to cry, I was scared and alone. What was I going to do I couldn't go home, where was I going to live, I'd have to find a job. I was so deep in my thoughts that I never noticed Maura pull up or hear her call me. She put a blanket around me and I got in her car. It was a quiet enough journey to her house.

As we pulled up to her house my jaw dropped in shocked "Oh My God!" I said a little too loudly. "What? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Maura said startled, scanning me for injuries. "Your house" I said "it's like a mansion". "Rebecca! Don't scare me like that, I thought you were seriously hurt" Maura says in a fluster, "Sorry, it's just.. I can't believe how big it is, and sis it's Becca no one really calls me Rebecca unless their like a stranger" "Well Becca am I not a stranger?" Maura asks opening her front door. "No you're my sister, you're family" I replied, Maura dropped everything she was carrying and I could tell she was going cry. "I've never had a sister before" she choked out, trying to hold back the tears. "Well" I said, giving her a hug "I've never had a big sister like you before but I'm delighted to have you now""That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me" she balled out. After a few minutes she came back to herself, wiping her eyes "right, we need to get you a change of clothes" she sniffed. "Alright, kitchens in there, living room is through that double door and that's the bathroom and over there is the other living room. Make yourself at home, I'll just be upstairs if you need me. Won't be long" "Okay thanks" "ooh and there's loads of food if your hungry" she said as she went upstairs. I wandered into the kitchen and tripped and fell flat on my face, something made a really weird squeak.

I turned around and was now sitting facing this weird creature. He opened his mouth and squeaked again and started moving closer to me, I screamed. Maura ran down and into the kitchen "what's wrong?" She puffed "Dinosaur!" I roared pointing at the thing in front of me. She started laughing, "Sweetie, that's not a dinosaur. That's Bass, my pet tortoise. Give him a strawberry and you two will be friends for life" "Y-you have a pet turtle?" "No, I have a pet tortoise" she chuckled "what's the difference? Who has a pet whatever it is anyway?" I said "Actually there's a big difference the word tortoise specifically refers to any species within the family Testudinidae, where individuals are typically herbivorous and terrestrial, with blunt feet equipped for travel on land." "Em.. English? I am only 14 you know." "You want me to 'dumb it down'?" She says sarcastically. I just gave her a funny look and she tried to hold back her grin but failed, "okay, so tortoises can't swim they would drown and can eat vegetables & fruit, turtles on the other hand can't survive without water but can't eat fruit & vegetables" she said sophisticatedly. I just laughed "what?" She said puzzled at my reaction "my sisters a freak" I laughed giving her another hug. "Well you're not the first person to have told me that, my.. friend Jane calls me google mouth" she said squeezing me back, "I like her and I haven't even met her" I laughed. "Hello, you're supposed to be on my side" she said pretending to be mad "now here go put these on before you catch your death honey" "fine" I said and went off to the bathroom.

I went back into the kitchen and she was on the phone so I decided to check out this tortoise-now that I knew he wasn't a dinosaur. Actually he's kind of cute and not scary at all. I remembered she said something about strawberries, I noticed a basket of them on the counter and went over and picked up a few. Maura sat at her island chatting away on the phone smiling at me, it was almost as if she was delighted I was making an effort with her non-sea, sea animal. I fed Bass his strawberries and hadn't even noticed her finish on the phone. She came over and sat beside us on the floor "I see you like my dinosaur now" she laughed "Shut-up" I replied sarcastically. "Hey, I've ordered pizza. How does a movie and pizza sound?" "Sounds great" "Okay sweetie, in you go to the living room and choose a movie" "I can choose?" "Yeah, I'd say that's a possibility honey" "yes! I never get to choose" I squealed and ran into the living room. Maura came in with tons of blankets and snacks, suddenly my phone started buzzing. Maura picked it up and handed it to me "it's your mum you better pick up" "no I can't" "It's okay, just tell her your with me" "I can't, you don't understand" "sweetie, what are you not telling me?" "I can't tell her where I am, she'll kill me" " but once she knows your safe, she won't mind that you ran away" "it doesn't matter, she can't know I'm here" "why not?" She asks clueless.

I sat down on the couch and she joined me. "B-because she didn't want u-us to get to know y-you" I began to cry "but I really wanted to m-meet you, I'm so s-sorry" "awh sweetie, it's not your fault" she said kissing the top of my head and pulling me in for a hug, "sure I'm upset that's the way she feels but you still wanted to get to know me and I'd love to get to know you, so what's say we keep this our little secret for now?" "You m-mean it?" "Yes, but you will have to go home tonight". "Ok-" the door bell rang before I could finish, "ooh pizzas here" she jumped up to run to the door, "or not" she said rather loud opening the door.

"Andrea! Your not the pizza delivery man anyway" she chuckled. "Is my daughter here?" She says quite rudely "ehm no I haven't seen Kayleigh since she left my office yesterday" "not that one and yes I heard about that I'm dealing with her for her behavior" "you have another daughter?" Maura asked quite convincing puzzled. "Eh yes" my mother replied "didn't she visit you after Kayleigh yesterday?" "No after Kayleigh left I had to go downstairs to the lab no one came in after her." "Alright then, sorry for bothering you Maura" "Goodbye M-ehm Andrea". Maura shut the door and leaned against it slowly sliding down to the floor, I came out from the living room when I was sure my mother had left. Maura sat in front of the door hugging her knees, balling her eyes out. "What's wrong?" I said sitting down beside her. "I think my mother hates me" "honestly, I wouldn't worry too much she only has one favorite daughter and that's Kayleigh".

The door bell rang again this time I knew it was the delivery guy. I brought Maura into the living room and grabbed 20€ off the table. I returned with the pizza shortly after, we ate and watched some movies and she made me tell her everything that happened with my parents and why I ran away. It was getting close to 11 pm and she suggested that I should go home and even though I didn't want to, I knew I needed to. She dropped me up the road a bit from my house and told me if I needed anything at all to call her.