Preface
A week after my Mom had her surgery; my Dad told the court marshal that she was addicted to pain killers. When she went for her drug test, it came out positive because she WAS taking pain killers for her chest. But he couldn't be happy with that, he wanted more than custody of my sister and me. He wanted revenge
Chapter one- How he got his revenge.
He decided his best bet was to get her put in the nut house. So he pushed and pushed for it until they took her away in handcuffs. My Dad and my step mom took us home with them and tried to make us happy. They had every video game consol and every game for it imaginable and every movie ever published. My twin sister Aly was right away fine with the whole situation; but I was devastated. Anytime I brought her up, my Dad sent me to my room, refusing to talk to me about her. I sat in my room for a week straight watching movies so I wouldn't'\t fall asleep and have the nightmares I'd been having. At the end of the week, I tallied it all up, and I'd watched: The Parent Trap, The Big Green, The Sound of Music, Grease, Home Alone 1-4, Harry Potter 1-6, Madagascar 1-2, Cheaper By The Dozen 1-2, Cars, Monsters Inc., The Santa Clause 1-3, Narnia 1-2, Twilight, New Moon, Hot Chick, Legally Blond, Taken, Mama Mia, Jumanjii, Surf's Up, Nell, Wild Child, Nanny McPhee, Princess Diaries 1-2, Elf, Inkheart, Akeala and the Bee, The Blind Side, Annie, Oliver Twist, Tuck Everlasting, Holes, Freaky Friday, Bedtime Stories, Flicka, Ella Enchanted, Star Wars 1-6, Enchanted, Babe, Night at the Museum 1-2, Peter Pan 1-2, Swiss Family Robinson, The Princess Bride, Lassie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Free Willy 1-3, Orphan, Bolt, Wall-ee, Herbie1-3, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, Angels in The Outfield, Race To Witch Mountain, Bridge to Terebithia, Mary Poppins, Miracle on 34th Street, Nimms Island, It's a Wonderful Life, and The Lion King.
Today is Christmas Eve, and my Father still won't take us to see my Mother. He says he's afraid she'll attack us. But that didn't stop Aly and I. We went down to the loony bin and as we walked up to the desk, the woman looked up at us skeptically. "We're looking to see Adele Richards please." Aly explained. The woman nodded and sent two guards up to her room with us. I heard her screams echoing down the hallway. My heart raced. "Don't ruin it for us Mom!" I whispered. "You girls can go in, just knock if our need us!" one of the guards told us. I we went in, I felt my knees give out from under me at the sight of my Mother. She glared at us and struggled against the strait jacket that was holding her hostage. Her long blond hair she'd spent years growing out was now cut to a short bob. "I hate these fuckin visions." she mumbled to her self. I felt faint. "What've they done to you?" I whispered. My Mom NEVER swore. "Mom, we're not a vision." Aly took her hand and she gasped. "She screamed."Mom, what's the matter?" I asked her worriedly. "My chest!" she gasped in pain. I took a bottle of pain killers out of my pocket and put them in her mouth. She swallowed quickly. "We want you out of here...any idea how we can accomplish that?" Aly asked her. "Go see Ann Marie. She'll help you. If you can get me back into that court room, I know I'll win." she told us. Anne Marie is her lawyer. "Merry Christmas Mom." I gave her a hug. "Merry Christmas my darlings." she smiled at us as we left the room sobbing.
When we left the building, we called a cab to the law firm and after we talked to her, Anne Marie made a few phone calls, and scheduled a court case for the next day, which was Christmas. I woke up early the next morning since we had to be at the courthouse at eight A.M. We got to the court room fifteen minutes early and sat down. Five minutes later, two police men escorted my Mother in. My Dad's mouth fell open at the sight of her. Aly and I looked at each other and quietly retreated to the back of the room. "So, our first defendant is Tom McCaffrey." The judge called my Father up. "Yes Thank you." he swore on the bible to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and began his piece. "I married Adele Thompson in 1991. In 1996, we were blessed with two twin girls, Allison and Taylor. In 2000, Adele tried to commit suicide, but was unsuccessful. She went to rehab, and we thought she was better. We divorced in 2002, and I granted her full custody of both of the girls. Then in November, I noticed a drastic change in her attitude and behavior. Upon inquiring further, I found out she was addicted to painkillers. I hurriedly called my lawyer, and we organized a court case. But I thought this incident had something to do with her suicide attempt, so I pushed to get her the help she needed. She lost custody of our daughters, and was sent to Greenhaven." he told the jury. "Thank you Mr. McCaffrey. Our next witnesses are Taylor and Allison McCaffery-Thompson. Girls." the judge invited us up to the podium. "My Mother was the stay-at-home type Mom all through our elementary school years. When we entered 6th grade, my Father left us. My Mother was devastated. With no other option, she tried to kill herself, but, luckily, failed. Then, July, she had surgery to remove a tumor on one of her lungs. She was, and is still in a lot of pain every time she breathes. That's why she was taking painkillers in the first place." We explained together. "Thank you girls. Next up is Ms Anne Mari Clark, on behalf of ms Adele Thompson." as we walked back to our seats, I kissed my Mother's forehead in silence. Anne Marie did her bit and then we were all asked to leave as the jury made their decision. When we went back in, my sister and I crossed our fingers. "The jury has decided by unanimous vote that custody of Allison and Taylor McCaffery-Thompson goes to their Father. We ask now that Ms. Adele Thompson is brought up to the podium." the judge told the courtroom. The police officers led my Mother up to the stage, and in front of the entire congregation, the fitted her into a new straitjacket that she couldn't move her legs in and carried her out on a stretcher as the judge yelled, "Case Dismissed! Adele Thompson has a lifetime sentence to Greenhaven mental hospital, closed ward starting tomorrow!" My Dad stood up, thanked the judge, and led us out the door to the car.
Chapter two-New Mothers and Old Mothers
When I got back to the house, I searched my scrapbook until I found what I was looking for. A picture of my Mom, me and Aly. Underneath it was scrawled, "Adele and the girls." in my father's handwriting. I ripped it out and hung it on my bulletin board. Then I took another one of her holding me on her lap while I laughed hysterically and hung it next to it. There was a knock on my door. "Come in!" I called. My stepmother came in. "Oh hi!" I said, trying to hide the pictures. "Can I see that?" she pointed to one of the pictures. I handed her the one with the three of us. She took it from me and ripped it in half. "I'm your Mother now." she smirked and left the room. I tried to convince myself she was dead, but no matter how hard I tried, her horrified face kept filling my head. That night though, everything changed forever.
At about midnight, my dad came running into my room. "Taylor, there's a tornado, we need to get in the basement now!" he shook me awake. I jumped up and followed him. Aly joined us on the second floor. "Wait, what about Mom!?" I yelped and whirled around, heading for the door. The winds were so strong that it took me many falls before the hospital was in sight. I quickly made my way up to her room. As I opened the door, the storm hit! I pounced on her and lay on top of her in the corner of the room. I looked up ten minutes later into the jet black sky; the roof had been lifted off completely. I shielded my eyes and completely blacked out as the bench came crashing down on my right leg. When I came to, I was in a bright hospital room. "What?" I said out loud. "Morning Honey." My dad came in. "Hey dad." I smiled at him. "Where's Mom?" I asked him." Next door; here" he handed me a pair of crutches. "What happened to my leg?" I asked. "You crushed it." he told me. "What?!" I glanced at my leg, which looked fine to me. 'Um, Honey, before you go in there, I gotta talk to you. "He suddenly looked very grim."What happened?" I asked him suspiosiosly. "Honey, I'm afraid Aly's passed away" he managed to stutter, before breaking down. I felt my blood run cold. I turned away and headed down top the mess hall so I could be alone. As I sat down, an announcement interrupted my thoughts. "Doctor Anderson, code red in room 302, Doctor Anderson, code red in room 302!" I jumped up! Code red meant someone was in trouble, probably dying. And 302 was my Mother's room.
I left my sandwich on the table untouched and joined the crowd outside her room. I stood alone and sobbed, pleading with God. The doctor came out. She looked directly at me as she said, "She barely made it." I felt like the sky had just been lifted off my shoulders. I quietly slipped through her door and sat next to her bed and took her hand and rubbed it gently. Then, in tears I left the room. My dad met me in the hallway and we went to a hotel together two towns over. That's when he decided to break the news to me. "Honey, they're outing your Mother to sleep for a few weeks...they think she probably won't remember anything when she wakes up, so I took this as our chance. We're going to live with Angela's parents tomorrow. I'm sorry." I felt my heart stop. "What about Mom?" I squeaked. "I don't know! She's got her own life now. You belong to me, so we're going to California."
Chapter three-New me, 2 years later
"Mom, Dad, I got accepted into Harvard!" I ran downstairs yelling. "Oh Baby, congratulations!" My Stepmother hugged me. "Good job Honey, when does the semester start?" My Dad kissed my cheek. "Tomorrow, can I get a ride to the airport?" I asked. "Angela'll have to take you, I have to work." I ran up to my room and grabbed my suitcase. Then my stepmother drove me to the airport. I got to the college at dinner time, so I went down to the mess hall. I sat alone at a table until a woman with long blond hair walked up. "You must be a new freshman! I'm Mrs. Bradley. Can I join you?" she asked me. "Oh, yeah, sure! I'm Taylor." I told her. "So where are you from?" she smiled at me. "Well, I'm originally from Texas, but now I live in California." I told her. "Well, I live in Texas! Whereabouts are you from?" she asked me curiously. "Oh, you've probably never heard of it. It's called Lysonoma." I told her. "No way! Me too! Why'd you leave?" she questioned. "My parents got divorced. What'd you say our name was?" I asked her. "I didn't, but it's Adele Bradley. I'll see you in drama!" she left the table.
When I got to her class, she handed out a Q&A about ourselves.
Name-Taylor McCaffrey-Thompson
Age-18
Siblings-Sister Allison deceased in 2000, and stepbrother Adam, age 7
Father-Kevin McCaffrey
Mother-Adele Thompson, deceased in 2001, stepmother Angela McCaffrey.
Birthplace- Lysonoma, Texas
Current home- 200 acre estate in Santa Monica California
Life goal-To find out if my Mother is really dead and find her grave if she is. I stood up and followed her out to the hallway.
We all handed our papers forward and she let us have a study hall the rest of the period. I ended up talking to two sophomore girls. Halfway through the period, the teacher got up and left the room with tears pouring down her face...I stood up and followed her out to the hallway. "You alright Mrs. Bradley?" I asked her. "Call me Adele." she tried to smile at me. She took my hand and an electric shock ran through my body. "Your Father told you I'd died?" she finally managed to whisper. "Yea, wait, what?" I froze. "I....Mom?" I stuttered, and she nodded. She held out her arms, and I ran into them, sobbing now too. "I gotta get to class Mom." I told her. "Ok, oh and one more thing, please, call me Adele." I felt my blood run cold. "Um, do you have any other kids?" I asked her cautiously. "Yes I do! Three girls and two boys! Kaleb, Richard, Kerri, Claire, and Abigail." she beamed. I felt my eyes filling up with tears as I left the room in silence so she wouldn't see my tears. I did something that night that I'd regret for the rest of my life. I took her mug shot of when she'd first been arrested, bald head, strait jacket, and all. The next day, I passed it around the classroom before she came in. When she came in she right away asked, "What's so funny?" one of the nerds handed her the picture and her face lost all color. "Where did you get this?" she stammered. "Taylor." he smirked at me. She glared at me. "See me after class." she turned around and went back to her desk. By the time the bell rang, I had my entire conversation with her already planned out. "Make it quick, I told my TRUE Mom I'd call her this morning." I said, referring to Angela as I advanced towards her desk. "What could possibly make you do something like this?" she held up the picture. "I don't know." I smirked. "I thought you still loved me!" she looked into my eyes. I melted. "Well, you obviously thought wrong, huh?" I tried to keep my cool by looking away. "You're mad." she decided. "Uh, yeah I am good observation." I replied sarcastilly, still not looking at her. "Why?" she stood up. "Hmm, let's see, you act like I don't exist, and that I'm not even important to you anymore! The picture was the Mother I missed for four years, and you totally aren't her." I grabbed my books and ran out of the room. I ran into the bathroom and slumped against the wall, sobbing. She followed me. She got right down on the dirty bathroom floor in her white jeans and held me in her arms. "I love you Taylor." she told me "I love you too Mom." I smiled at her.