INTRODUCTION
It was a cold, rainy night; with thunder and lightning, illuminating the small bedroom of Emily, a girl of 6 years old who tucked the covers, listening to each of the powerful rays, which occasionally fell into the distance. The figures that were drawn on the walls of the room, caused her fear, so that time, she had no other choice than calling her mother, who shouting, went up to the bedroom and turned on the light of the lamp located in a small table. She kissed her in the forehead and hugged her.
Mom: What's wrong, daughter? – She felt the nervousness in the body of her daughter, because of the storm, even when some branches knocked on the window, swaying in the wind
Emily: - I'm very scared, Mom.
Mom: - You don´t have to be, daughter, it's just water and wind
Emily: - Yes, but – again she saw out the window - It makes a lot of noise and I cannot sleep
Mom: - I see – She looked sweetly - And, you want for me to stay with you?
Emily: - Yes, mom - she embraced her again - stay with me
Mom: - Okay, princess – She sat down next to her and settled into the backrest - I'll be here for a while with you
Emily: Can you read me a story? She settled down next to her
Mom: - It's not a bad idea - she combed her silky hair - and the moment is ideal to talk about Berenice, the young warrior
Emily: - Berenice? I had ever listened to her, Mom? – She had enormous curiosity to hear the story
Mom: It was a night like this one, which knocked on the door of an orphanage, which was attended by some nice little nuns
Emily: And who was it, Mom? - She was so intrigued that she was forgetting that there was a storm outside
Mom: - Well, daughter, you have to be patient - smiled - and let me tell you the whole story from the beginning and without interruption, huh?
Emily: - Yes, Mom - affectionately hugged and smiled accepting the condition.
ChapterI
The Intership
No one knew, exactly, how this girl came to the internship of the Good Hope in Monte Tabor, but the fact was that during one of the rainiest nights, the bell at the front door, rang repeatedly and sister doormen, by opening, she found the creature crying wrapped in a cover turquoise, with a small gold medal hanging around her neck, named Berenice. Without a note without knowing the whereabouts of the biological parents, the small since then, lived within the walls of the internship, under the loving care of the nuns. But what indeed call the attention, was that the baby had a sign very peculiar in her body. It was a tiny mole on the tear in her left eye, which made it very special.
Berenice, was growing up, running and jumping in every corner of the internship, and quickly she excelled by her vivacious personality, among the rest of the girls. One morning, a well - known sound flooded facilities in the internship and both male and female students, were attending to that call, hurrying to get to the chapel to attend the Sunday homily, all but Berenice, which like every Sunday, she escaped from the bedroom to visit the hounds and the chicks, who were raised on an adjoining farm, whose owners rented to the nuns the ample infrastructure to attend the children without homes.
At the age of five, Margot came to the facilities, a graceful but shy girl, with white complexion, and freckles on her nose and cheekbones, who wore eyeglasses with round frames, which did not arouse the interest of any of the girls in the internship , to relate with, except the restless Berenice, who quickly took a shine to the newcomer, becoming both inseparable friends. Each time that she planned some mischief without fatal consequences, Margot, suffered, to the fear that they could be discovered, as the day they saved the frogs that would serve to be dissected in the biology class for the students of advanced years. No one knew what happened to the batrachians.
Something that was clear was that neither Margot nor Berenice, showed interest for regulations or religion courses, which with such devotion; the nuns were determined to teach them and the orphans. The Mother Superior, facing this lack of interest of the girls, talked with the body of instructors and teachers, so that they patiently would try to transmit good values, which at the end would be the tools that would help them one day to face the exterior world. As for the faith, she had the complete hope that the girls would soon be adopted by some Catholic family that would struggle with that subject. Many nuns simple wanted to leave without any harm from the mischief of the two girls.
At 9 years old, sitting on the roof of the tallest building, admiring the moon, they both made a promise, that nothing and no one would separate them, and they would be friends forever. So, clad in a nightgown, they sealed that "sisters" covenant. Therefore, whenever a couple arrived at the Internship to visit, in order to adopt one girl, both behaved in such a way, that with their behavior they looked for the way to become ineligible for the possible families. On one occasion, Berenice, dressed raggedly and filled her face, when she was called to present it to some good Christians. Margot laughed on the second floor, close to the living room, her hands full of mud, for she had been the makeup artist of her friend. Like it happened when it was her turn, then, on the advice of that, showed lack of refinement chewing a piece of bread, nose picking and scratching all the time the scalp, before another couple. Definitely, Mother Superior did not know what to do with them two.
To meet both 10 years old, one fatal news this awaited them and will impact all residents of Good Hope. The wife of the owner of the farm, had just passed away, without conceiving any children, so her husband, the old farmer decided to sell the premises of the orphanage, and his farm, and move away from there. The nuns had no choice but to look for a new place, so they went to the highest authorities of the Church, who unfortunately could not offer any answer to the nuns. The only alternative was that they should locate each child with a family or another shelter for orphans. That meant the definitive closure of the Good Hope, after 50 years of service, where many boys found an opportunity to not wander through the streets, and later find a lovely family.
Little by little, the nuns were in charge of distributing those who were not chosen, to other children's centers, administered by foundations or by the government. Thus, over two months, there were few children, who expected to be adopted by some family. One morning, a tall woman, thin but elegant arrived at the orphanage. Her makeup and big red hat made her look like a lady of society. Her short dress, red with a black belt, made her grateful to the girls who saw her coming, accompanied by a little bald man with a stare, who rubbed his hands a lot, and walked comically behind the lady. It was attended, as was customary, by the Mother Superior, in her office. She called herself Countess Margaret, and as she told the Mother Superior, she and her husband, Count Lufon wanted to adopt a girl with whom they could share the happiness of her home.
The Mother Superior, saw in that strange couple, a good opportunity for one of the two girls, who still remained in the house, could find a good home, since the Countess Margarita, and her husband, looked very wealthy people. So, she took them to look at the bedroom, where the girls, were already bathed and dressed, the girls stood next to their beds to receive the guests. One of them was Berenice, who, looking at the couple began to yawn and stand up badly. Margot laughed, but she covered her mouth so that her laughter was not so loud. Countess Marguerite quickly passed a magazine to the eight girls, while placing a finger of her right hand under her nose, each time she approached very close to the face of each of them, and then continued the review, with certain disdain. In the end, she stood up in front of all of them, and after a new visual review, pointed to Margot. A nun, took take her by the hand and take her to the office of Mother Superior.
Berenice, went up to the bedroom window, and down the tube, running through the garden, to the outside of the windows of the Mother Superior's office, to watch as she and the mysterious Countess Margaret closed the dea to start Margot's adoption paperwork. That landed Berenice, who ran to the front door of the office, and after a strong inhalation, opened the same, to the surprise of those present.
Mother Superior: - What is this, Berenice? She stood up in disbelief and in her deep voice for the audacity of the child.
Berenice: "Mother Superior, she cannot take Margot away, pointing to the Countess Margaret, who unmoving and comfortably seated, who merely crossed her legs
Mother Superior: - What do you mean Berenice? - She was astonished to hear that statement
Berenice: - That girl eats a lot, lady - she stood in front of Countess Margaret
Margot: - It is true; I eat almost everything I encounter - Se placed next to Berenice, with such an attitude that she was eager to convince the lady to be disenchanted by her
Count Lufón: - You shouldn´t be worry, girl – he forward to answer - there's a lot of food at home
Mother Superior: Berenice, please go out at this moment, she told the girl energetically.
Berenice: - Ma'am, please, you cannot take her home - her voice was increasingly more supplicant.
Count Lufón: - And why not? - looking fearful to his wife in hopes that she did not call his attention for his meddling, following the conversation with the girl
Berenice: - Because she's my best friend. Ever since we were these little girls - she moved her little fingers in front of the lady's face - we are inseparable. We always do everything together, believe me, lady, she's going to cry and cry for not being with me
This was the signal for Margot to start playing her part, and it was. She began to cry with such conviction that it seemed she was going to empty every tear in her eyes, including her gestures. The Mother Superior was impressed by the loyalty of the two girls, who did not know whether to laugh or to cry, before that theatrical scene that both starred before that elegant lady.
Mother Superior: - Well, Berenice, I understand what you are trying to do, but you must let Margot, to have the opportunity to get a family that loves and wants her – She took Berenice from her shoulder while she pitying looked down.
Countess Margarita: - I'll take them both, Mother Superior - said politely, as he rose, while she was wearing the black silk gloves in both hands
Mother Superior: God bless you, Countess, she smiled at her as the two girls embraced each other
The girls did not have a lot of clothes to pack, so the Countess allowed what the little they had to be distributed among the rest of the orphan girls, and in that way, they could take a better benefit, while she promised to provide them a better attire to the two girls it was so, that led to an elegant mansion on the outskirts of the city. The sumptuous black car parked in front of the front door. From the second floor, in a window, the cold look of a 17-year-old girl watched the arrival of the new residents. It was, Dari, the couple's only daughter, who had left school to devote herself to painting. His parents paid tutors to come to the house to teach them, but never put enthusiasm on their part to learn. She was badly bred and cold as her mother.
A maid of medium stature, plump, dressed as maids, no older than 50 years old, went out to receive them. According to the instructions of the Countess, she gave a warm bath to the girls, brushed their teeth and combed their hair, and then dressed them in low quality clothes in a gray tone. Both girls were happy to be together, but they felt a little uncomfortable with the solitude and silence that reigned in that large three-story building, which covered more than two thousand meters of construction. Everything was very luxurious, filled with more than twenty rooms, chandeliers, paintings, exotic furniture, looked more like a medieval castle than a room house. The girls were taken to a large dining room, where the owners and Dari were about to dine. Countess Marguerite saw them sideways, and then took a napkin and wiped the corner of her lips and turned her eyes away from them.
Countess Margaret: Adelaida, just as I had promise from now on you have two pairs of hands to help you with the chores of the house, she said to the maid and housekeeper
Adelaide: - Yes, madam, as you command
Dari: - Mom. Why did you bring these ragged? - referred contemptuously to the two girls, who kept their heads down
Count Lufon: Your mother considered the poor Adelaida, because of her age, was going to need help with the things in the house, sweetheart.
Dari: Do you see me asking you something, Dad? - She said angrily and looked back at the Countess -But Adelaide, can continue to do things as always, right, Adelaida?-She looked at the servant
Adelaida: Yes, lady.
The Countess struck the table with her right hand, indicating that the subject had reached its end. Dari, stopped and she kept silent and drank some wine.
Countess: - It was a good business, two helpers for the price of one, isn´t Lufón? - And she got up and left, followed by her daughter
Count Lufón: - Yes, my love - in a low tone of voice, because they did not allow him to respond
Adelaida, took the girls, behind the kitchen, where there was a small basement, and there the accommodation, in two simple beds. The room was lit by a bulb, and...
To Be Continued