"Kids c'mon, you're gonna be for your first day back!", Stefenie Foster yelled up the stairs to the three bedrooms of her three children. She then walked back over to the breakfast table, where her partner sat with her cup of brew fresh coffee. The smell of pancakes and maple syrup lingered around the house. Lena smiled sleepily as the hungry hoard of kids pounded down the stairs. First was Brandon, who was already up so he could have hot water. His floppy, wet hair swung on his face.
"Good Morning, B."
"Morning Moms."
Jesus came down next. All that was missing was Mariana. She still laid in her bed. She couldn't sleep at all last night, for anytime she closed her chocolate brown eyes, a dreadful and painful memory from her past replayed in her brain.
"Mariana! Shake a leg, you're gonna be late!", Stef called from the kitchen.
She rolled from her bed, threw on a simple outfit, and tumbled down the stairs to the breakfast table. Instantly, her whole family knew something was wrong. Mariana sat beside Lena and turned to her.
"Did Jesus and I have another sibling?", She asked bluntly, for that's what her dream was about. It was about her and her twin when they were little kids and a baby. Her name was Tessa, however the two referred to her as Tessie.
Lena turned to Stef with a sigh.
"Yes, actually, you did. When we took in you two, she was three and we couldn't really take in a child that young. We didn't want to split you all up, but we had to."
Jesus glared over at them, "So we did have a biological sibling?"
Stef nodded, "Yeah, a half sister, but I do recall Jesus punching another boy at your guys' previous foster home, because he said she wasn't related to you two. That's why you all were dropped off at the police station."
"Even back then, I was a badass", He smiled stupidly.
Lena eyed him, mentally scolding him for swearing at the table. Mariana looked over at Brandon as he fiddled with his phone.
"But now, she'd be like nine, maybe ten. Could we get into contact with her?", Mariana asked quietly while flipping her head over to Lena.
"Maybe, I'll have to talk to Bill about it, but I think that's a great idea. Okay now, finish up so you won't be late."
The three teenagers finished their meal and quickly put the finishing touches on their outfits, before leaving the house.
The trio walked to school in a clump.
"Do you think that she'd know who we are?", Mariana questioned to her brothers.
"Doubt it.", Jesus responded.
Suddenly, Talya appeared and stepped beside Brandon, instantly grabbing his hand, "Morning Love."
Mariana knew that Talya was fake and crazy. She was like the Overly Attached Girlfriend on YouTube. She could see right through her little good girl act. Tayla was a slut. Mariana kept her thoughts to herself and continued walking, slightly faster so she wouldn't have any temptations to accidentally say them aloud. Her phone started to blare the sassy ringtone that it was assigned to. She quickly unlocked it, noticing it was a random number, and answered.
"Hello?"
"Mariana, baby, is that you?"
Mariana froze at the sound of the woman's voice. She knew exactly who it was.
"Ana?"
"Jesus! How do I make her stop?!", a five year old Mariana screamed while rocking her crying newborn sister's carseat. Jesus was too occupied on what to scavenge from the clutter of a kitchen. The trailer was complete trash. The awful smell of weed and spilt vodka filled up the small space and stuck to the children's clothing.
"Mariana! Give me your doll's bottle!", Jesus yelled as he carefully pulled out a carton of chocolate milk and placed it on the floor. The young girl went over to her mattress and plucked the plastic bottle from her doll's mouth. She clutched it in her hand and dragged Tessa's carseat with the other to where Jesus was.
"Why do you need it?!"
"So we can feed her!"
Mariana crossed her arms,"No! It's mine and she can't have it!"
"But she's hungry though!"
"It's not my problem!"
"Oh, it isn't until Zane comes! Then, all of us are gonna be sorry!"
Zane was Ana's boyfriend and Tessa's father. He worked as a meth cooker and was out all day and night. He hated kids, but loved sex with a passion. He couldn't get enough of it.
Mariana quickly understood what would happen and unscrewed the top of the bottle so her brother could fill it. Tessa's cries continued on and on, it was almost like they were nonstop.The twins loved the idea that they had a little sister, however hated that they had to throw childhood away to care for her. No five year olds should be doing this.
Jesus filled up the bottle, took it from Mariana, screwed the top on, and knelt down to his baby next time Tessa shrieked, he popped the hard, plastic nipple into her mouth. The two sighed in relief and sat Indian style in front of the carseat.
"Later, can we play house and Tessie baby?"
Jesus glared over at his twin,"I thought we already were.."
As soon as Lena finished her work, she called Bill to ask about Jesus and Mariana's sister. A smile plastered her face. It seemed that Tessa's foster parents sent her to a Georgia orphanage, for they couldn't afford to have her. That's when Lena had an idea.