PREFACE (THE PAST)

Unknown POV

"Mother, what am I to do?" a woman wailed in the car next to the other women. "This is not my husband's offspring. This is his baby! What am I to do?"

"You must tell Joe of this," another voice echoed in the room. [The voice is old, wise, aging.]

"I cannot! He will not accept this baby, and I can't bear to leave her on the streets!"

"Then lie! Don't tell the truth and pass this child as your husband's - but let us hope that this child looks nothing like her real father."

"I hope so."

(Further in the future)

"Mother, why am I different?" Deanne asks. [Deanne age 14, red hair brown eyes, 5'9" and darker skin then the rest of her family]

"You are special, that is all." Not looking in her eyes her mother replies. [Her mother only 5' 3", light blue eyes, blond hair, and pale skin.

"I look nothing like father and I do not think he likes me." Deanne said in a harsher tone,

"He loves you, you're his child and you look like my side of the family. I told you that before, Deanne."

Chapter 1

Deanne POV

I am so upset that my grandmother had just passed away. Perhaps the most upset one in my family, if I was to be bold.

Our bond had always been the strongest – not even my parents can compete with that. I was the one to help take care of her. When I come home from school every day, I did whatever she needed. I went to the grocery store for her or cleaned her house. I made meals for her. I did all this because my grandmother helped raise me. When I was a baby I could not lay down flat on a bed because I would not be able to breath, so my grandmother would stay all night in a rocking chair holding me so I could breathe. Why her and not my parents? Because my mother worked at night and my so called father said he had to work during and he needed his sleep, but my grandmother also worked as a postmaster during the day but still stayed with me holding me so I could breathe. So when the family asked who would help when my grandmother needed me? I volunteered without hesitation. I told my family it was my job and my way to pay her back for all the time she stayed with me when I was a baby. At the beginning my grandmother did not want me to because she wanted me to be a kid and I told her I will do what I want and what I want is to help her. So I became my grandmother's helper.

My bond that I had with my grandmother is different from the others in the family. Our bond was special. She always called me her kid and I never seemed to be able to get into any trouble. I always got anything I wanted from my grandmother and my family was not always happy. They always said Deanne can never do anything wrong in her grandmothers eyes. I ignored them and spent time with her. We would work outside or inside doing any little thing together. We were just in our own little world.

In the past two months, though, when it started to get real bad, I was in school only every other day. And school was ok since I was in honors and I kept up with my classes, when I could. I would miss an assignment or two and it became rough at times. I helped my grandmother to the bathroom and I went and did more and more as her situation grew worse. This past week before she died, I did not go to school at all due to the number of things I had to do. I lifted her and changed her diapers that we had to use with her and fed her.

I would not give any minute up with her for anything. I do not care that I gave up my teenage years to take care of her, it was my choice. I loved every minute.

But now that she is gone… I cannot get her back and I am not regretting anything.

Right now my mother and uncle and my two sisters are at my grandmother's attorneys, because they have called and asked to see us for some reason. The attorney came in and introduced himself as Tomas Wildolf (not sure if real). We all said our hellos and he began the business that he needed to discuss with us.

The first thing the lawyer did is tell my mother what she received from my grandmother and then the same with my uncle. They both got money and stocks. What was surprising was neither one got the house. Then my sisters' turn was up. Elizabeth got some antiques and Sue got other antiques and relishes then it was my turn. The lawyer addressed me and all eyes turned on me and I became nervous all of a sudden. ''What am I getting?''

What is Deanne getting? Well you must read the next chapter to see what she receives. Is it the house is it the mystery letter? What does Deanne get?