Ch. 2
After my education in the parlor about my birth, my parents showed me to my room. It was the room first created I suspected for the baby they wished to have. The wallpaper was a pale yellow with white flowers and the furniture looked as if it had never been used for the room was covered in a thin layer of dust. "I know it really isn't your size but for the time being I think it will do, what do you think little one?" asked Papa. I wasn't going to lie to him, this room would be very difficult for me to traverse "Papa we definitely have to find a long term alternative but for now it will work." At my response I heard a time tiny sigh come from beside Papa. When I peeked around his thumb I saw mother with a sad expression on her face. As soon as I realized that what I said might have made her think that I didn't like the room I said "but I really like the colors it's just a little big for me. Papa maybe we could design a smaller version for me?" This seemed to make mother perk up a little bit "sure thing Delta." When I heard him say my name for the first time my 'heart' leapt with happiness. Once the room was inspected they proceeded to show me the rest of the house. The kitchen was huge made to serve dozens of people but instead in the center there was a giant table covered in papers "this is where we spend most of our time working together on projects." They then took me though the study which was cozy and a perfect place to do research, a billiards room converted into a game room with arcade games along with pool, the library where is was born was probably my favorite room, and last was father's workshop that was connected to the house. The workshop was an expanded garage not only with Papa's side projects but also the cars that he was fixing for customers. I was in awe as I looked around the room, fascinated by all the inventions around me. "This is where I built your body and work on my inventions in my spare time. We should probably build you some ladders along with some modes of transportation to help you get around the house." That sounded a great idea to me so I asked "can I help?" he smiled and said yes. "While you to work I will make some lunch for all of us" Mother said shortly and left us to our own devices. The rest of our day was spent creating several ladders, an elevator system and a motorized vehicle to help me get around the house a little easier. As I helped papa by 'handing' him tools it gave me time to think on my situation. I was a being created by Tom and Ellen to be their child, the child they could never have. I had some really big shoes to fill and what would happen if I couldn't fulfill their expectations? It seems to me that I was already disappointing my mother, I worried that I wouldn't be able to make them happy. The whole time I had been in my own little world papa had been chatting away but suddenly I realized that the room had gone silent. When I looked up to look at him, I saw him with a look of worry etched upon his face. As soon as he realized I was looking at him he said "are you alright little one?" I didn't want to worry him unnecessarily but I didn't want to lie either so I opted to tell the truth "I am scared Papa." This seemed to confuse him so he asked "why?" I responded "I am afraid that I can't be what you and mother need…" as soon as it left my mouth papa said "little one we have been over this, your mother and I love you." But I instantly shot back "I'm not saying that you aren't capable of loving me or that I am incapable of loving you. I love you both very much it is just that I will never be that baby mother always dreamed of, or the child you hoped to teach baseball, and I will never be able to give you grandchildren. I have seen mother's reactions to me and I don't think she is as happy as you are. I worry that someday the joy you feel right now will fade when you realize my limitations. I want to make you and mother happy but I fear that I will not meet your expectations." When I finished my father sighed and said "I hoped to keep your mother's depression under wraps until you were a little better acclimated but someone is a little too observant for their own good." He said it with a smile but soon if faded. "Your mother took it really hard when she found out we couldn't have children. Even when she found out that we could create you I think she doubted that it would happen. I believe that she fears getting to attached to you in the events of something happening to you." At this I looked at him puzzled, when he saw my confusion he explained "We were told even if we could create you there was a possibility that the two parts of our souls wouldn't be able to stay together. The scientist who created the first being told us that it was difficult enough with one soul let alone two. He said it may never work with two people unless the two were soulmates because their souls would complete each other's so theoretically the two pieces should fit together like puzzle pieces. We were very luck you even woke up and there is still the chance that you could die." At his confession I grew scared. How long did I have before my soul started to rip itself apart? Would there be enough time for me to provide my parents with a small amount of happiness? Questions raced through my head each of which became more and more grim with every passing moment. I began to pace across the workbench trying to think of a way to make my family happy within the time allotted to me. I was so absorbed in my own thoughts, it wasn't until he tapped me, almost knocking me over did I realize this entire time he had been trying to get my attention. "Delta, what are you doing? You are going to wear a hole in my bench." I didn't realize until I was brought back to reality how much this hurt my very soul. The pain must have been written all over my face because the second he say my face he seemed to deflate. "Oh Delta, you must think we are monsters. We brought you into this world not even knowing whether you would live long enough to enjoy it. Please forgive us but we were desperate." Near the end his voice began to crack causing him to place his head upon his hands. NO NO NO! As soon as I heard the soft sob coming from my father's bent form I ran across the bench and flung myself to his shoulder. In my haste to comfort him I didn't really think about my landing. My jump was very powerful causing me to slam into my father's back and tumble towards the floor. Lucky for me my father had great reflexes and as I was seconds from crashing towards the floor his hand shot out to catch me. I breathed a sigh of relief at being caught but the second my father lifted me to his face the relief I once felt was gone. He looked at me with the saddest eyes followed by a single tear which when it fell I reached to catch. The instant it splashed across my hands I could feel a small part of myself break, a part that never wanted to lose the person in front of me. As this pain came over me I reached out towards my father and softly said "Papa please hold me." The look of defeat that once covered his face disappeared now replaced by a sad happiness. He pressed me to this cheek where I closed my eyes so I could take in every second of this moment between us. Not wanting it to end neither of us heard as mother came into the workshop. Slowly I realized that someone was staring at us, when I opened my eyes I saw her standing there with a tray of food gapping at us. A few seconds later papa's eyes opened to see exactly what I was. That second I reached out my hand beckoning her to come closer. She then knelt causing me to reach out to touch her beautiful face. As soon as her warm skin was beneath my hand I could see her visibly flinch at my touch. This was followed by a look of distress but in an instant it was gone replaced by a small smile. She then laid her head on papa's shoulder followed by her wrapping us all in a stiff hug. Afterwards both of my parents had sandwiches with coffee and I had a cup of oil tea while nibbling on some steel wool which I must say was really yummy. Once lunch was finished mother helped me brush through my ribbon snarls and put part of it up in the back. When I looked at her with a smile, she smiled back for the first time. This was the only genuine smile I had seen from her since my birth only a few hours ago. While mother and I fiddled with my hair my father set up the ladders and contraptions we made today. When it came time for bed papa and mother carried me to my room. I yawned while rubbing my eyes causing my father to chuckle and say "Someone has had a long day." When they set me up on the bed I noticed mother had a small sleeping bag made from an old towel and a tiny pillow just my size. I curled up under my blankets and yawned again. Papa bent over to whisper "Good night Delta, sweet dreams." Mother just said "Good night." After they left the room I drifting in and out of sleep. Halfway through the night I grew restless and thirsty so I hopped out of bed using the ladder system. I slipped though the crack in the door to make my way to the kitchen when I heard raised voice. I saw a light coming from under another door where the voices were coming from. At first they were indistinct then as I got closer I could hear my father and mother's voices. "We should NEVER have done this. We had absolutely NO right to create IT." My mother's voice came out from under the door followed by my father's "Ellen don't say that. She is our child, we created her together." "NO! We have done something unnatural, IT needs to go." She snapped back. "I told you we should just give up but no, you insisted on creating this abomination…" "THAT'S ENOUGH!" thundered my father. "If you don't want the child we created together than you can get out." This must have stunned my mother because it took her few moments to respond. "Tom… Don't say that we could just… get rid of it and move on with our lives." She said in a shaky voice "SHE is our daughter I won't 'get rid of her'. I LOVE HER and I love you but I refuse to give her up. Please Ellen... we have been given a gift, we should treasure her." for a few moments there was silence then mother responded with a flat voice "Fine, Tom but I don't see this working." I stood there for a few minutes after the lights went off in my parent's room, shocked at what I just heard. My mother hates me, slowly I made my way back to my room. Climbed the ladder and curled under my blankets, wrapping my blankets tightly around me until it was in a cocoon. For a few seconds I didn't know how to feel the dread swept over me and though I couldn't physically cry my body was wracked with sobs until sleep took me. When I opened my eyes to bright sunlight I realized how late it was. The sun was high in the sky, the warmth spreading through me chasing away the morning chill. I rubbed my eyes to get the sleep out of them. It was then I realized how quiet the house was, there was no feet walking, no voices, no everyday life noises. Slowly I made my way down the stairs using the elevator my father and I designed the day before. Finally on the ground floor I headed for the parlor, but as I crossed the hallway I glimpsed at the end of it a figure sitting at the kitchen table. When I entered the room I realized it was my father sitting with his head hanging. "Papa… what is wrong?" With a start he looked in my direction and it seemed to take him a few minutes to realize it was me. He spoke in a gruff voice like he hadn't used it in a while "She's gone, Delta. Your mother is gone." At first I couldn't understand what he said. Mother was gone, she couldn't be gone… She told father she wanted to try. She must have just gone out to get something, I bet she left a note to let us know she had gone out. I climbed up Papa's leg until I was able to reach the table. Once on the table I began to lift papers and objects. "What are you doing, Delta?" At first I didn't answer due to I was holding a large piece of paper. After I set it down, I responded "Mother just went out… I bet under this mess she left us a note saying just that." I kept shuffling around "Delta… Delta stop." I ignored him and continued to look." Suddenly Papa shouted "DELTA STOP!" At this I dropped the letter I was holding. I looked at him to find him looking at me with tears sparkling in his eyes. "She is gone and she isn't coming back little one." He then bent over and sobbed deeply. NO NO NO! She couldn't be gone. She wouldn't leave Papa, she may not want me but she loved Papa, she just couldn't be gone. The moment it hit one I collapsed on the table overwhelmed with feeling. That was the last thing I remember before everything went dark