Chapter One: Emma's sixth birthday.
Today was her 6th birthday. Emma hadn't expected much from it. Every year she just got a small cake with a candle on it and a present mostly a plush animal or a doll. It usually wasn't a great present, not for her, but she knew that the meaning behind gift was more important than the gift itself.
Not much later, when she had finished eating her cake, Sister Elizabeth came to her. Sister Elizabeth was always a friendly woman and sometimes Emma wondered how she would have dressed if she didn't have to wear nun's clothes. With that she was happy the children didn't need to dress all the same.
"Come with me, my child" Sister Elizabeth said to her, holding a hand out for Emma to take it. Emma just took her hand smiling up at her and saw that Sister Elizabeth was smiling but there was something different that only Emma could see. There was more behind that smile now more happiness than usual, she thought about it and what it could mean to her.
As Emma followed Sister Elizabeth she saw that they were going to the meeting room. A small room with just some toys and some several chairs for parents to sit down, it was to meet the children they probably would adopt. Was it true? Emma thought. Was it true they were going to adopt her?
Emma followed Sister Elizabeth to the meeting room, as she walked inside she could see Mother Mary standing there with tree other persons.
Two men and one woman. One of the two men was standing in the corner leaning on a cain, probably for some support as his leg looked pretty bad and when he took a small step toward her it was like he was limping.
The man who stood beside the woman held her hand and they both had a friendly smile on their faces.
"Hello Emma." The couple greeted her friendly.
"We are Erick and Amber Swan" The woman said with a friendly voice that sounded almost like an angel. So beautiful, Emma thought. Her eyes were watching the three new persons in this room and she wondered if it was real. Was it really going to happen that someone would adopt her.
Mother Mary stepped to Emma pushing her gently to the couple who were sitting in the chairs so they could shake hands to get to know each other.
"Nice to meet you Erick and Amber." Emma said.
She shook their hands and then looked curiously at the man in the corner who stepped forward as well.
"I'm Mr. Gold". He said as his smile turned slowly in a grin. "I'm a close friend of them and want to help them make their wish come true." He explained her at seeing the curious look in her eyes.
Emma was still smiling at them all and was getting excited about leaving this place. The other children were not that nice to her. She had already learned to stand up for herself and be on her own here, to be without any friends.
"Well, the paperwork is already done and you would stay for some weeks with them, Emma. And then we would see if it works. Otherwise you can come back and we look for another family." Mother Mary told her.
Sister Elizabeth came into the room with a suitcase that belonged to Emma and which held her belongings. They weren't much, only a few clothes and some of her toys she had been given on her birthdays.
Erick took the suitcase from the Sister as Amber held her hand out for Emma to hold onto when they were going to their car.
Mr. Gold followed them and stepped in the backseat beside Emma as Erick and Amber stepped in as well. They drove toward their home. And hopefully also Emma's new home.