Chapter Two
A month earlier in an old house in paris that covered in vines, twelve little girls we're playing in the yard but Miss Clavel was not feeling quite well.
At least their heads since they were children and as children they stopped playing for a moment and went on with what to do for their caretaker.
While Miss Clavel, who had been watching them close, thought of it as sweet, the little girls weren't old enough to understand stress.
She sighed heavily in her chair, looking over the bills for they had tried everything to save money.
It was no use for the school would be closed down. Miss Clavel tried to be happy for the children that she cared for would be going back to their families.
Until Madeline came into her mind.
Since the incident months ago with the man that she thought had been her uncle, Madeline had been a little untrustworthy with new people.
"Will he/she take me?" Madeline often asked with tears in her eyes, trying not to cry in front of her friends.
Miss Clavel knew that Madeline was traumatized from that ordeal, sometimes waking up in the middle of the night with a scream escaping her lips.
She would comfort Madaline before she fell asleep in her arms after rushing into the room to check on the girls.
She hated it whenever Madeline got upset easily because of her ordeal, leaving some things banned from the old house.
Like lace so Madeline wouldn't just stare at it and wonder if she would make some too.
Madeline never touched lace again after the ordeal. All of her clothes that had lace were removed.
Everyone was really supportive in trying to get Madeline back to normal and within a few days, she started to act like herself again but with news that the school was closing reached her ears and not the others she wondered a lot of things.
"Where will I go? Will I be adopted? Will I ever be loved?' Madeline asked herself, wondering about it for awhile.
She thought it was her fault for the lack of money coming in.
Everything that she had banned from the old house because of her ordeal made Madeline bite her lip, hiding away tears of guilt.
Miss Clavel put down the last bill with a sigh. It was time to tell the little girls.
Miss Clavel looked out her window. She smiled when she saw eleven little girls playing. Then her face dropped at seeing that Madaline was trying not to cry.
She raced out of her office and down the stairs to the front door.
"It's my fault! It's my fault!" Madeline sobbed as soon as Miss Clavel found the little girl running to her arms.
Her fault? Madeline was just a little girl. There was no way anything could be her fault.
"It's my fault for all of the lace from my clothes being gone. It's my fault the school is closing down and because of me... I'll have nowhere to go!"
Miss Clavel had no words. She put the young child in her arms and brought her into the house.
Madeline was shaking and sniffing from her tears, feeling more guilty than ever.
Every night when the other girls were asleep, she often stood near the stairwell, looking down in curiosity.
Miss Clavel brought the redhead info her office before she sat down with Madeline still in her arms
"Madeline listen to me. You did nothing wrong. None of this is your fault," Miss Clavel assured the child who hiccuped, not understanding what she meant.
"But I heard you and Mrs. Murphy talking! And I couldn't help but think that it's my fault. If I haven't-" Madeline began before she started to cry again.
Miss Clavel rocked Madaline back and forth until her tears were gone and she had fallen asleep in her teacher's arms.
Miss Clavel didn't have the heart to put Madaline back in her bed so she went into her room and placed her in her bed.
The poor girl was feeling more guilt than what a child should at her age.
Granted everyone had been fooled the day that she was supposed to leave to a new country but never did.
Miss Clavel gently rubbed the childs back as she slept and soon Miss Clavel soon fell asleep herself knowing that Madeline was safe next to her.
The other girls found them around an hour later, not wanting to wake them.
Nicole, feeling that Madeline would probably wake up confused, placed Madeline's doll under her arm.
The eleven girls smiled at each other before walking out of the room and closing the door.
It was another hour before Madeline had started to wake up, crawling into Miss Clavel's lap.
To her she felt accepted whenever she wanted to cuddle with her beloved teacher but alone so the other girls wouldn't get jealous.
It was time for breakfast as the girls broke their bread and conversation filled the room.
Conversations of play and laughter as Madeline looked up at Miss Clavel.
"I'm sorry," Madeline muttered, biting her lip. "For delaying breakfast. For not being me."
Miss Clevel patted her back and watched as Madaline settled in her seat.
Madeline quietly ate her bread, still looking guilty for having the school close down.
Miss Clevel knew she had to nip this in the bud. Right there right now.
"Madeline look at me!" Miss Clavel beckoned. The child did so. "This has to end. None of this is your fault. It's no one's fault. These things just happen now turn that smile upside down."
Madaline did so feeling much better.
Miss Clavel sighed in relief, smiling at the girl who ran and hugged her close.
Madaline gladly returned the hug in full force.
After breakfast, Madeline stayed behind while the other girls played. She cast Miss Clavel a concerned look.
Where would she go after the school would close? What would happen to her?
Miss Clavel picked up on her concerned face. She walked over to Madeline for she had to tell her about the adoption papers as it was time.
It would take her weeks to get them with an approval of her being a parent.
"Miss Clavel what'll happen to me?" Madeline wondered, starting to cry a little bit. "I don't want to be alone!"
"Madeline you're not going to be left alone. I have something to show you," Miss Clavel assured her as she reached into her coat and pulled out the adoption papers.
"Adopt?" Madeline read aloud, not believing her eyes. "You want to adopt me?"
Miss Clavel nodded with a smile. "Ever since you came home after your ordeal, I realized that you're important to me."
Madaline smiled "How long would I get to live with you?"
Miss Clevel laughed "You would get to live with me forever and be my little girl!"
Madeline put her arms around her new mama. "I would love that Mis...Mama!"
"Hold on amoureux!" Miss Clavel laughed, stopping Madeline. "Everything has to be processed and I have to be approved for me being your mother."
"I don't care! You've always been my mother to me! I just never told you!" Madeline blurted out, surprising them both. "You came with my friends when my appendix was taken out. You could've stayed home but you didn't!" Madaline took her teacher's hands into her own looking up at her and smiling. "You are my mother. You always have been and you always will be."
Miss Clavel had tears in her eyes but she nodded knowing it was the truth.
She just couldn't believe it. In her job description she had to care and nurture the girls like any mother would but would've never had thought of herself to be one to one of her girls.
Miss Clavel was looking forward to being Madaline's new mama for she knew in her heart that no one would deny her that right to be Madaline's mama.
Student and teacher hugged for a few more moments before letting go.
"So I can't call you Mama until the adoption?" Madeline asked with a frown.
"Of course you can! The other girls will be very happy for you. They know how much you wanted a family. Don't worry my little one everything will be fine." Miss Clavel assured her with a smile. "Now run along and play."
"Merci Miss Clavel!" Madeline yelled, kissing her cheek before running off.