2010
"Mom, can I have another sandwich?" Nine-year-old Tory asked as she sat in their dimly lit house with her mother and younger brother. "Let me go see if we have more." Mrs Nichols walked into the tiny kitchen where her bag was lying on the table. She unwrapped the paper only to find one sandwich. Her share of dinner. Without hesitation, she cut it into halves and gave it to her children. "Mom, what will you eat?" Her son asked, with his mouth full. "Don't worry about me, sweetheart, I ate at the restaurant today," she lied as she watched her children devour their food. "Will, chew with your mouth closed." As soon as she finished, Tory got up without a word and went into her room. She wasn't full enough, she knew it, and her mother knew it too, but she didn't complain. She didn't complain because there was nothing that could be done. Tory's mom worked as a server at a diner and brought home leftovers they distributed to employees every evening for dinner.
Tory shut the door and brought out a crumpled piece of paper from under the bed.
To my darling daughter Tory,I don't know how to articulate in words how much I love you, and every moment I spend with you gives me the joy of five lifetimes. This one year that you've been on this earth has been the happiest in our whole lives. You do not know how lucky your father and I are to have you. I know you can't read yet, but I hope you will read this year after today when you're a strong woman who has made a difference in this world. Happy Birthday, my angel, and never, never, ever forget that I'll always be there with you every step of the way. No matter how old you get, I'll never let go of your hand. Always.Lots and lots of love,Mommy
Tory's eyes watered as she read this, just like she did every night. The word echoed in her mind over and over again. Always. Always. That was a promise, wasn't it? But she broke it. When Tory was three, her father died in a freak accident and her mother couldn't handle it. Her family was rich, she lived in a mansion with lots of servants, fancy cuisines and more toys than she would ever need. What happened after that? Her mother sold the hotel their family ran and was never the same after her father's death. She would lock herself up in her room for hours, even days at a time, her eyes puffy from crying when she did come out. Her daughter was left in the care of the several maids in the house, and was too young to comprehend what was going on.
For a while, things went on that way, but in time, they used up all their savings and were on the verge of bankruptcy when her mother gave up. She decided she had too much on her plate already and couldn't handle bringing up her child. She left Tory in an orphanage for adoption. The girl remembered the last time she saw her mother like it was yesterday. The whole ride to the orphanage, her mother wouldn't stop crying and kept apologizing every two minutes. Three-year-old Tory had nodded and said, "It's okay, Mommy, I love you," because the little girl didn't fully understand the gravity of the situation. She assumed she was being sent to a summer camp of some sort and when she got back, things would be back to normal.
After a few months, she was adopted by Mrs Nichols, a poorer woman who was also a widow. In these years, she gave Tory the love and attention she yearned for when she finally understood that Mommy was never coming back to pick her up. She grew to love Mrs Nichols like a mother and would protect her stepbrother Will with her life.
"I guess always isn't forever..." She whispered in a shaking voice, as she stared at the piece of paper in her hands. Tears rolled down her cheeks one by one, and gradually turned into a stream as she put her head between her knees and cried. Some days, it would hurt even more than usual, and today was one such day. She could never shake off the feeling that she was abandoned, and that nobody wanted her around because she was a bother, even though Mrs Nichols assured her every single day that she was a unique treasure to the world, and that she was lucky to have found her.
Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door. "Tory, I can't sleep." Will's timid voice said from the other side. Tory looked up at the clock. It was almost midnight. How long had she been in here? She shook off her sadness and wiped her tears. She forced a smile as she opened the door. "Come on, you can sleep with me. I'll tell you a story."
As she lay in the pitch dark room with only a small ray of moonlight peeking through the window, everything quiet except for the ticking of the clock and the sound of Will's steady, peaceful breathing, she made a silent promise to herself and her brother. "I'll always be here for you, Willy, through hell or high water," she whispered. "All you have to do is call me. I'll never leave you, ever. Your big sister will always be here for you. Forever."