Chapter 1: Life In Canada (1992)

It's report card! I was hanging out with my friends after school, like we usually do. Christine and I were walking home together, talking and laughing. It was easier for us to walk home together since we live right next door to each other. I've known her since I was 4 years old. She's been through hell with me, as well as the Copeland family. The Copeland family lives right across from my family. I always went over, especially at night to sleep over. I went through hell with my family. They were always the first ones to know what was happening with me and my family. Adam had become like a big brother to me, always protecting me. This one particular night, when my father came home from work, was no different. I had shown my father my report card. I had only gotten one B and he got upset. He always wanted me to get straight A's. After he saw it, he slapped me across the face and told me that I was worthless. I couldn't face him; I ran to my room and started packing my things. I couldn't handle it anymore; I wanted to leave this family. My mother didn't argue with my father, instead she sided with him. My mother always sided with him, and didn't want to argue with him. My mother was a very passive person. It's part of the Asian culture that the women were passive. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted out of this family. I packed my clothes and all of my necessity things. In two large bags, I headed out the door. My dad was trying to get me back in the house, but I was too stubborn to listen to him. I walked out while my dad screamed to never come back home and that he doesn't have a daughter, which felt like he slapped me again. I ran to the house where Adam lived. I knocked on the door, crying. Adam answered the door, laughing. When he saw me, he rushed to my side, holding me, as I dropped my bags onto the ground. He called for his parents to come to the door and help him. They came running to me and helping me. We went inside the house and settled in the kitchen. "What happened, sweetie?" asked Helen as she handed me a tissue.

"My father. upset over grades. slap me. kick me out. of family." I said through my crying. I tried to say more but I couldn't because I was too upset.

"It's ok, honey. ssshhh" Helen said as she tried to comfort me, "Just tell us when you clam down. Your father has no right to be upset over your grades. You make very good grades. You get A's and B's. I'm very proud of you!"

I looked at Helen and said, "Thank you."

"Adam, why don't you show her where she will be staying?" Michael asked as Adam nodded.

"Come on, I'll show you where your room is," Adam replied as he took my hand. We went upstairs with my things to get settled in my room.



~In the kitchen~

"Michael, what are we going to do? She can't live her life like this. She needs to get away. She keeps coming here every time she gets in trouble for no apparent reason," Helen said with a concern voice.

"I know, I know," Michael said, thinking. "I know exactly what to do. It's going to be painful for her, but I know exactly what to do. First, I want to ask you something," Michael said . "What is it?"

"How would you feel if we added a daughter to our small family?"

"I would love to have a daughter." Helen started off, and then looked at Michael, "You don't mean to take her in, do you?"

"That's exactly what I mean, Helen. Like you said, she needs to get out of that family. I know a social worker that can help her deal with these things. We can help her. All we need is to talk with Sam and Adam about how they feel about it," Michael said.

"That's a good idea. Let's wait until she feels better. Let's not rush her."



~In the bedroom~

"Thank you, Adam," I said, unpacking my pjs.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You're hurt, and you need to get away from your parents. I'm just glad that you came to my family and me. You're like a sister that I never had," Adam replied as he saw my chin trembling. "Come here," he opened his arms and I walked into them. He caressed my hair and stroked my back until I couldn't cry anymore. It was true. I felt like Adam was my brother. I never had feelings for him. We were the only children in our families and we comforted each other like siblings would.





~Later that night~

About two hours later, we all went to sleep. I immediately went to sleep due to emotional exhaustion. As I slept, I had nightmares of the events of the day. I never really talked in my dreams or anything like that. However, I woke up in sweats and in tears. I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't. So I decided to go into Adam's room, which was right across mine. I walked across the hallway, trying not to wake anyone up. I knocked quietly at first, but there was no answer. I opened the door and saw him sleeping across his bed. I went in and closed the door and walked to the bed. "Adam," I said in a whisper, still no answer. I nudged him and called him out again.

This time, he woke up. He tried to figure out who I was, when he did, he said, "Sam? What's going on?' he said sleepily.

"I had a nightmare and I couldn't go back to sleep. Can I sleep with you?" I asked. He nodded and opened the sheets for me. He held onto me. He could feel that I was still shaking from what I had dreamed about. He sang a song in my ear to help me calm down. He always did that for me whenever I came over from a terrible situation. It always helped me sleep. After he finished singing the song, we both fell asleep.





~Helen's POV~

The next morning, I went up the stairs to wake Adam and Sam up for breakfast. I went into the room where Sam was staying and didn't find her there. I decided to check out Adam's room because that's where she goes every time she had trouble sleeping at night. I had noticed that every time she came here, she always went to Adam's bedroom. I decided to look into Adam's room and saw how they were sleeping. Sam was cuddling into Adam's arms. I noticed Michael walking in the hallway, "Michael, come here, you need to see this." Michael walked over and saw what I had just seen. It made me smile to know that Adam is taking care of her like the way I knew he would. Then I noticed Sam stirring, Michael and I just stood back and watched how they acted towards each other. I could tell that Sam could smell the food from the kitchen.

"Adam, come on! Your mom is cooking breakfast and we need to help your mom in the kitchen. Come on!" she cried out as she got up and pulled on Adam's arm.

"No, I want to sleep some more. You help mom cook breakfast!" Adam whined.

"Adam Copeland! Get your scrawny ass up from bed before I start kicking your ass! And you know that I can kick your ass!" she yelled.

"You could never kick my ass and you never did!" Adam yelled back.

I couldn't hold it any longer, I laughed. They heard me laughing as I opened the door, I could tell that Sam was embarrassed. "Hi, how long have you been standing there?" she asked.

"For 5 minutes. I wanted to wake you up for breakfast but you weren't in your room. I figured that you were here with Adam, like every time you slept over," I replied.

"Oh, sorry.. it's just that I have trouble sleeping at night and he sings to me, which helps me go to sleep," she said shyly.

"It's ok, don't worry about it! And Adam, if you beat her, I'll beat your ass!" Michael said.





~Sam's POV~

I squealed as soon as Michael said that. Adam gave me an evil eye. I saw that and stuck my tongue out at him. I started running down the stairs with Adam hot on my heels. He tackled me in the living room floor, tickling me. "Give up?"

"Never!" I squealed as he tickled me more. "Ok, mercy, I give up!!!" Then he stopped tickling me, right then Michael tackled Adam for me. Once Michael had pinned him down, I went for Adam's secret spot (which was his armpits). "Give up?"

"Never!" he said trying to wiggle free, but couldn't. I tickled him some more.

"Ok, I give up!!" we stopped, but we were still laughing from what had happened.

"That wasn't fair!! It was two against one!" whined Adam.

"Hey, you heard your dad! He said that if you beat me, he was going after you. And when he did, I decided to join, so you can't blame your dad," I said.

"Ok, it's time for breakfast!" Helen called from the kitchen. We all headed for the kitchen table. We sat, talked and laughed. For the first time, I felt loved and supported.

"Adam and Sam, there is something that we want to talk to you about," Michael said as he took the last bite of his food.

Adam and I looked at each other puzzled, I said, "What?"

"Helen and I were talking last night after both of you left to settle in for the night," And we were wondering how you feel if we adopted you, Sam," Michael asked.

"I have no problem with it. I already think of her as a sister. I would love to have her as a sister legally. I mean I don't like how her parents treat her and everything. I want to have her as a sister," Adam replied.

I had tears in my eyes when he said that. "Please help me get away from my family! I can't go back there! My father disowned me. He said that he had no daughter! I would like to be a part of your family!" I said before I started to cry. Adam sat closer to me, holding me.

"Good, then I'll start talking with a friend of mine who is a social worker. She will help you through everything. Her name is Sarah Brodie; she is the top social worker that I know. She will explain everything that needs to be done, ok? You are staying with us until everything is finalized," Michael said as I nodded and took in the information.