Sara Sidle was going to be late for work. She was rushing round trying to
find her keys. Just as she found them there was a knock at her door.
"Oh gees! I don't have time for visitors!" Sara muttered to herself.
She opened the door to reveal a tall blond teenage girl who looked aged sixteen at least. The girl was a cross between modern and hippy. She wore a modern top with strappy shoes but a flowery drab skirt. She had long blonde hair with part of it twisted in pieces to behind her head. Her jewellery was a mix between modern and hippy.
"Alaney!", Sara exclaimed, "what are you doing here?".
Before the girl could answer Sara interrupted her in her rush,
"Oh gees Alaney! I don't have much time to talk.you come to visit?. Where's Auntie Miranda?. Is she not coming?. How long you staying?. You want to stay here?. That's cool - umm - just make your self at home but I've got to go to work right now. We'll catch up later o.k?" Sara exclaimed as she was about to go out the door.
She pushed Alaney into the apartment and proceeded to pass her to go out the door. She kissed Alaney on the cheek as a goodbye. The girl had up until now looked quite worried and stressed, but Sara had failed to take much notice in her hurry. But at this Alaney burst into tears.
"Sara!", she exclaimed, "it's not that simple.we need to talk!".
Sara stopped, turned back to Alaney and put an arm around her .
"Alaney what's wrong?. It's not my mom is it?. Is she alright?" Sara enquired worried.
"No, your mom's fine!. Sara!. Miranda's deserted me!" Alaney exclaimed.
"What?. What do you mean?. Have you two had a fight?. Don't worry she doesn't mean it!. I'll call her tonight and we can sort it" Sara proposed.
"No Sara you don't understand!. We haven't had a fight!. Nothing even happened!. She even said she still loved me as much as she every had!. But she said that's not my mum and she couldn't take on that role anymore - and she's gone away somewhere!. I don't know where and no one knows!" sobbed Alaney.
"But why can't she!. Is she ill?" demanded Sara.
"No! I asked her that! She said she'd been planning this for ages - she said planned that once I was 18 she was going to stop looking after me!. Sara!. First my parents don't want me and now Miranda!. She's basically my mum and now she says she wants to stop!?!. What's wrong with me?!?" Alaney sobbed.
Sara hugged Alaney.
"No No.I'm sure it's not like that!. Your parents don't necessarily not love you.and I know Miranda loved you a lot.you were her own!. I can't believe she'd do this!. What's her game!. She agreed to look after you!. She can't just drop a child, one day!. Oh gees!. So why have you come here?. You live in camp cuckoo, so why not go stay with someone there?" said Sara.
"What?. Like your parents!. Sara that place scares me!. It's so dangerous! - I've never been very happy living there. Do you really want me there?!" answered Alaney.
Sara thought to herself. No! she didn't!.
"What about Daven?. Or someone else!. What do you want from me, Alaney?. Because I can tell you straightaway that I can't be your new mother figure!. I have a job to think about!. And I'm single.and it's just not good news!. There millions of reasons why I CAN'T!" protested Sara.
"I don't know what I want from you Sara!. All I know is that Miranda dropped me off outside your door and told me that I had to stay with you from now on.this is not my idea!. I know you don't like it!. But.but." whined Alaney.
Alaney then burst into tears before finishing the sentence, "but I just want to be loved Sara!. I just want someone to want me!. And I'm not saying that has to be you - but for now you're all I've got!" Alaney sobbed.
Alaney tried to be comforted in Sara's arms but this time Sara pushed her away.
"I can't look after you Alaney!. I don't have the resources! The time!. I'm not good with kids!" whined Sara.
"I'm not a kid!. I'm 18!" whined Alaney.
"Your right!. Your 18!. That's it!. You don't need looking after! - you can live by yourself! - do you want money?" said Sara.
Sara opened her purse, got her cheque book out, wrote a cheque and threw it at Alaney as Alaney sobbed.
"I don't think I can, Sara!. I don't have the skills! - I'm going to university next year, I was just taking a year off then your be rid of me then!" sobbed Alaney.
"NO! I CAN'T LOOK AFTER YOU ALANEY!!!. How do you plan to live at university by your self next year if you can't now? - what would you have done if you'd gone this year?" Sara demanded.
Alaney sobbed "Before you live by yourself you need to learn how to look after yourself - and I won't be alone - I'll probably have a room mate or at least fellow home leavers to help me get by - and usually you don't live alone all year - you know all this Sara! - and also when you go home to see your caregivers - well - well! Skills and money aren't all I need Sara!. I also need love!. I just want SOMEONE to love me!. Someone I can call home!. And camp cuckoo is just too dangerous - especially without proper protection. Miranda said today before she left me that she didn't want me to live anyway near Camp cuckoo. Miranda kept me protected from all the extreme dangers - and now she's gone I'm vulnerable!. I just don't know what to do Sara!. My head is such a mess!".
"Why would Aunt Miranda dump you on me?. What's the cow trying to do to me?. To you?. What have I ever done to spite her?. Your not my responsibility so why is she punishing me like this?!. Why is she doing this to me?. My life was fine - why would she want to hurt me? Hurt my life?. I thought she was o.k looking after you!. I can't look after you! I can't give you the love you need - and she knows that!. I'm not good with kids!. Even though your not one!. But I don't even have maternal instinct, Alaney!" exclaimed Sara.
"I think that's why she sent me to you!" sobbed Alaney.
"What?!" asked Sara.
"When Daven came and saw you last month and told you he had got some girl pregnant - You mentioned to him you didn't want kids ever - and he told everyone - and he's worried and everyone's worried - and I think they think that your want kids if you become my mother figure!" explained Alaney.
"I can't!. What are they thinking?. Wait! what about Daven he could look after you!. Ask him!. He's only a fireman and he's having a kid anyway - so no difference!" said Sara.
"I asked him before I came up to your flat - he said No!. He said why couldn't you - and I said your not the type - and he said it was a good idea you look after me then and become the type!. He said there was no way he would take me and he'd risk falling out with us both over it - it felt that strongly!" sobbed Alaney.
"Nooo!! - why is he doing this to me?. How dare they!. It's their fault you came about in the first place, not mine - your not my responsibility - you're the community's!!" said Sara.
"Miranda did give us one other option though!" said Alaney.
"What?", Sara asked excitedly, "Anything!. I'll do anything!".
"Well thanks Sara!. Thanks for letting me know how much you don't want me!" Alaney said.
Sara said sorry and Laney continued,
"Miranda said to come to you and either you could look after me or. Or you would tell me who and where my natural parents were and I'd live with one of them or both" answered Alaney.
"What?. No way!. I'd prefer to look after you myself than have you find out!" Sara exclaimed disappointed and angry.
"Why?. Is it really worth it Sara?. You'd really rather keep me than I know - how bad can it be?" exclaimed Alaney.
"They don't want you Alaney!. So it doesn't matter who they are!" exclaimed Sara.
"Gees! Thanks for putting it so sensitively Sara!. How do know they don't want me?. Do they live in camp cuckoo?. Or are you just guessing?. I bet you don't even know!" said Alaney.
"Alaney! What do you plan to do?. Knock on their door out the blue and say hey you don't know me and you didn't want me but can I live with you?!?. Do you realise how much trouble I'm in for the fact you even know I MIGHT know who your parents are?!?!?. There is no way I'm telling you more - it's not worth it" Sara exclaimed angrily.
Sara paused and sighed and placed an arm round Alaney back again. "Sweetheart.you wouldn't want to know!" said Sara. Alaney brushed her off and got up saying,
"Fine then.I have only 2 options left.either I live by myself or I go stay at camp cuckoo.I'll probably be dead before the year's out!".
"Ohhh!. Fine stay here for now!. I need to think what to do with you" Sara exclaimed.
"Oh my goodness!!!!", Sara exclaimed, "Work! I'm so late for work!!!. I've got to go! We'll discuss this later!. For now make yourself at home!". Sara grabbed her stuff together and begun running out.
"Thank you!. Thank you!. Hey Sara!. How about this?. You let me stay for 2 weeks and teach me the tricks of living alone and then I go!. That's all I ask!" exclaimed Alaney happily jumpy about.
"I don't have the time to teach you!. And as you said.you need love! - But! - I need time to think about this before I conclude anything!. I need to get Miranda to speak to me about this.oh but Alaney!. I can't imagine looking after you!" Sara exclaimed and ran out the door.
"Oh gees! I don't have time for visitors!" Sara muttered to herself.
She opened the door to reveal a tall blond teenage girl who looked aged sixteen at least. The girl was a cross between modern and hippy. She wore a modern top with strappy shoes but a flowery drab skirt. She had long blonde hair with part of it twisted in pieces to behind her head. Her jewellery was a mix between modern and hippy.
"Alaney!", Sara exclaimed, "what are you doing here?".
Before the girl could answer Sara interrupted her in her rush,
"Oh gees Alaney! I don't have much time to talk.you come to visit?. Where's Auntie Miranda?. Is she not coming?. How long you staying?. You want to stay here?. That's cool - umm - just make your self at home but I've got to go to work right now. We'll catch up later o.k?" Sara exclaimed as she was about to go out the door.
She pushed Alaney into the apartment and proceeded to pass her to go out the door. She kissed Alaney on the cheek as a goodbye. The girl had up until now looked quite worried and stressed, but Sara had failed to take much notice in her hurry. But at this Alaney burst into tears.
"Sara!", she exclaimed, "it's not that simple.we need to talk!".
Sara stopped, turned back to Alaney and put an arm around her .
"Alaney what's wrong?. It's not my mom is it?. Is she alright?" Sara enquired worried.
"No, your mom's fine!. Sara!. Miranda's deserted me!" Alaney exclaimed.
"What?. What do you mean?. Have you two had a fight?. Don't worry she doesn't mean it!. I'll call her tonight and we can sort it" Sara proposed.
"No Sara you don't understand!. We haven't had a fight!. Nothing even happened!. She even said she still loved me as much as she every had!. But she said that's not my mum and she couldn't take on that role anymore - and she's gone away somewhere!. I don't know where and no one knows!" sobbed Alaney.
"But why can't she!. Is she ill?" demanded Sara.
"No! I asked her that! She said she'd been planning this for ages - she said planned that once I was 18 she was going to stop looking after me!. Sara!. First my parents don't want me and now Miranda!. She's basically my mum and now she says she wants to stop!?!. What's wrong with me?!?" Alaney sobbed.
Sara hugged Alaney.
"No No.I'm sure it's not like that!. Your parents don't necessarily not love you.and I know Miranda loved you a lot.you were her own!. I can't believe she'd do this!. What's her game!. She agreed to look after you!. She can't just drop a child, one day!. Oh gees!. So why have you come here?. You live in camp cuckoo, so why not go stay with someone there?" said Sara.
"What?. Like your parents!. Sara that place scares me!. It's so dangerous! - I've never been very happy living there. Do you really want me there?!" answered Alaney.
Sara thought to herself. No! she didn't!.
"What about Daven?. Or someone else!. What do you want from me, Alaney?. Because I can tell you straightaway that I can't be your new mother figure!. I have a job to think about!. And I'm single.and it's just not good news!. There millions of reasons why I CAN'T!" protested Sara.
"I don't know what I want from you Sara!. All I know is that Miranda dropped me off outside your door and told me that I had to stay with you from now on.this is not my idea!. I know you don't like it!. But.but." whined Alaney.
Alaney then burst into tears before finishing the sentence, "but I just want to be loved Sara!. I just want someone to want me!. And I'm not saying that has to be you - but for now you're all I've got!" Alaney sobbed.
Alaney tried to be comforted in Sara's arms but this time Sara pushed her away.
"I can't look after you Alaney!. I don't have the resources! The time!. I'm not good with kids!" whined Sara.
"I'm not a kid!. I'm 18!" whined Alaney.
"Your right!. Your 18!. That's it!. You don't need looking after! - you can live by yourself! - do you want money?" said Sara.
Sara opened her purse, got her cheque book out, wrote a cheque and threw it at Alaney as Alaney sobbed.
"I don't think I can, Sara!. I don't have the skills! - I'm going to university next year, I was just taking a year off then your be rid of me then!" sobbed Alaney.
"NO! I CAN'T LOOK AFTER YOU ALANEY!!!. How do you plan to live at university by your self next year if you can't now? - what would you have done if you'd gone this year?" Sara demanded.
Alaney sobbed "Before you live by yourself you need to learn how to look after yourself - and I won't be alone - I'll probably have a room mate or at least fellow home leavers to help me get by - and usually you don't live alone all year - you know all this Sara! - and also when you go home to see your caregivers - well - well! Skills and money aren't all I need Sara!. I also need love!. I just want SOMEONE to love me!. Someone I can call home!. And camp cuckoo is just too dangerous - especially without proper protection. Miranda said today before she left me that she didn't want me to live anyway near Camp cuckoo. Miranda kept me protected from all the extreme dangers - and now she's gone I'm vulnerable!. I just don't know what to do Sara!. My head is such a mess!".
"Why would Aunt Miranda dump you on me?. What's the cow trying to do to me?. To you?. What have I ever done to spite her?. Your not my responsibility so why is she punishing me like this?!. Why is she doing this to me?. My life was fine - why would she want to hurt me? Hurt my life?. I thought she was o.k looking after you!. I can't look after you! I can't give you the love you need - and she knows that!. I'm not good with kids!. Even though your not one!. But I don't even have maternal instinct, Alaney!" exclaimed Sara.
"I think that's why she sent me to you!" sobbed Alaney.
"What?!" asked Sara.
"When Daven came and saw you last month and told you he had got some girl pregnant - You mentioned to him you didn't want kids ever - and he told everyone - and he's worried and everyone's worried - and I think they think that your want kids if you become my mother figure!" explained Alaney.
"I can't!. What are they thinking?. Wait! what about Daven he could look after you!. Ask him!. He's only a fireman and he's having a kid anyway - so no difference!" said Sara.
"I asked him before I came up to your flat - he said No!. He said why couldn't you - and I said your not the type - and he said it was a good idea you look after me then and become the type!. He said there was no way he would take me and he'd risk falling out with us both over it - it felt that strongly!" sobbed Alaney.
"Nooo!! - why is he doing this to me?. How dare they!. It's their fault you came about in the first place, not mine - your not my responsibility - you're the community's!!" said Sara.
"Miranda did give us one other option though!" said Alaney.
"What?", Sara asked excitedly, "Anything!. I'll do anything!".
"Well thanks Sara!. Thanks for letting me know how much you don't want me!" Alaney said.
Sara said sorry and Laney continued,
"Miranda said to come to you and either you could look after me or. Or you would tell me who and where my natural parents were and I'd live with one of them or both" answered Alaney.
"What?. No way!. I'd prefer to look after you myself than have you find out!" Sara exclaimed disappointed and angry.
"Why?. Is it really worth it Sara?. You'd really rather keep me than I know - how bad can it be?" exclaimed Alaney.
"They don't want you Alaney!. So it doesn't matter who they are!" exclaimed Sara.
"Gees! Thanks for putting it so sensitively Sara!. How do know they don't want me?. Do they live in camp cuckoo?. Or are you just guessing?. I bet you don't even know!" said Alaney.
"Alaney! What do you plan to do?. Knock on their door out the blue and say hey you don't know me and you didn't want me but can I live with you?!?. Do you realise how much trouble I'm in for the fact you even know I MIGHT know who your parents are?!?!?. There is no way I'm telling you more - it's not worth it" Sara exclaimed angrily.
Sara paused and sighed and placed an arm round Alaney back again. "Sweetheart.you wouldn't want to know!" said Sara. Alaney brushed her off and got up saying,
"Fine then.I have only 2 options left.either I live by myself or I go stay at camp cuckoo.I'll probably be dead before the year's out!".
"Ohhh!. Fine stay here for now!. I need to think what to do with you" Sara exclaimed.
"Oh my goodness!!!!", Sara exclaimed, "Work! I'm so late for work!!!. I've got to go! We'll discuss this later!. For now make yourself at home!". Sara grabbed her stuff together and begun running out.
"Thank you!. Thank you!. Hey Sara!. How about this?. You let me stay for 2 weeks and teach me the tricks of living alone and then I go!. That's all I ask!" exclaimed Alaney happily jumpy about.
"I don't have the time to teach you!. And as you said.you need love! - But! - I need time to think about this before I conclude anything!. I need to get Miranda to speak to me about this.oh but Alaney!. I can't imagine looking after you!" Sara exclaimed and ran out the door.