Chapter Two
Adelaide Smith stared out the taxi's window. The seventeen year old, blue eyed, black haired girl was too busy thinking about her new home to notice that it was starting to sprinkle.
Addie was from New York, Albany to be exact, and knew she would be out of place. She wasn't into roller blading or half the things that her stepbrother, Peter, was into. Addie was a cheerleader and had always acted like a girl. She always wore things that were in style, wore makeup, fixed her hair, and was popular.
Addie recalled just last week, when her mother and stepfather had died. It happened so quick that Addie still wasn't sure what had happened. It was just another normal Saturday. Addie, her mom, and Eric, her step dad, were going to her mom's final check-up before the baby would be born. Addie was so excited. She had always wanted a baby brother or a sister. Eric had just went through a green light, when a truck from the left side ran a red light. Smashed into the side of the car, which caused it to collide with another. Addie just closed her eyes as everything went blank. When she finally woke up, sirens were flashing and blaring through the rain that was now pouring. Addie unbuckled her sear belt and looked to the front of the car which was smashed badly.
Eric was slumped over the steering wheel. Charlotte, her mother, was slowly removing her seatbelt.
" Mommy, are you okay?" Addie asked uncertainly.
" I'm fine." her mother replied slowly.
Addie should have known something was wrong.
The next thing she could remember was the doctors at the hospital rushing to save her mother's and the baby's lives. Eric was already dead. The doctors said the baby would be delivered. Addie cried hysterically until a nurse came out.
" Honey, your mother is barely hanging on. She wants to talk to you."
Addie wiped her eyes with an unsteady hand and followed the nurse to her mother's room.
" Baby," her mother began softly, " you have to take care of Grace and yourself."
Addie burst into tears.
" Come here."
Addie walked to her mother and hugged her softly.
" I love you and Grace both. Now, take care of her and be strong."
" I love you, Mommy."
" I love you, too, Addie. I'll keep watch over you both. Now, give me a kiss."
" Mommy, where will we live?"
" With Eric."
" Mommy," she sobbed, " Eric's dead."
" Oh, baby."
Addie heard the heart machine beeping as her mother went limp.
" Mommy!" she wailed.
Addie looked at her week old baby sister. The baby was sound asleep. In a few minutes they would be home.
After the funeral, her mother's lawyer read her the will. Eric would have full custody of both of the girls had he lived. Instead, Addie and Grace would have to live with Jerry Smith and his new wife and stepson in Venice Beach, California. The lawyer explained her mother left her a savings account for college and a separate account with $1300. The plane tickets had cost $958.60 to fly coach from , and the taxi ride would cost at least $30. The rest had been spent on shipping some things to Venice Beach. Julie, Peter's mom, had paid for the majority of the shipping costs, but Addie insisted on paying for some things. The plane ride had taken 11 hours and maybe 15 minutes and they had two layovers before arriving.
The taxi stopped and the man came back and opened her door. Addie unbuckled Gracie's car seat and picked it up. She raised up and was meet by a few shocked faces.
