Chapter 4 - The Only Family I Have

My aunt Julie lead me out of the church, clutching a dirty tissue in her left and my arm in her right. I stumbled along, still in shock.

A few weeks ago, everything was fine. I was happy enough with my adoptive parents. I didn't think of myself as adopted, really. Until that phone call came.

My mum and dad told me about when I got home from a friends house. I new about my sisters, my three older sisters out there somewhere, all abandoned like me. But I didn't worry about finding them. I'm twelve, there's plenty of time for that when I'm older, I reasoned.

Apparently, my biological grandmother had died, leaving a house to the four of us. None of the others new about me - the oldest didn't know about any of us, the second oldest new about the oldest but not me or the other one, who new about everyone except me.

Confusing, right?

Anyway, they wanted to meet up. I told my mum to tell them I'm not ready. And she did, and they probably hate me.

But there's the only family I have now.

Aunt Julie took me back to her house - my new home it seems. Because almost a week ago my parents, my amazing, wonderful parents died. And yet I survived.

Bang! And suddenly I'm on the pavement ... the car ... the car's still on the road, but it's on fire ... it's burning ... and my parents ...

Aunt Julie sat down next to me and started to talk, but it was a few minutes before I started listen. The word "sisters" caught my attention.

"I know your parents wanted meet them." She told me. "When your ready, of course. But I think ... they could help you through this."

I nodded silently, then made my excuses and escaped to my new bedroom.

What does she know? Everyone I get close to leave me. I mean, that whole bond between a mother and her newborn is supposed to be really strong, right? But I lost her. Now my adoptive parents ... what if I get close to my sisters and they leave me too?

But they are the only family I have left. I mean, aunt Julie and uncle Dave, they might be great and all, and they'll always be my family ... but I have real sisters out there. Maybe I should find them?

But I don't know how to. Mum knew a number I could call ... but I don't.

I reached onto the nightstand and picked up the necklace laying there. The one I was left with. The Celtic symbol on black string. I don't think I've ever actually worn it, but I keep it ... just so I know there's more out there ... More to me.

Maybe tomorrow I'll ask aunt Julie if she knows the number.

She did. And now I'm sat on the stairs clutching the paper in one hand and the phone in the other.

"Go on." Aunt Julie encouraged. She doesn't want me. She can't wait to get rid of me.

With shaking hands I dialled the number and pressed the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" A bright voice said.

"I ... I ..." I hung up. I couldn't help it. I sighed, closed my eyes.

"Paige?" Aunt Julie asked gently. "If you're not ready ..."

"I am. I think. But ... what if they don't want me? What if I blew it?" I asked, voicing my deepest fear.

"Of course they want you. You are a part of them. As much as you love your adoptive family - and as much as we all love you - you are a part of them, of their family."

I nodded, still trying to figure out what she'd said. Aunt Julie talks very fast, so I'm always a couple seconds behind when she's talking to me. I took a deep breath and pressed redial.

Bring Bring. Bring bri -

"Hello?" The voice answered again. This time she sounded concerned.

"I ... Can I speak to Prudence Halliwell?" I asked, just like aunt Julie and I had rehearsed.

"You are. Speaking to her, I mean."

"Oh." I looked at aunt Julie, who was smiling brightly. It's now or never.

"Are you still there?" Prudence asked.

"I ... It's Paige." I blurted. "I think I'm -"

"My baby sister." She said brightly. "Hi!"

"Hi. I - um, thought we should talk."

"OK." She said, sounding happy and disappointed all at the same time. "How are you?" She asked. At first I thought she knew about my parents, but then I clicked. We had never spoke before. She just meant generally.

"I'm ... OK." I lied. She's still a stranger really, and I can't spill my guts to a stranger.

"Listen, Paige. We understand about you not wanting to meet up." She said. We? Oh. My other sisters are all close and pally without me.

What did you expect? For them to ignore each other until you were ready? Dream on.

"We're not mad or anything." She said anxiously. "Piper was worried you'd think we were, but -"

"Piper?"

"Yeah ... she's the second oldest. There's me, then Piper, then Phoebe, then you."

"And no more?" I asked. I had to check. Who knows? Our mother may have given up loads of babies.

"No. No more. Our Grandmother left the house to us four, so I don't think so." She added. Suddenly I wanted to meet them. All of them. I couldn't help but try and picture Prudence. Is her hair the same as mine? Dark and loosely curled? Are her eyes brown like mine?

What about the others? Piper and Phoebe?

"I've changed my mind." I said, before I could change it again.

"Huh?" She said, she sounded worried.

"I mean about meeting up. I want to, I want to meet you guys." I was talking so fast, it's a wonder she could understand me. But I have to say it, before I change my mind again. Believeme, that's very likely.

"Really? When?" She cried happily.

"Whenever." I muttered, already doubtful. Luckily, by the sound of it, Prudence isn't going to let me pull out of it now.

"OK, give me your address and I'll call Piper and Pheebs. I'll call you when we know. OK?"

"OK." I rattled off the address as aunt Julie hissed it to me.

"Right. I'll call them right now." She said. "I'm so glad, Paige."

"Me too, uh, Prudence." I muttered awkwardly.

"Call me Prue." She replied. "OK, bye."

"Bye." I said, then hung up. I explained quickly to aunt Julie, then went back to my room.

What would they think of me doing this? Finding them?

I don't know. But I have to do this. For me.

Prue called me a few hours later, arranging to meet up the next day. The next day! It's all happening so fast. But I agreed and now ...

I'm sat at the kitchen table, listening for the doorbell.

Ding-Dong.

There it goes. They're here.

As uncle Dave answers, I checked my reflection in the mirror. Stupid, but I can't help it.

"Paige? Your sisters are here." Uncle Dave said, stating the obvious. I turned around and stepped away from the mirror. Seconds later the door swung open, and three smiling girls walked in. Unlce Dave closed the door behind them. We're alone.

The tallest had long straight raven hair, and blue-grey eyes. She looked like the kind of girl you wouldn't want to cross - although she was smiling brightly, her eyes still held a slight coldness about them.

"Hi." She pulled me into a hug, which shocked me. "I'm Prue." I nodded, and when she released me, I was pulled into another hug.

"I'm Piper." She told me. She had long dark brown hair and brown eyes, and was smiling brightly.

"Hi." I replied nervously.

I looked at the other one.

"You must be -"

"Phoebe!" She said brightly in a childish voice, hugging me. She had dark brown hair, just past her shoulders and brown eyes. When she let go of me I sat down at the table, and they did too.

"So, what made you change your mind?" Phoebe asked me.

"I just did." I mumbled.

"What?" Teachers always told me about mumbling, but I can't help it.

"I ... I ..." Come on Paige. They're going to find out sooner or later ...

"My parents died." I said reluctantly. "My mum wanted me to meet you, I ... sort of did it for her. And for me."

"Oh my god." Phoebe breathed. "I'm so, so sorry." She reached across the table and put her hand over mine.

"I can't imagine what you're going through." Piper told me. "But we're all here for you, if you ever need to talk." She reached her hand across too.

"Always." Prue said. "Nothing's going to split us up again." She put her hand on top. If only I felt like them. They all seemed to think this was great we're a family. It's going to take more than tha -

A weird blue light surrounded us, filling the kitchen and illuminating my sisters - and my - faces for a few seconds.

"What - what was that?" I gasped, pulling my hand away.

"I don't know." Prue muttered, looking around. "Sunlight?"

"That was something else." I said, shaking my head.

"It was probably nothing." Piper assured me.

I wasn't so sure. But suddenly ... I felt a tiny bit closer to my sisters.