Ch.2
We both walked to the door Nancy knocked on the door I began to get even more nervous and started tapping my foot along with my music I was blasting. A small boy opened the door he was by far the cutest kid ever, he looked about eight years old he looked at Nancy then at me he yelled into the house
"Mom they're here."
She came around the door; she was a little taller than I was with green eyes and red hair.
"Hi Aubrie I'm Monica please come in, it's awful out. you want me to take those bags?" she asked it made me feel a little less nervous to know that she was just as nervous as me. "No that's ok." I said.
The house was big inside too. I saw into the living room where there was a flat screen TV and a couch and chairs the coffee table had candles on it, the dining room had a nice Zen feel like the rest of the house we walked to the back of the house to the kitchen where it smelt like breakfast. Behind the counter was a man cooking bacon and eggs.
"Hello" he stopped what he was doing and walked toward me, I shaked his hand "I'm David and you must be Aubrie."
"Yeah."
I didn't say much I was to nervous
"Would you like some breakfast dear?" Monica asked
"Um… sure thank you."
I sat at the counter and nibbled on the bacon I was not hungry but did not want to be rude so I just sat there and ate it. While Nancy talked to them and drank coffee, damn did I need some caffeine in my life now.
"Ugh 11:00 and they're still sleeping excuses me a minute" Monica said before rushing upstairs
"Ok Aubrie so I'll be back in a few days did you grab all your things from my car?"
"Yes." I mumbled.
"Ok so good luck I know you'll do well." Nancy gave me a hug before leaving.
"So Aubrie excited for school next week?" David asked trying to make conversation.
"Ehhh… yeah gives me something to do."
"Honestly?"
"Yes."
"Oh Aubrie I'd like you to meet my kids." Monica said with her two kids in tow.
"This is Alex."
"Hi Alex" I said to the cute little kid he gave me a hug
"I'm so happy mom, my new sister is so much prettier than my old sister."
I laughed a little "well thank you Alex."
"and this is my daughter Olivia." She said pointing to the girl behind her.
Olivia was the spitting image of her mom, red hair green eyes.
"hey Aubrie."
It got awkward for a bit, as there was a silence before David spoke up.
"So, Aubrie you wanna tell us a bit about yourself?"
"uhhhhh…" I tried to think of what to say.
"Not much to say really." I admitted
"Oh come on there must be something, what do you like to do?"
"Get high, drink." I thought to myself.
"Not much just hang out with my friends at the park."
"Well do you like any sports, arts, music?"
"I like to listen to music."
"Can you play anything?"
"No I wish I could I tried piano when I was young but it didn't work out."
Flashback:
I was seven years old and I sat at the old dusty piano my mom had that had once been clean but was now stacked with beer bottles and yellow from smoke. I pressed the keys lightly the sound was like an angel.
"AUBRIE!" my mother yelled from the other room.
"yes?" I ask scared closing the piano
"I thought I said go to bed, child"
I turn around and there she stands in a hooker like outfit her face red with anger, a beer in her hand. I do not move I am to scared.
"go to bed Aubrie"
I still don't move why? I don't know. She throws the beer bottle I try to turn away but the bottle breaks on the back of my neck, leaving me there to bleed.
End of flashback.
I place my hand on the back of my neck where the scar still laid
The boy Alex looked very interested in what I had to say.
"me and mom could teach you Aubrie we're very good." Alex blurted out.
"Hey Aubrie" Alex said.
"What happened to your mommy where did she go?"
That question was unexpected I doubt any of them knew, I didn't even know where my mom was I hadn't seen her in a year, last I heard she was still on drugs, and that my younger brother was somewhere in foster care. Boy did I miss him, now that I thought of it Alex was a lot like him.
I didn't answer there again was an awkward silence that I quickly broke.
"Umm… I'm going to go unpack if you don't mind."
Not that I even needed to, I had barley any cloths jeans and a tank was the best outfit I had.
"I'll show you your room Aubrie." Monica said still in shock from Alex's question.
"Sure thanks." I said quick incase I started to sound like I was crying, then again I hadn't cried since my incident with Heather.
Monica guided me to the upstairs. We passed by Olivia's room and Alex's room. At the end of the hall was mine it was painted a light blue and the bed looked comfortable. There were mini paper lanterns strung around the room there was a huge window next to a closet and a desk with a laptop on it. I started to feel bad about all this.
"look Monica this is all to much you don't-"
"we want to you're just as much apart of this family as Liv and Alex."
I began to tear up thinking about having a family.
"oh Aubrie don't cry is this about Alex's little question I'm so sorry."
"no, no its not his fault." I said quickly
"want help unpacking?"
"sure thank you."
She picked up my suitcase opening it seeing that there were only a few outfits. Most of my clothing I didn't bring it carried bad memories and smelt of cigarettes.
"Aubrie are these all your cloths?"
"yes… I uhhh out grew my old stuff." I lied
"well we will take you shopping then, after I get everyone ready." she said obviously talking about Olivia and Alex.
After I was done unpacking I decided to freshen up in my bathroom, it felt weird to have my own bathroom and not have it smell gross. Then I went down stairs afraid I was holding everyone up with my longish shower only to realize they were still upstairs getting ready. I went into the living room to sit down and wait I had no idea what else to do. I saw the wall next to the TV covered in photos they all seemed happy, pictures of Alex and Olivia from when they where little. I laughed at a picture of Monica and David on their wedding day shoving cake in each other's mouths.
"admiring our wall?" Monica asked me startling me a bit
"yeah…" I responded
"we use to spend ever summer at Cape Cod, when we live in Boston." She said pointing to a picture of the beach sunset
"Ms.- Monica, can I asked you something?"
"sure sweetie." she said in a motherly tone guiding me to sit back on the couch.
"di-… did Nancy tell you anything about me."
"what do you mean?" she asked
"like. Hmmm about my life before."
"well she told us a little, you had been living with your cousin and she was an unfit guardian, you lived somewhere near Melrose in California I recall but other than that no she hasn't told us much why?"
"no reason, also… why did you pick me to adopt? I mean… you already have two kids why do you need me?"she gave me a scared look, something was up. She began to say something when Alex came downstairs.
"Mom, we're ready."
Olivia followed behind him
"hey mom can, my friend Heather come with us."
"Heather?" Monica asked confussed "whose that sweetie?"
My heart stopped, was it her Heather? No impossible she couldn't be here. 800 miles from California.
"yeah from down the street, she and her foster family just moved in remember?"
"okay just so I don't sound old im gonna say yes."
We all giggled. Ok so foster family Heather was never put in the foster care system. Ok so nothing to loose my shit over.
We got in the car and drove down the street a bit before we came across a house that looked similar to that of the Gartners.
Olivia called her friend from inside.
"hey we're here… ok."
A few minutes later a girl ran out trying to avoid all the rain, she wore a black hoodie and had her hood up. She sat next to Olivia in front of me and Alex.
"hey Heather." Monica said as they drove on
"hey Ms Gartner." her voice sounded raspy
The two girls started to chat about who gives a fuck and I listened to my ipod while I watched Alex play on his PSP.
We soon arrived at the mall it was huge although I was use to Melrose I didn't mind a huge indoor mall.
"So girls, are you off on your own?"
"yeah mom, we'll meet you back here soon."
The two girls began to go on their way, but before they could get away Monica added.
"Aubrie will go with you." they quickly stopped. The girl Heather turning around. I could see her face and to my surprise I saw what I had been afraid of since we got in the car.