seven - fairy tale

Present

Lacey

I heard soft cries from inside and I knew whoever that crying belonged to was crying because of me. I know it isn't easy for them either to find their daughter to just get a teenager who doesn't want anything to do with them. But I can't just open my heart to them when everything I ever knew was my life and now I am here standing in a backyard that isn't mine at a house that I don't live in with a family that wasn't mine but now is. I shook my head as I wrapped the blanket that I found on their bench snuggling against the softness though wanting my Mama's arms around me. I sighed as I sat on the grass as I let the tears slowly fall down my eyes as I felt the emptiness fill my insides slowly. "Mama!" I whispered out as I gripped the freshly cut grass into my hands and pulled. I grabbed then pulled as my quiet whispers turned into desperate screams. "Why did you leave me?! This wouldn't of happened if you didn't crash the goddamn car!" I felt someone wrapped their arms around me and their hands grabbed mine before I could wrecked the grass or maybe I already had. "Why did she do this?" I quietly whispered as I was rocked side to side with whoever had their arms around me.

"You are okay, Lacey." A soft voice whispered against my head who I felt like I could recognized if I tried hard enough as I looked up at the concern face of my... Big brother.

"Brandon.." I whispered out and he smiled at me with relief. I couldn't help but feel a little a taken back from my recognition and I got out of his arms to stand up to look at the mess I made which wasn't as bad as I thought.

"You can remember me?" I wrapped the blanket tightly around me letting out a little sigh with a slow nod to confirm his excitement. But he didn't get excited but he smiled again as he pushed his curly fridge back.

"Only just.. Your face." I whispered as I looked down at my feet shyly and heard him get up from the grass. "I guess."

"Do you want to see some pictures?" I quickly shook my head and he nodded. "Too soon." He whispered with a nod and pointed to the door that lead to the kitchen. "I will be in my room if you wanted to just-"

"Okay." I interrupted him quickly and looked down again at my bare feet. I heard him walk away slowly and heard a door gently close as I looked back up to see him disappear as Stef looked out the window. She caught my gaze and gave a small smile but I quickly walked out of the backyard to the front yard to see Lena sitting there in silence. She looked up as I stopped to stare at her.

"Lacey.." I sat next to her as I wrapped the blanket around her as I saw that she was only wearing a dress and she was shivering. "Thanks." I nodded as I got up but she gently grabbed my wrist to stop me.

"What?" I whined softly and she got me to sit again.

"I was devastated when I found out you had been taken." She started with a soft tone in her voice as she let go of my wrist. "I was a teacher at Anchor Beach and was always there. I didn't take a break when you were born because Stef had taken a year off to take care of you and we needed the money."

"Okay.. So?"

"I could of done something if I took a break from working.. Or I could of done something if I just came home on time."

"Well, why didn't you?" I replied with an annoyed tone. I looked at her as she frowned at me and she looked at her hands.

"I did some terrible things back then, Lacey." Lena whispered softly as I stared at her with annoyance and anger. "I cheated on your M- Stef. I spent extra time at school to hang out with another teacher named Monte. And I just didn't think about the consequences and I ended up losing you."

Lena

I saw the confusion in her face as I looked back up at her and she looked away as I sighed. "You just had a baby so why would you hurt Stef like that?" She questioned as she looked back at me as I gripped the blanket and sighed. I knew telling her this would hate me but I needed to get past this to get to the good part.

"I didn't feel like you were mine, sweetie." I explained softly as she looked at me as she nodded to that. "You didn't look like mine. You were just like Brandon, Stef and Mike.. And I just couldn't be around you or her."

"You didn't love the baby?" She questioned as I took a while to process the way she asked me not admitting she is the baby we were referring to. "She still had your DNA though?"

"Yes, you had my DNA because of all the procedures we had done but after a while as you grew in the first months of your life, I saw that you had some parts that were me." I saw that her position got a little awkward but this was important. "I love you ever since I knew you were coming into this world.. It just took me a bit longer to connect with you. Which is a common issue in having a baby in a lesbian couple."

"Whatever." She looked away and I took her hand as she turned her attention back to me after I tried to get her to look at me.

"I may of made mistakes and I may blame myself for what happened.. And I know we cannot change the way things had happened and that we can't erase or make up for the years. So we won't try to." I explained softly as she pulled away from my grip and stared the other way as I placed the blanket around her. "I just want to connect to you again and be whoever you want me to be. I love you, Lacey with all my heart and all my soul forever."

Lacey

I finally looked back at her as her eyes watered and she smiled a little at me. "This isn't a fairy tale." I muttered under my breath and she nodded.

"I know that, Lace." I nodded as she looked at me with a sad smile. "This is reality and I know you won't be running in our arms in happy tears calling us by Mama and Mummy. And that we do have a lot to work through before anything can happen. I know, trust me." She touched her chest to look as genuine as she wanted to sound. I got up and her a small but subtle smile as I walked up the stairs to the house to enter. I smiled a little with the realization that that we had a good little chat. I walked inside and walked into the kitchen where Stef was still there.

"Hey sweets." She whispered softly as I took a sit on the bench as she put a vegan bar in front of me automatically knowing I must be hungry as I unwrapped it and took a bite of it.

"I am not really vegan." I admitted softly as I finished it. She looked up from her iPad with a little smirk and nodded then looked back down at it. I sighed as I wrapped the blanket around me a little more tighter as Stef looked back up.

"Do you want another blanket or even a jumper?" She whispered and I slowly nodded as she got up to grab one out of the pile of clean washing. "Here you go, love." I took it gratefully and put it on. It smelt just like Stef and I liked it. I think she wanted that too but I won't complain, I am tired of complaining. I watched her contently as she typed on the iPad clueless that I was watching her and comparing her to me. Mama used to say I would wrinkle my nose at the random of times and Stef does that too. I have her blue eyes but Lena's nose. I have Mike's face, that's for sure.

"I wrinkle my nose too." I whispered as she looked up at me with confusion but it clicked as she smiled at me. "Sorry.. I just noticed that you were doing that.."

"It's fine." She laughed as she grabbed the wrapper to put it in the bin and she looked at me. "I noticed that you do that too. You do it a lot more when you are really scared and upset." I nodded to that as she took a seat back down.

"I don't know what to do.." I admitted after a long silence and she looked back up at me as she took her glasses off then placed them next to the now closed iPad as her attention was now on me fully.

"About us?" I shook my head slowly as I sighed.

"I just need to make all these plans for Mama." I whispered and she nodded.

"We can pay for all that-"

"NO! I yelled as I stood up and she looked at me with surprise but I tried to stay a bit more calm. "No funeral."

"Okay, sweets." Stef answered back softly with a small, reassuring smile on her face. "Tell me what you want and we will help you." I sat back down and rested my head on my arm as I tried to hold back tears. "Lacey, I know this must be hard for you."

"You have no idea." I whispered coldly and I heard a sigh come from her.

"My father.." She cooed out slowly as I felt she got a bit closer but not a huge amount. "He was murdered.. In this house by someone we thought we were safe from." I looked up at Stef who looked broken all of the sudden.

"He.. He was murdered?" I whispered out with shock and looked around the house a little terrified. "How can you live here knowing or seeing that?"

"Hours of counseling.." Stef whispered with a small sad smile as she placed her hand on top of mine. "Trust me, it wasn't easy on everybody especially Mariana." I nodded with understanding but..

"At least your whole life wasn't a goddamn lie." I pulled apart from her touch and she nodded as she sat down a few seats away from me.

"Well, we both know we can't change the past." She answered back with a nod and tried to smile at me. "But your life was not a lie, Lacey. Your Mama had your best interest at heart, didn't she? She may of taken you away from us but she looked after you and done a great job at it." I tried to not smile at that but I think it was showing. "Our fear was that you were taken to be murdered or something terrible like that. But, seeing you alive has been the greatest gift and I wouldn't change anything."

"Wow." I whispered as I looked at her differently for the first time. I could how much I mean to her and to everybody in this family. This is going to be a long road, I have a lot to work through and struggles but I guess.. I am not as alone as I thought. I smiled at her and she returned it.

It was a good thing that Bill left Lacey at their home for a few hours.. Hey! Leave me a review if you like it or not, and opinions! :D