by Twila

Feedback is always welcome: twila@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © 2008 by Twila. All Rights Reserved.

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Allison and Andrea Delaney have four children: 10 yo Megan, 8 yo Molly, 5yo Bryan and 3 yo Katie. Allison is an English Lit. Professor who cut back to part-time to home school her kids. Andrea is a successful lawyer. Allison has always wanted to adopt a teenage orphan or two because she had been one once. Her parents died when she was 11 and she ended up in an orphanage for three years before being adopted by a loving family. Andy knew her feelings and agreed with them, she just wanted her own kids a little older. When Megan turned 10, they talked about it again.

Today, Allison had the day off and she asked their sitter to watch the kids. Once they were straight, she headed to the orphanage. She talked with the headmistress about what they were looking for. She asked to be able to just walk around and talk with some of the kids. The headmistress agreed, showing her around and hanging back when she wanted to talk to one of them.

Allison saw a young girl, probably 13 or 14, sitting alone at a picnic table reading a book. She had curly black hair that fell to her shoulders. She was petite from what Allison could see.

“Who is that?” Allie asked the headmistress.

The headmistress looked to where Mrs. Delaney was pointing and shook her head. “Trouble.”

Allie looked at the headmistress, concerned. “Why do you say that?”

“Because she’s constantly in trouble,” the headmistress replied. “The only time she’s not is when she’s reading or writing.”

“School?”

“Hates it.

“What’s her name? I’d like to talk to her,” Allie said.

The headmistress turned to look at Allie, noting the determined look on her face. “Elizabeth. She goes by Lizzie.”

“Thank you.” Allie headed over and sat on the picnic table across from Lizzie. “What are you reading?”

Lizzie looked up at the person who had spoken to her. She saw a woman with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes watching her. Lizzie thought she looked to be about 30 or so. She wondered why she was sitting here. Lizzie frowned. “A book,” she said, flatly, hoping the woman would leave her alone.

Allie almost grinned. ‘Yep, she could remember being just as defiant.’ “I can see that,” Allie replied. “What’s the name of the book?” Allie couldn’t see the title with the way Lizzie was holding it down.

Lizzie put the book down and looked at the woman again. “Look. The little kids are that way.” Lizzie pointed toward the swing sets. “Why don’t you stop wasting my time and go see them?” Lizzie picked up her book and began reading again.

Allie did grin at that, although she didn’t particularly care for the attitude Lizzie was giving her. She did understand it though. “I have little kids at home. I don’t need to go see some more. I’d like to talk to you.”

Lizzie looked up from her book and stared at the woman, cautious. “Why? You need a babysitter or something?” she asked sarcastically.

“Elizabeth Ann!” The headmistress had joined them and heard what Lizzie had said to Mrs. Delaney. “That was rude and disrespectful. Give me that book and apologize right this minute.” She held out her hand to Lizzie.

Lizzie didn’t miss the scowl or the tone of voice. She fumed, but handed over her book reluctantly. “I’m sorry,” she muttered in the general direction of the woman.

“Now have a civilized conversation and you might get this back,” the headmistress instructed before stepping back a little, close enough to hear but far enough to leave a little privacy.

Lizzie plopped her elbows on the table and continued to fume, staring daggers at the woman who had caused her to lose her book.

Allie sat there a minute, giving Lizzie time to calm down. Then she leaned forward and spoke softly to the girl. “I’m sorry I bothered you, but all I wanted to do was talk. Do you think it’s possible to have a conversation without the sarcastic comments and attitude?”

Lizzie hesitated a moment and then asked, “Why? Why do you want to talk to me?”

“Because I’d like to get to know you a little better,” Allison smiled at her. “I’m Allison, by the way.” She held out her hand to Lizzie. They both heard the headmistress clear her throat, suggestively. “Delaney,” Allie added at the prompt.

Lizzie stared at her for another minute before reaching out her hand and shaking the woman’s hand. “Lizzie Parsons,” she muttered.

“Nice to meet you, Lizzie,” Allie shook her hand and then let it go, watching Lizzie. “Will you tell me what you were reading now?”

Lizzie hesitated again, still not sure what this woman was up to. “Jane Eyre,” she said, sullenly.

“Wow. That’s quite a book to be reading for fun,” Allie said, meaning it.

Lizzie’s brows scrunched in a frown. Why did this woman seem so interested? She seemed to be actually surprised by Lizzie’s answer. What did she want?

“Is this the first time you’ve read it?”

Lizzie shook her head.

Allie smiled. “Who’s your favorite character?”

Lizzie answered, still wondering what this woman wanted. In fact, she didn’t think about anything else over the next fifteen minutes or so as they talked about the book. Lizzie answered the woman’s questions and was actually intrigued by Mrs. Delaney’s responses. She’d obviously read the book too.

“What else do you like to read, Lizzie?” Allie asked, after they’d discussed Jane Eyre for a while.

“Just about anything,” Lizzie said softly.

Allie smiled because Lizzie was a lot like her. “You write too?” That question was obviously a mistake though, because Lizzie suddenly looked very angry.

Lizzie was furious. She jerked her head around and stared daggers at the headmistress. Who had shown her the writings?

“Lizzie, it’s ok. The headmistress just mentioned that you liked to write. That’s all,” Allie tried to calm her down. After that, she couldn’t talk with Lizzie anymore. Lizzie crossed her arms and refused to talk. “I’m sorry, Lizzie. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ll leave you alone now. Maybe we can talk again sometime.” Lizzie didn’t respond so Allie stood up and joined the headmistress, who started walking back toward the building.

Allie stopped. “Please. Can Lizzie have her book back?”

“I don’t think she deserves it after that little tantrum of hers,” the headmistress stated.

“But that was my fault,” Allie pleaded. “Please. She had a civilized conversation with me up until then, just as you asked. Please don’t punish her for my mistake.”

The headmistress debated it, the handed Mrs. Delaney the book.

Allie thanked her and headed back to Lizzie.

Lizzie had been really fuming and really close to crying. She’d lost her book and was positive that she wouldn’t be allowed to write either. All because of that darn woman! Why did she have to come and bother her today? Lizzie startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder and jerked around, staring at the woman. She was holding the book out to her.

“I’m really sorry I upset you, Lizzie. I’d really like to talk to you again sometime,” Allie said, handing Lizzie her book. “Could we maybe do that?”

Lizzie took her book and stared at the woman. She slowly nodded.

Allie smiled. “Thank you, Lizzie. I’ll see you later.”

Lizzie watched the woman leave and was even more confused than before. Why had she gotten her book back? What did she want?

Allie thought about Lizzie on the way home and on and off for the rest of the day. That evening she filled Andy in on how her day had gone.

“She sounds like a handful, Al,” Andy said gently, cuddling with her wife on the couch.

“She’s just scared, hon. I remember feeling that way. She’s also angry because every person who comes to visit only wants to see little kids and babies,” Allie explained, then laughed. “You should have seen me when Mama met me for the first time. I actually cussed her out.”

Andy sat her wife up, looking at her stunned then she grinned, thinking about her mother-in-law. “I bet that went over well.”

“Well, she told me later that she really had to restrain herself from hauling me over her knee,” Allie laughed.

“I bet.” Andy paused. “I know you really want to do this, babe. I just don’t want you to be disappointed if Lizzie doesn’t settle in like you did. I know you think she’s a lot like you. I just don’t want to see you hurt.”

Allie hugged her spouse. “I won’t be. Please, Andy. Can we give her a chance at a family again?”

“Ok, babe,” she agreed, but knew this wouldn’t be easy.

The next day, Lizzie again found her usual spot at the picnic table with her book. She was almost finished. She was also distracted. She wondered if that woman would show up again today.

Lizzie had just finished her book and sat back with a contented sigh when movement caught her eye. She turned to see the woman from yesterday coming towards her. She was dressed in jeans today and that made her look younger than she had yesterday. She watched her head straight toward Lizzie, smiling.

“Hi, Lizzie. May I join you?”

Lizzie nodded, not taking her eyes off the woman. She hadn’t thought about much else since yesterday, between readings, and still couldn’t figure out what this woman wanted.

“How are you doing today?” Allie asked, sitting down and looking Lizzie over.

“Fine,” Lizzie muttered.

Allie noticed her book. “How far have you gotten?”

“Just finished it,” Lizzie said softly.

Allie was impressed. “That’s great. Do you know what you’ll be reading next?”

Lizzie shook her head. She knew the sisters wouldn’t let her get another book until her homework was done.

Allie didn’t miss the disappointed look on Lizzie’s face. She probably knew why. The headmistress was holding her books until Lizzie did her work.

“Have you read Pride and Prejudice?” Allie asked and watched Lizzie shake her head. Allie was elated. She reached into her bag and pulled out a paperback copy of it, sliding it across the table to Lizzie. She watched Lizzie stare at the book and then at her in confusion. “It’s for you. I cleared it with the headmistress. As long as you do your schoolwork and behave, you can keep it,” Allie informed her.

Lizzie closed her mouth; it had been hanging open and slid the book closer. “Thank you,” she whispered, rubbing the smooth cover of the book.

Allie wanted to cry. Lizzie looked like she’d just been given the most precious gift in the world. “You’re welcome, hon. Can we talk?”

Lizzie nodded absently, still looking at the book and checking out the pages.

Allie tried to have a conversation with her but she was too wrapped up in her book. “Lizzie, my partner and I would like for you to come and stay with us. Would you like that?”

That got Lizzie’s attention. She stared at the woman with a frown on her face. “Why?”

“Because you need a home, hon. We’d like it to be ours,” Allie said.

“Why? Why me? Don’t you want a little kid like everyone else?”

Allie didn’t miss the hurt in that question. She reached across the table and took one of Lizzie’s hands. “No, we don’t. Lizzie, listen to me, ok? I know how you feel,” Allie didn’t get any further. Lizzie jerked her hand free.

“You know nothing about how I feel,” she almost screamed.

“Lizzie, please,” Allie pleaded. Lizzie was obviously done talking to her because she started to stand up. Allie did the only thing she could – she threatened her, needing for her to stay and hear her out. “If you leave without talking to me, the headmistress will take that book away.”

Lizzie froze, staring at the woman in anger.

“I’m sorry, but that’s what she said. If you didn’t behave, it was gone,” Allie told her. “And I don’t think yelling at me and stomping off would be considered behaving in her book.”

Lizzie’s first thought was to throw the book at the woman and take off, but common sense won out. She held the book tight into her chest.

“Please, Lizzie. Sit down and just listen. Okay?” Allie said gently. She watched Lizzie struggle with her decision and let out a relieved sigh when Lizzie plopped herself back down and stared at her. Okay, glared at her was more like it, but Allie ignored it for now.

“Let me tell you a little about myself, okay?” Allie got no response from that so she kept going. “My parents died when I was 11. I had no other relatives and so I ended up in an orphanage just like this one. And just like you, I watched the people come and go, only adopting babies and little kids as I just got older.”

Against her will, Lizzie was fascinated by the woman’s story and listened intently.

“One day this couple came and the woman walked over to talk to me. And just like you, I told her where she should be looking. When she didn’t leave, I cussed her out, angry that she’d pretend she wanted to talk to me when I knew better. They never wanted to talk to me.” Allie was close to crying at this point, vividly remembering all too well how she’d felt that day.

“Well, the woman didn’t give up. She plopped herself down beside me, told me that I needed my mouth washed out with soap and my attitude adjusted.” Allie laughed at that. “Well, that went over well, I can tell you, but she didn’t leave. She sat right there and talked. I even tried to leave, but she grabbed me by the hand and sat me down in front of her and made me listen.” Allie paused, looking to see if Lizzie was still listening.

“What happened?” Lizzie whispered.

Allie smiled. “They adopted me. And I gradually learned that she did want me in their house and in their family. It wasn’t easy, I can tell you that. I’d acquired quite a number of bad habits that landed me in a lot of trouble, but they never gave up on me and never stopped showing me that this was where I belonged – right there in that family.”

Lizzie hung her head, close to crying, and wished that could happen to her.

“Lizzie, we want you to be part of our family,” Allie stated and watched Lizzie’s head shoot up. “I know it won’t be easy. Being in a family is a lot different than being here. But I think we’d make a nice fit, if you’ll give us a chance to try.”

Lizzie just stared at her, tears running down her face.

Allie wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but she couldn’t’ stand to see her crying like that. She walked around the table and sat down by Lizzie and hugged her. Lizzie froze, tensing, as Allie had expected her to, but Allie didn’t let go and Lizzie finally relaxed. Allie let her cry, soothing her and stroking her hair. Once she’d calmed down, Allie let her go. “Will you give us a chance to try?”

Lizzie wiped her face and stared at the woman a long time. She didn’t want to be disappointed, but she wanted a family again so bad that she didn’t know what to do. Dare she take the risk?

Allie watched the expressions flit across Lizzie’s face and held her breath.

Lizzie nodded.

Allie let out that breath and reached over, hugging her daughter tight.

Continued in Part 2

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