Chapter 1

“Jade, the police are outside with another child,” Saralyn poked her head through the doorway. She watched as her boss slumped in her chair, the day had been rough. It hurt her to see those poor children with their broken pasts, their innocence torn up at such a young age. Just like her.

Jade sighed, “Thanks Sara, I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Just warning you, this one’s really beat up,” Saralyn whispered softly. Jade’s eyes welled up with tears that she quickly blinked away. Taking a few calming breaths, she stood up and walked out the door. She stopped abruptly when she saw a child in a wheelchair, her small body covered with bruises and cuts, and IV dangling.

“Hey, my name’s Jade. What’s yours?”

“Natalya,” the girl replied softly, her voice, hoarse from screaming.

Jade blinked away more tears, “Natalya, you want to come in to my office? I got something I want to give you.” The girl nodded slowly. Jade beckoned for the nurse to wheel Natalya into the room and leave. “What’s your favorite animal?”

“I love tigers,” the girl replied. Jade reached underneath her desk and searched for a small stuffed tiger among the dozens of animals. Finally, she grasped one and pulled it out. Natalya gasped in small joy, “You have magic,” she smiled for the first time.

“At your service princess,” Jade handed the fluffy tiger to the girl.

 Natalya’s eyes shone with joy,”Nobody has ever given me something,” she smiled. “Can I give you something?”

“You don’t have to darling,” Jade held her hands up.

“No, I want to,” Natalya, “Can I have a pencil and paper?” Silently, Jade handed Natalya what she requested. “You can’t look,” the girl protested; her smile wider now. In awe, Jade turned away thoughts churning in her head. She had skimmed Natalya’s file quickly, she had been abused since she was 2. 4 years of abuse and the child could still smile with the joy of a child. An unexpected feeling of elation soared through her for Natalya. “You can look now,” Natalya pushed the paper towards Jade. Jade took a look and gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Like it?” Natalya asked, her wide eyes curious.

“It’s amazing,” Jade breathed. Natalya had done a quick sketch of a tiger that looked so real. “You have an amazing gift.”

“That’s what my mother always said,” Natalya smiled. “It feels good to be able to use my hand again.”

“You haven’t drawn in a while?” Jade asked.

“Yeah, my dad thought that it was a stupid talent. He tied my arms behind my back and made me do housework,” Natalya replied shrugging her shoulders. “Do you think that I can see him again?”

“Honey, he lost his parental rights when he handed himself in.”

“Yeah, I know, but he’s still my dad. I made this for him in the hospital. I want to give it to him and tell him that I love him.” Natalya pulled a small picture out of her bag and handed it to Jade. “If I can’t, can you do it for me?” Jade looked down, it was a picture of Natalya, a woman, and a man, whom Jade presumed to be her parents. There was a sunset behind them, the sun was drawn in the shape of a heart with rays radiating from it, wrapping around the three figures that were tightly wrapped in each other’s arms. Below, written in beautiful cursive for a six year old said, “I love you Daddy, forever and ever.”

 Tears gathered in Jade’s eyes, “This is beautiful Natalya.”

Natalya beamed, “Thank you!” The door opened and a woman walked in. Natalya’s smiled disappeared as she stared at her.

“Jade, you didn’t tell me you had another child here,” the woman said coolly, staring at Natalya with cold warmth.

“Maralyn, this is Natalya. Natalya, this is my friend Maralyn, she’s Saralyn’s sister.” 

“Hello,” Natalya said softly.

Maralyn smiled slowly, “So? I thought we had a lunch date.”

“Oh, I’m sorry I forgot all about that!”

“What this?” Maralyn picked up the tiger drawing. “Not bad, I never knew you could draw Jade.”

“Actually, Natalya drew that,” Jade replied smiling. Maralyn pasted fake interest on her face as she nodded. “Can we go out some other time?”

Maralyn sighed in frustration, “Seriously? You’ve been putting off every opportunity for us to go out. You’re getting so wrapped up in your work it is ridiculous! Just because it’s your life goal to help those who had a similar childhood as you did doesn’t mean that you have to bury yourself in it.”

 “I need to finish Natalya’s session. The hospital pays me for an hour and half then that is what I’m going to give them. Besides, we’re having a lot of fun.”

“Fun,” Maralyn spat. “Well then, hurry up.” She sat down next to Natalya, glaring at the child.

“Not with you here,” Natalya muttered.

“What did you say?” Maralyn challenged. “Seriously Jade?” She stood and stomped out of the room.

“I don’t like her,” Natalya shook her head vigorously.

“Honey, she’s just touchy. I haven’t been able to go out with her for a while so she’s kind of mad at me.”

“Friends should understand each other,” Natalya replied. Jade smiled, “Do you know who is going to adopt me?”

Jade shook her head, “No I don’t, but I actually have a guess.” Natalya sat up in her seat, “Well, Maralyn told me she wanted to adopt a child that I’ve worked with. I’m not saying she’s going to adopt you, but it could be a possibility.” Natalya slumped down in her seat, “She’s not that bad.”

“You mean she’s not always this touchy about everything going her way?”

“Uh, most of the time she isn’t, I guess,” Jade reassured.

Ѱ

“Jade, I want to adopt Natalya.”

“Maralyn, I work with a lot of children. Natalya isn’t exactly ready to go into a new life. She needs some time,” Jade protested.

“Come on, I’m not that bad,” Maralyn muttered.

Jade gave her a weak smile, “I know, but I feel as if Natalya isn’t ready.”

“Give me a chance; I’ll prove it to you.”

“Taking care of a child with an abused past isn’t easy. Sometimes they’ll hate you for no apparent reason, you need extreme patience. You can’t just win their love by giving them stuff.”

“You think I’m stupid?”

“No, but I’m,” Jade sighed, “Never mind. I’ll talk to Natalya.”

Ѱ

 “No, I don’t want Maralyn to be my mother.”

“Natalya, I tried to tell her otherwise, but she wants to have a change with you.”

“She’s like my dad, I know she is. I can feel it.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Everything about her screams my dad. I don’t want her to be my mother.”

Jade thought about it, “Well, you’ll see me more often.”

“Why can’t you adopt me? I like you.”

“I have too much work to do. Sometimes, I don’t even get home until 10 at night. I can’t risk having a child being left alone that late.”

“So if I go with Maralyn, I can come over whenever I want?”

“That’s fine with me.” Natalya bit her lip before nodding slowly. Jade fought the doubt that was protesting inside of her, “I don’t want to rush you.”

“No, I’ll do it.”

Ѱ

 “This is your home now,” Maralyn flipped the switch and light bathed the small apartment. “Your room is the one at the end of the hall.” Natalya slowly walked down the long hallway until she reached the last bedroom. She pushed the door open and stared at the room. It was bright pink with a frilly princess bed in the center. There were dresses in the open closet, a unicorn sat on the middle with a tag that read, “Welcome Home Natalya.” “So? You like it?” Natalya turned around, Maralyn leaned on the doorway, a small smile on her face.”

“It’s very beautiful, thank you,” Natalya replied.

“Jade told me you would like this,” Maralyn walked over to the small desk in the corner and held up a sketch book that came with a complete set of watercolor, pastels, and pencils.

“Oh,” she breathed, “Thank you so much!”

Maralyn smiled, “Your welcome.”

“Is Jade coming over later?”

Something crossed Maralyn’s face, “She’ll be here at 6 with Saralyn. Get yourself comfortable. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.” Stiffly, she turned and left the room leaving Natalya staring behind her, very confused.

“Jade this and Jade that,” Maralyn growled under her breath as she worked around in the kitchen. “Jade’s not her mother, I am.”

“Maralyn?” Maralyn whirled around, Natalya stood in the kitchen next to the counter.

Maralyn smiled slowly, “Yes?”

“This is for you,” Natalya held up a piece of paper. Maralyn reached for the sheet of paper. Holding it up, she stared in awe at the beautiful drawing of herself with the caption reading: Thank you so much Maralyn. “Um, I have a question.” Maralyn nodded, still slightly in shock, “May I call you Mom?”

Maralyn’s mouth dropped open, “Oh, sure. I would love that Natalya.” Natalya smiled, the doorbell rang. “Come on in,” Maralyn called.

Jade poked her head from the doorway, “Something smells epic Mara.”

Maralyn grinned, “Thanks.”

“Jade!” Natalya ran from the other side of the kitchen and into Jade’s arms. Maralyn bit the side of her lip to keep from voicing her disapproval. “Come see my new room! Mara- Mom gave me a sketchbook with so many things to draw with!”

“That sounds awesome!” Jade replied smiling, she raised her eyebrows at Maralyn, “You upgraded girlfriend. Now you’re Mom.”

Maralyn held her head up high, “It seems I have.”

“Come on, come on!” Natalya pulled on Jade’s arm. Laughing, Jade followed her to her room. Saralyn walked in shortly after.

“So? Enjoying motherhood?” Maralyn cast a glance at her twin, “Just asking.”

“It’s amazing, Natalya is the most amazing child in the world.”

“Motherhood suits you,” her twin smiled.

“We’re twins after all,” Maralyn replied dryly. Saralyn smiled thinking of her own pair of naughty twin boys at home. “So, how are Julian and Tyler?”

“Oh, you don’t want to know. Wrecking the house everywhere! Jackson constantly says that he wants to file a lawsuit that his house is being taken over.” Saralyn laughed.

Maralyn smiled at her sister’s joy, fighting the jealousy that her sister had found her happy ever after. “It didn’t matter”, she reminded herself. “She had Natalya now.”

“You’re thinking,” Saralyn commented as she helped set the table.

“I’m wondering when the boys can meet their new cousin.”

“Jules and Ty would love it. They haven’t reached the stage where they think girls have cooties. Yet.”

Maralyn chuckled, “One moment its girls have cooties, the next minute they’re panting after the girl in the tightest jeans or shortest shorts.”

“I’m dreading that day.”

Natalya suddenly rushed into the kitchen. “Can I help?” Both sisters stared at her in surprise. “I used to do a lot of housework because my momma died.”

“Why don’t you just relax for today?” Maralyn suggested. Natalya looked doubtful, but nodded.

“We’re playing with the plastic ponies you gave me,” she grinned as she ran back to her room.

“She’s a darling,” Saralyn smiled.

“Yes she is.” Suddenly, Maralyn wished that she wasn’t cooking so she could go play with her child. From the hallway, she heard laughter and Natalya shrieks of joy. Taking a few breaths, she calmed herself and tried to see the food in front of her as jealousy’s sly fingers crept upon her and wrapped itself around her mind.

Reviews

[JadeForever]

Oooh I really like this first chapter..it seems unique from any other book I've ever read! Its funny because the main character of my book is Jade too. :) Well this was fantastic so far. Cant wait to read more.

-Jade

[FallenSymphony]

Yeah! GO Jades! :D

[JadeForever]

xD yeah!