Adopted

Four

When I woke up I frowned thinking about how I let my guard down just to feel at least a little bit of love from another.

I shouldn't have done that. But the contact was warm and I haven't felt that since Dad died.

I got out of bed and changed my clothes into some of my dad's old hand me downs. Dirty converses, stained white shirt he would work in, dirty jeans that are a little too big for me, (actually all of my dad's hand me downs were a bit too big. I wear a belt to keep the pants up) and I wear a tattered old flannel jacket that belonged to my grandpa.

Oh, how I missed my grandpa and the stories he'd tell of war and suffering.

He died just a year before my dad. I wish my grandpa was still here. He would've taken me in I'm sure.

He was a nice old fella who worked in coal mines and fight on the beaches of Normandy. Somehow he survived to tell stories to his grandchildren.

Well, me and Valery, Natalia is way to young to hear stories like that.

My grandma, you may be wandering about. Well, she went missing just two years ago.

It seems like every year something terrible happens. I bet next year is when I'll be sent away from Axl's home to someone else.

I sighed miserably as I walked down the stairs of Axl's large home and saw how many rooms he had in his house. No, not a house a mansion.

I smiled as I explored the halls and stumbled upon a library. The biggest library I had ever seen.

I walked inside and scanned the books. I found old tales of my childhood that were written in these books.

I picked up a long book about Tom Sawyer and sat down to read.

Reading has always been my way of coping.

I got lost in the words of the book I didn't hear Axl walking into the room.

"Watcha got there?" Asked Axl. I jumped and smiled sheepishly at him.

"Tom Sawyer. I've always enjoyed reading it was my way to cope, you see-" I stopped. "Never mind, you wouldn't wanna listen to me ramble."

Axl smiled. "No, actually, I would love to hear what you have to say."

"Really?"

"Of course."

I told him about my father and how he was a mechanic and the nicest person I met. And about my grandparents and the stories grandpa would tell.

Axl seemed more than interested as I told him my grandfather's stories.

I forgot how much I loved to talk.

"Your dad, he was Joseph Ashphalt right?" Axl asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"I knew him. He was great friend of mine. I never saw you or your sisters though. But I remember going to lunch with him... I went to lunch with him the day he died. He talked a lot about you guys, and how much he loved you," Axl said. "I think I'll keep you guys, and I decided that a while back."

"You would do that?" I asked.

"Of course, I can't imagine life without you or your siblings. Now I'm going to fix breakfast. You keep on reading," Axl said.

I smiled as I continued on with my book. I couldn't believe Axl knew my dad.

It was like a dream come true.

But no good things ever last.