Adopted By Polly Gray

Chapter 10: The Chaos Of It All Part 1

Polly, Ada, Karl, and Starlene were all together waiting for the boys to come back from all that Black Star Day entailed. Starlene couldn't get rid of the dreadful feeling she had for her cousins. Something seemed off, actually a lot of things seemed off. The conversation from earlier lingered in the young Gray girl's mind. She had questions for her mother, many questions. But yet, with all the stress of today all of her personal worries were to be pushed aside. She should be praying for her cousins to return safely, not that she didn't do that earlier, but perhaps they could use it again. Starlene felt selfish focusing on herself during this time. But what if her mum is hiding something, what if there are secrets that she doesn't know? No, she had to not let such stupid intrusive thoughts cloud her mind today. Focus on family, focus on the family. She needed to be level headed like always. Starlene had to stay in her place, be the good child in the house. Don't cause trouble, don't add to her mother's stress. She already messed up twice with the coppers. The young girl couldn't mess up again. She had to be good, be there for her family. Her silly worries are not important, only the walfare of the family is, especially today.

"Star, you okay?" Ada asked causing the young girl to snap from her mind.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Why? Is something wrong? Are you okay, is Karl okay?" Starlene put the book down that she was reading to give her cousin full attention.

"We're fine, Star. I just noticed you were blankly staring at the page than you started using your own bloody lip as a chew toy. Are you okay, though?" Ada asked worried about her young cousin.

"Oh, I didn't realize, sorry. I guess the one part of my book here got more intense than I realize, guess it caused me to daydream off and yeah. Thanks for bringing me back to reality." Starlene smiled anxiously hoping her cousin would accept that and not push the issue any further, especially if her mother came back into the room to hear the conversation. Starlene hated lying, she rarely did it. Her mother ingrained in her that you never keep secrets from family. If you can't trust your family than who could you trust? But in this case, she lied because it would be a stupid discussion to get into but also awkward. How does a child bring up the fact that they are confused on why their mother breastfed their siblings but not them? That's a door to a conversation Starlene would like to avoid at all cost. But she also did want to know why it seemed that certain things she has noticed haven't been adding up. Like old photos of her that claim to have existed but yet were seemingly destroyed, or how Ada talked about the Romani magic running in the family or being drawn to the family. Starlene felt like she was becoming an outsider in her own family, in her own home. Why was she feeling like this? What was going on with her?

"Star!" Ada used a sharper slightly louder tone.

"Huh?" Starlene jumped.

"I lost ya again. Are you sure you're okay?" Ada was now growing more curious and concerned for the young girl.

"I'm fine. Sorry. I think I need to take a break from this book, it clearly is influencing my imagination to run a little more wild than it should." Starlene got up and put the book in her bag. It had been repaired by Polly after it got a little beat up from the commotion with Campbell and Jones.

"What's going on in here?" Polly asked as she entered a room with a cup of tea. "Why ya yellin' at Starlene, Ada?"

Ada looked over at Starlene who looked at her with pleading eyes. Starlene knew Ada wasn't buying the book excuse, it honestly wasn't a great one, but Starlene hoped her cousin wouldn't start up anything, especially now.

"Star was zoning out while we were talking, Pol. I
think she's just tired and anxious about today."

Starlene took a quiet sigh of relief. She was thankful Ada didn't press the issue any further, or get her mother involved.

"Starlene, why don't you lay down on the couch. I'll get ya cover and you can take a nap, hm?" Polly put her tea cup down on the table next to her and got up.

"No, mum. It's okay. Really. I should stay awake just incase anything happens. I'll be fine. Thank you, though."

Polly look at her daughter who gave her a soft smile to reassure her that she was fine. "As long as your sure. If you change ya mind, let me know. I'll go fetch a blanket it's not a problem, my love."

"Thank you mum, really. But, I promise, I'm okay."

Polly Gray was many things but she certainly wasn't a fool. She knew something was off with her daughter, any mother knows when there's something wrong with their child. Starlene has been becoming more withdrawn where she would spend extra time at school tutoring some of her fellow classmates and finding more chores to do around the house rather than the usual ones that she already does. Granted, Polly had been busy trying to juggle all the trouble that the boys have been getting into along with trying to get her niece to return to the family. Once all of the craziness of today was over she planned on spending more time with Star. The older Gray woman felt guilty that she hadn't been trying to make an effort to be there for her own child more and she wondered if that's why Star had been secluding herself lately. Whatever it was that was causing Star to retreat away Polly planned on putting an end to it and making sure that her daughter was the main focus once again. The family would have to learn to manage the messes they make without her, not completely because she would never abandon her family but she didn't need to be there to put out every single fire. The boys are grown now and can manage themselves. If they can survive fighting in the war they can survive the battles that they create themselves. Moving forward Starlene would be Polly's first priority. She had two children taken from her she wasn't about to lose another by them retreating away.

Polly and Ada chatted a bit while Starlene was preoccupied taking care of Karl for her cousin that way the young mother could finally get a break. All was calm until Tommy came barging into the room.

Everything happened so fast. Tommy was going on about how they had been done over and that the Lees wouldn't get there in time to help battle Billy Kimbers men. They were extremely out numbered. Polly realized Grace, the barmaid Tommy had fallen head over heels for, had not only been told the plan but betrayed Tommy's trust and told their enemies everything. Polly originally was going to take Starlene with her to the Garrison to confront Grace, but figured she would be safer going with Ada and Karl. Starlene was running around gathering everything up while her cousins and mother talked. As quickly as Tommy came rushing in he immediately was leaving once again. Ada grabbed her stuff and her son while Polly grabbed her coat.

"Mum, please be careful." Starlene spoke as they walked by Polly who was holding the door open for her niece who's arms were full.

"I'll be fine Star. Go with Ada. We'll come get you when it's safe."

Starlene nodded and followed her cousin out of the house, both heading towards their locations. Little did they know that someone was lurking in the shadows waiting for a moment like this to happen.

"Ya sure about this boss?" A man with a raspy voice whispered as they watched Ada, Karl, and Starlene wandered down the street.

"I am. When the young girl is alone, we take her."

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