Stay True

Chapter 1

"What?" she exploded. "How could you not have told me this sooner?"

Clara's poor parents-foster parents, she reminded herself-were wringing their hands and looking down at their toes. Mother – Margaret - spoke for both of them. "Well, dear, we- that is to say, we-"     

Clara cut her off. "You what? You would have told me eventually, I suppose, but how could you have let it wait so long? I have been living in your house and thinking I was your daughter since I was born! Why didn't you tell me when I was ten? Thirteen? Did you think I could not handle it? Well guess what! I am eighteen now! EIGHTEEN!" She was yelling, but honestly! It was ridiculous. "I always thought I was one of yours! I always thought-" Her voice broke as the shock wore off, and all that was left was pain. Lots of pain. She collapsed where she had been standing, sobbing uncontrollably into her hands.

Margaret and Gus seemed to want to comfort her, but at the last second pulled away. Thank you, Clara thought, unable to speak yet. Thank you for not making this whole ordeal worse. She took deep breaths, trying to steady herself. Clara knew she had to calm down. These people did not deserve this. They had taken her in, raised her, fed her, allowed her to stay with them. She may have been upset, but it was horribly unfair to take out her feelings of betrayal on them, even if it was their fault. Clara wasn't really angry at them as people, anyway. She was angry about one bad action that was far outweighed by so many good ones in the past. She could forgive them, even though it stung.

When her tears had finally subsided, she stood back up shakily and said, her voice carefully controlled, "I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have gotten so angry."

     The parents looked at each other quickly, and then back at their girl. Clara was surprised that they had waited so long for her to pull herself back together. Margaret broke the uncomfortable silence. "I thought about what you said, dear, and I think you're right. We should not have let it sit for so long. Your reaction, although unexpected, was rational. We apologize." She glanced at Gus for reassurance, and he nodded. Inside her head, Clara laughed bitterly. Gus always was a man of few words.

     Clara walked back inside the house. All of her siblings-well, foster siblings-looked up at her. Her two s-foster sisters took one look at her puffy, red, tearstained cheeks and instantly took her to the washbasin to clean her up.

       They had just finished clearing the dishes when Clara heard a cry. She looked up in alarm at her entire family. They were going about their duties, completely ordinarily. Oh! Realization hit her. She carefully focused her mind.

       Clara! I think it's coming!

       Lady! Clara knew it was her horse asking for help. The sound that Lady made in Clara's thoughts was a warm, calming sort of voice, the way Clara would imagine Lady would sound if she were human. To Lady, Clara probably sounded like a horse. She wasn't exactly sure how the whole thing worked, but all of the horses had very deep, smooth voices. Comforting, like their presence. Most humans can feel that even without being able to understand them.

       Do not worry, Lady. I am coming.

       "I think Lady's having her baby right now, does anyone mind if I leave?" Clara said it all very quickly. She only got dirty looks from her foster brothers, who would have to wash the dishes two nights in a row.

       Her foster sisters squealed in delight.

"Ooh!" Marie exclaimed. "A baby horse!"

"Have fun, Clara! You're so lucky!" Lydia added.

"I wish I got along with the horses as well as you do," said Nathan.