Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Chapter 2

ETHAN WHITE

I haven't seen my little sister or mother in years. I left 11 years ago the place I couldn't even call home, and never looked back.

There's a huge age difference between Rachel and I. I'm 31 and she's 16 now. Wow, she's 16 and I haven't seen her since she was 5. Rachel was a surprise baby, and even though it wasn't her fault, she was a surprise no one wanted.

My parents were finished having kids when they had Hayley, they didn't want more and couldn't afford more. My father said if they had anymore he was gone, and so when Rachel came he kept his word, he left.

Rachel drained all of us, most of us were teenagers or in college and she was a baby looking for some attention and love. It wasn't her fault, she was only a baby after all, hut we still blamed her for our father leaving and our mother turning to drugs and alcohol with her new " friends".

Eventually we had enough, and left one after the other, me being the eldest I left first. I couldn't stay in that house anymore. I was 20 years old and felt like a father already.
I mean yeah, I had basically raised Hayley and Caleb but I just couldn't do it anymore.

When I left, I remember Rachel, screaming crying for me to not go. I promised her i would visit all the time and call her all the time, I broke that promise.

We all now live in California, all except Rachel. Rachel and mom still live in Nevada, I just hope they moved to a better apartment then where I grew up.

We live in a nice apartment in a nice area of california. All of my siblings live on the same block, apart from the twins and Caleb who live in college dorms. When I left, I all wanted all of us to stay together so when the others left, I brought them here.

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I turned over in my bed to my beautiful wife, Allie. Allie and I met in college. She was in my business class and we clicked instantly, we've been together ever since.

We've been married 4 years now. We don't have kids but do have a pup called "Luna".

I get up and head to the kitchen to make coffee. It's Sunday today so I'm not working. Usually every Sunday morning all of us meet for brunch at the local cafe, todays no different.

I go to check the mail and notice a letter addressed to 'The guardians of Rachel White'. This baffles me as I'm not Rachels guardian. I open the letter anyway and see its from her school.

The letter says how they can't get in contact with my mother and how Rachel is never in school and has missed 75 out of the 110 days so far this year. I'm shocked at this, why is she missing so much school? and why can't they contact mom?
I need to talk to my siblings about this. I get ready for brunch and bring the letter with me.
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I arrive at brunch with Allie and greet everyone.

I told Allie about the letter this morning and she said I go visit Rachel, I think it's a great idea. Clearly there's something going on if shes missing that much school. Maybe we should have brought her with us.

" Hey Ethan are you ok? You seem a bit off" Stacey asks me as if she can sense that there's something bothering me.

" Em yeah there's something I need to talk to you guys about, em I got a letter this morning about Rachel" I tell them nervously.