Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Whoever said the Richards had three family members, you were right...until you were wrong.
August 21, 2003 Bronte's 10th Birthday
The little blonde girl jumped through her room, no worries in her mind. Today was her birthday. Nothing could go wrong.
She had on a bright pink t-shirt, with blue jean shorts. Bronte had a pink pin in her shirt that read: IT'S MY BIRTHDAY.
She didn't know what was going to happen, but knew that it would be a good day.
"Mommy! It's my birthday!" Bronte squealed, running up to her mother who had just come out of her room.
Maria Richards laughed at her daughter's happiness, opening her arms to let the girl into a hug. Bronte ran up and Maria scooped her up, lifting her off the ground.
"Oh my gosh, you're getting so big!" Maria smiled. "How old are you now?""
"I'm ten!" Bronte said, holding all ten of her fingers up to show her mom. She wore a toothless grin, and laughed constantly at nothing in particular.
"Wow! You're getting old!" Maria laughed, placing her daughter back on the ground.
Bronte started bouncing around again, just happy to be with her family. They meant the world to her, and to have everyone here together meant everything.
It was early in the morning and she had to take her daughter to school. Bronte was attending Redwood Academy, a school for bright young students.
In all honesty, it was a school for troubled kids, but Bronte didn't know that. She felt smart at her school and was ahead of the other kids. She was a fast learner and picked things up quickly. Most would say it was a good trait for her to have.
"Are you ready for school baby?" Maria asked after she greeted her daughter.
Bronte smiled and nodded, grabbing her blue shark book bag and singing it over her shoulder. She ran into her room, jumping on her bed and cuddling her shark stuffed animal. She closed her eyes and held the animal tightly, worried that it might get stolen when she left.
"Be good, Sharky!" she yelled and scrambled back off her bed and to her mom.
Maria and Bronte Richards walked out the door and headed to the bus. Redwood Academy was not that far from their home, but it was a good twenty minutes. Taking a cab would have been too much money and the bus stopped close enough, so it seemed like the better option.
When the bus stopped in front of the school, Bronte hugged her mother, squeezing the life out of her.
"Bye, Mommy!" she smiled, waving as she walked off the bus.
