Phoenix Rises

Chapter Eleven Taking Root

There was a story building behind the scenes in all that had happened up to this point. After Lucy died and I found myself comfortable in Christinas home, I had the bright idea that I could go looking for my biological father, Rocky.

"Hello, is this Papa Dave?" I'd ask my elderly paternal grandfather over the phone one evening after tracking down his number.

"Why yes, it is" he replied.

"Well, Papa I'm happy to hear from you for the first time in so long, but I'm afraid I have some bad news. My mother died, and I would desperately like to talk to my father Rocky if he is still around?" I asked.

"I see." He mumbled before continuing, "Well unfortunately Rocky is in the state prison. If you would like I can give you the address and inmate number so that you can write to him. I know that he would be ecstatic to hear from you girls."

So, I took down my father's address and wrote him a letter. A week later I received an envelope, on it was a beautifully drawn hummingbird done in colored pencil, and an endearing letter in which Rocky described how he had broken down crying when he received the news of my mother's death. He had loved her all these years. I continued writing to my father and developing a long-distance relationship with him while all the chaos of my life was unfolding.

As luck would have it, another new development was taking place, just as Anna was about to begin her senior year in high school, Christina had a sudden change of heart. "I'm so sorry. I don't know why I did that" Christina begged Anna and I for forgiveness while the caseworker sat across the dining room table.

"Well Christina, I will consider allowing Anna to be placed back with you, but I do have some reservations about it, because you were so willing to give her away in the first place." The case worker explained.

"I understand" Christina replied, head hanging low in shame.

It was not long after this meeting with the caseworker that child services placed Anna back in the care of Christina. However, just a few months shy of her 18th Birthday, Anna decided that she would come and stay with Danny and I after all. I do not believe Anna did, or ever has been able to forgive Christina for abandoning her.

One evening, Danny and I were lying in bed, preparing to get up and start another shift at the factory.

"I can't do it anymore Phoenix" Danny said to me. We were both reeling from exhaustion.

"I can't either. I'm weak and I am starving" I replied.

We didn't go into work that night and we were immediately fired. Danny assured me not to worry about it, that he would be able to find us more work. I applied to every place of business that I could walk, and Danny found a quick job working construction, but it wasn't enough. We lost our duplex in Hillsboro but were fortunate enough to find a new place in a town about 10 minutes away. A town called Leesburg.

"You are both scheduled to ship out in August" Staff Sargeant Shaw said to us as Danny, Anna, and I all met in his office to sign more paperwork. It was January 2008; Anna was months from graduation and Danny, and I had scheduled our wedding for May of that year. It wouldn't be long before Anna and Danny would be gone, and I was sick to my stomach thinking about what would happen to me.

"Well have Danny drive you down and you can stay with me" Rocky relayed to me.

"That sounds awesome dad! Thank you so much for giving me a place to stay!" I exclaimed. I was relieved.

Anna and I flew down shortly after my father was released from prison, and we had a wonderful time with him back then. He took us to the grocery store and to a water park, so spending Dannys time in boot camp with my father seemed like an ideal idea. So, a month before Danny was headed to ship out, he drove me down to my fathers' house in Lubbock Texas.