My Life is a Lie - A Rydel Lynch Story

Your New Sister

Chapter Nine

Rydel's POV

When he left her she closed her eyes and cried herself to sleep.

She tried not to think about it as she drifted off to sleep, but her thoughts overpowered her, and before she knew it, she was transported to another room. 

The scene was so simple; a young couple was sat on a pair of matching brown chairs in front of a desk, their hair a sign of how far back she had gone. A small child sat on the woman's lap, holding a stuffed bear in its hands. Across from the desk sat a man in a business suit, his hands folding on the desk in front of him. 

It was silent. No one spoke, not even the baby made a sound. The eerie silence startled her. Then, as if a switch had been turned on, the woman spoke. 

"What do you mean we can't have them both?" she said, her voice questioning. She was facing away from where Rydel stood, so she couldn't see her face. 

"Another family applied before you did. They have already finalized the adoption. The little boy has been sent home with his new parents" the man opposite to them said. He had a slight crease in his brow where a small bead of sweat had formed.

The man beside the woman, who had been so silent until that moment, finally spoke up then. "Why would they separate them?" he asked.

"I am not at liberty to say, but the little girl is still available to adopt. I need to know if you are interested in finalizing the adoption papers." The man in the suit sat back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Could you give us a moment please?" the man asked, facing the woman she believed to be his wife.

"No, that won't be necessary" she replied almost immediately, placing her hand on her husband's leg. She nodded at him. "We would like to finalize the adoption."

The business man smiled, then pulled a stack of papers out of his desk. "Very good, now if you will just sign here, we will get you and your family ready to head home!"

Rydel watched as the couple leaned forward, and one after the other, they signed the papers on the desk. Afraid to move, she stood where she was in the corner, watching from a distance.

The man in the suit gathered the papers together, and placed them in an envelope. He then excused himself, and left through the door behind Rydel. 

Once the door was closed, she turned back to the couple, who were still facing away from her. The baby had been set down off of the mother's lap. She could see now that it was a boy. 

As he stumbled around, she couldn't help but feel a sense of serenity watching him. Still clutching the brown bear, he walked up to a painting that hung on the wall. There was something so familiar about his white blonde hair that made her smile. 

It wasn't until he turned his head to face her that she stopped breathing. There was a reason that he gave her such comfort, such serenity.

She had met him before.

Then the door opened again, and the business man re-entered, this time holding a pink blanket. 

The couple turned around, and for the first time, she got to see their faces. 

She grasped the wall behind her for support. It was them. 

"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Lynch" the man smiled, handing the baby over to the mother.

The dad picked up the little boy, and held him in front of the pink blanket.

Careful not to disrupt the family, Rydel moved to see the scene unfold.

"Riker, meet your new sister" the dad smiled, then looked up at the mother for reassurance. She nodded. "Rydel."

She woke up mid-scream, her face wet from her tears. She sat up on her bed, and wrapped her arms around her knees. 

The torn up pictures still covered her floor, and sitting on the chair in the corner of her room, was the teddy bear from her dream. The same one that her older brother had given her when she was born. 

How had her perfect life been such a lie? How had she been so naive to believe that it was all hers?

She needed to be somewhere else, all she could associate with her room, with her house was the life that she was never meant to live. With every bit of strength that she could muster, she grabbed her phone and walked into her new life.