As I opened one eye I saw the strange movement yet again. It was swift and it disappeared in just less than a beat.
The first time it appeared I had thought I was dreaming but now, my heart started beating faster as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. It always happened the same day and at the same time. Every Saturday at 2 am. I knew it was planned and I was always ready for it. I was never bothered to tell anyone. I knew who it was, all I wanted to know is why.
I didn't know if She knew what she was doing. I didn't care, I just cared about the only question that was ever in my mind right now. Why?
As I swung one leg from out of the bed I saw it again. This time I felt her slide out of the door knowing her time was running out. I padded towards my dresser to find the expected post-it note stuck on my mirror. I unstuck it, and scrunched it up into a ball and went back into bed.
I woke up the next morning with a loud thud. Not again, I thought to myself, how many more times left? My sister Ashleigh just fell of her bed. I couldn't wait until the Christmas holidays when I would be able to sleep in the basement watching movies and eating junk all day and night long.
In unscratched my fist and found the crumpled note in my palm. Once I unflattened it in my desk I read what it said
Not everybody can live a life like yours, be happy with what you have.
It was writen in messy handwriting with the date right in the bottom left hand corner.
18/12/14
The notes had started exactly a week after I had gotten my English homework.
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Miss Lewis was writing the essay title know the board whilst hearing a lot of groans, "seriously?!", "not again?!" and a couple other comments. Each year we had to write the same essay but in more detail. I was just writing it knew planner when the door opened and Mr Butterworth, the head teacher walked. I know, hideous name. "I'd like a word with Kess Ashton, please." As he said those words his dark eyes met mine and a rush of emotions filled my head. I got up and walked towards the door.
As I shut the door firmly behind me I instantly knew he wasnt happy. He gave me a small brown package with my name on it. "I hope this is the last of the surprises I am getting, you are dismissed." I saw the usual smirk plant itself back on his lips as I pouted.
I walked back into class just as the bell rang for the end of school. I quickly collected my stuff and headed outside. I caught up with Holly just as she was about to reach Alice. I hugged her from behind. She squirmed and struggled under my firm grip. "Bye Holly, text me. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" She replied with a smile and twisted around to return the hug. I smiled and walked away.
The journey took 20 minutes in the family car to get home. The whole time I was wondering what was inside the box.
As soon as I stepped into my room I slippedof my jacket and bag not paying attention to Frederick the cat who was on the bed. I threw him of the bed and muttered a "sorry Fred". I opened the package taking care if not ripping the paper in the meantime. It was an album. I opened it to find a envelope flutter to the carpet. I reached down and opened it. The words pricked tears in my eyes.
Dear sister,
Kess, I have finally found you after 13 years of separation. The moment I was born, I sensed your love as you touched me with your gentle hands and refused to let go of my tiny body. The white-uniformed nurse had to pry me away from the one and only American sister I would ever have. You wouldn't let go. All 6 pounds and 2 ounces of me wanted to stay with you, but fate had another plan. Could you hear my cry? After 4 days, we both left the Old Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., but separately.
My name and date of birth was recorded by the Vital Records: Tess Ashley, born Sept. 23, 2000. Twenty-five months later, on Oct. 23, 2002, my rare gift of being descended from the first group of people to accept Christianity would be falsified, hidden, then court-sealed forever. My birth records were falsified! It took one minute for Judge Stedwau Prescott to create a legal official, one which destroyed my connection to my biological sister and mother, forever. The Rockville, Md., Montgomery County Circuit Court, where the finalization of my separation took place, was the center stage. My American blood was deemed null and void. With pen in hand, and then his pounding of the gavel, the paper, complete with the raised gold seal, ended my blood ties to my Mother and sister, forever. I am now Tessa Ashley, said child of David Ashley and Tina G. Letts. His order was sent to the Department of Public Health, Department of Vital Statistics, Washington, D.C., to permanently seal on my original birth certificate. Nearly 5,000 years of recorded American history, gifted to me at birth, was deleted! I only just found out that I was born to people who were originally from the state of Michigan. I wanted you to know this, Sister.
I'm writing to you not our mother because she would blank me out of her life again and I wanted to get to know you first. I found out about you not long ago. I was looking through documents to see which ones I should throw away or not until I came upon your birth certificate. As soon as dad went for his holiday to Spain I booked a flight to England and searched you up on the internet. Right now I am staying in the hotel nearest to you and im leaving 29/12 to go back to America. I wasn't surprised to find out about you but I wasnt expecting you either.
I hope we can meet up and talk things through.
Love,
Tess xxx
Has my mom been lying all these years that the her husband is my father? I never realised how different I looked from my parents up until now. I wanted to meet my sister really badly but I didn't want to face yet another disaster.
I put the letter back into its envelope and gasped. Inside the package was an album with a picture of two babies holding each other. That must be me and Tess. Who else would it be? I eagerly opened it and saw a bundle of letters and documents inside a pocket. I reached for them but mid length, I stopped myself to look at the album first. The first page was lots of pictures of a young women looking in her twenties. She was gorgeous. In one of them she was laughing whilst falling of a table with her head thrown back and one hand sticking out. I looked closely and found that she was wearing make up and her nails were perfectly manicured. But she hates manicures and make up!!! I looked at the other photos and I each one she was in a different place and in different clothes. There was one where she was at a party. All dressed up and looking stunning. The slim red mini skirt made her look nearly unrecognizable. As I looked further in into the album, she got older near the end of it there was a picture of her with a tiny bump. There was a attractive looking guy with his arm thrown a around her shoulders. OMG!!! Is that my dad??? I couldn't believe it.
I quickly looked through the rest of the album to find a post-it note stuck on the end.
The guy in the photographs is our father and the women must be our mother.
Tess xxx
I love you
I couldn't believe those words. She loves me. Great.
