Fractured

Chapter 1

School finishes for the Jacksonville schools in a week, so I can finally kick my summer into high gear. I have plans to find my real family, but I've run into some issues. My adoptive parents and siblings, my adoptive parents only have one biological child and have adopted their last two, me and a boy named Thomas.

"We've been over this Jessie. You're not going looking for your real family alone." My adoptive father repeated what he'd been saying for the past three weeks.

"Then help me find them! You always tell me to chase my dreams and to make them happen!" I replied.

"Don't use my own words against me, Jessie. I'll help you look during summer break."

"But I don't want to wait till summer!"

I seemed to be getting on his nerves, but he finally agreed to help me look for my family before summer started. As I went to school for the last week, my adopted dad searched for my family while I was at school. It helped that he's a lawyer, since he was able to dig a little deeper into documents that no one else could. On the last day of school, I went straight to my adopted dad's study as soon as I got home.

"Jessie! You're not going to believe this! I found them!" he said as I walked in.

"Really!? All of them!?" I asked in response.

"Well, yes. But..."

"But what?"

"Let me show you."

He led me out to the car, and drove me into town. We pulled up to the town cemetery.

"Dad? What are we doing here?" I asked.

He didn't say anything. All he did was get out of the car, and walk into the cemetery. I followed cautiously. He stopped in front of a headstone. I walked up hesitantly, and looked at the headstone. I read it so many times it felt like I had just read an entire novel.

Forever in our hearts
Jane Miller
1970-2003
Loving daughter and wife
Mother of 5
Until you finally meet your children, may you find comfort in the arms of an angel