Mine (Brad Simpson) {IN EDITING}

Chapter 2

The house before us is tall, white and clean. The garden is perfectly trimmed and catered, each flower grown and colourful.

"Is this the right address?" Amy asks for the tenth time as we walk toward the front door.

"Yes, Amy, calm down!" I say, pressing on the door bell.

"Coming!" A high-pitched voice calls from inside the house.

The door swings open, revealing a tall, beautiful, blonde-haired woman wearing an apron and heels. She looks around 40 or 50, the same age as my mother would be. Actually, she looks alot like my mother. I stare for a second, before pulling the piece of paper my mother gave to me so many years ago out of my backpack.

"Hi, um... my mother was Janet Shaw. She told me to find you, and she left this note." I say nervously, handing the kind-looking lady my note with shaking hands. What if she didn't accept us? What if she told us to go back home? What if there wasn't really a person to look after us?

"Janet... I haven't seen her in so long..." The lady looks at me cautiously before taking the note and reading it thoroughly. At each word, her eyes widen further. She gasps and covers her mouth with perfectly-painted fingernails, and I see tears spill over the brims of her eyes.

"Alli... I-I'm so sorry, sweetheart. Come here." The lady opens her arms wide, pulling me into a gentle embrace.

"That's alright. It happened a long time ago. Can... can we stay here?" I ask nervously, pouting into her eyes.

"Of course, darling. Of course, you can stay here as long as you like. And your friend, too." She nods to Amy, gesturing for us to come inside.

"My name is Rachel, by the way. Don't be afraid to call me mum, though." Rachel says kindly, bringing us through her grand house.

The hallways are lined with fancy furniture and professional photos of Rachel's family.

"There's nobody else living in here anymore. My kids have all moved out, and my husband... well he's long gone now." She smiles at us sadly, taking us into the kitchen.

"But I just baked cookies. Would you like some?" She asks, holding out a tray. I'm not particularly hungry, but I'd feel bad saying no.

"Thankyou." I say, taking a biscuit off of the tray. Amy and I bite into ours at the same time, both of our mouths watering in delight.

"It's really good." Amy says after finishing her mouthful.

"I'm glad." Rachel smiles, watching us eat. "I didn't catch your name sweetie?" She asks, gesturing to Amy.

"Amy Josenburg." Amy smiles. She's always been proud of her exotic name.

"Oh my - you're Edward and Stacey's daughter, aren't you?" Rachel gasps, bringing her hand to her mouth.

"Y-yes. I am." I can see Amy's face falling at the mention of her wicked parents, whom she wants to forget.

"I'm so sorry, darling. Janet always told me about how horrible they were, and she never wanted them taking care of you. She loved you like you were her own daughter, Amy." Rachel explains, pulling Amy into a warm embrace. Amy hesitates for a moment, but hugs back. I can see the sad smile growing on her face, and I know this is comforting her.

What Rachel said is true, my mother loved Amy like she was her daughter, but I never saw it until I was older. She loved for Amy to stay over at our house, inviting her almost every second day. We were much too young for sleepovers then, but Amy was a special case. I didn't know it until I was older, but Amy's parents had abused her all her life. They made her think she had done something wrong to deserve the abuse, but once she got older she stopped believing them. She really did have a sad life. My father only abused me when he was angry, before my mother died. I know he did much worse to her then he has ever done to me. But after she was killed, my father began torturing and haunting me. My nightmares continue to this day.

"Thankyou." Amy says, before pulling out of the embrace.

"That's absolutely fine. Your rooms are upstairs, go right up and the first on the left and right are yours. They are almost identical, you can choose which you would like. I'll get the rest of your bags." Rachel explains.

"This.... this is all we have." I say sadly, gesturing to our backpacks.

"Oh..." Rachel says, her gaze pitiful. "Well, that's alright, we will go shopping for clothes tomorrow!" She announces, gesturing for us to climb the stairs.

We both thank her, before walking up the champagne-carpet stairs.

Surely enough, the first bedrooms on the left and right are identical. The only difference is that the view on the left is of the street, and on the right is of the backyard.

"Dibs the left!" I say quickly, running into the room on the left before Amy can take it.

"Oh, I wanted that room!" She whines, laughing.

"At least we have a room." I shrug. "We should be being grateful, not fighting over the view it has." I point out.

"Yeah... okay, you can have that room. I get a view of the gorgeous backyard." Amy agrees snootily, pointing her nose in the air as a joke.

"Okay, Princess Snooty." I tease, shutting my bedroom door as she laughs and shuts hers. I turn around to see the grand room before me.