Alice Academy: Gakuen Alice's American Sister School

Adoption

Aimee's POV

She was beautiful. So beautiful that I found myself wondering how something so beautiful could come from such a horrible event.

I never liked talking about how she came to be, I hadn't told anyone, not even my two young boys knew. They were too young to notice that I was pregnant after it happened.

Even though she was easily the prettiest baby I had ever seen, I hated the sight of her. She reminded me of that horrible night, and I hated her for that. But no matter how much I hated her, I found myself visiting her every day.

"I'm not going back." I promised myself, "Not this time."

It's the same thing I tell myself after I visit her, and I find myself saying that every day, after I go against my will to see her again.

******

"I want anover cookie!" She told me, "Can I haz anover?"

"You've already had two, though!" I laughed, reminding her.

"But I wants anover one." She pouted.

Finally I caved at her adorable face, and gave her another of my chocolate chip cookies I make especially for her. She instantly stopped pouting and squealed with delight as I gave her the last cookie.

"I have to leave now, Stella," I told her, "I've got to go to work now."

"You come back tomorrow, then" she ordered me.

"Sure," I said hesitantly, "tomorrow."

I gave her a kiss on her pink cheeks and ruffled her dark red ringlets. I hugged her slightly chubby three-year-old body and said goodbye.

As soon as I was out the door, though, I started feeling the hatred seep into my body again. 'How dare she tell me come back! I won't, I will never step foot into that place again to see that child!' I chanted this to myself, knowing that when Wednesday comes round, I'll be back here, giving the person I hated most cookies.

*****

As promised, when Wednesday came, I was walking up the steps to the orphanage, a container of cookies under my left arm. When I walked in, I greeted the lady at the desk, Mary, she ran the place, and asked her where Stella was.

"Oh, Darling." She said sympathetically, " didn't you know? Stella is being interviewed by perspective parents. She's not going to be staying here anymore." She had a pitying look on her face that I instantly disliked.

"Where is she?" I asked again.

"She's over in that room," she pointed at a faded, gray, wooden door off to my left, "but they aren't to be interrupted!" she shouted after me, as I made my way over to the door. It didn't matter about her warning, as it were, because the "couple" choose that moment to leave the room.

"Where do we sign?" said the man on the left. He had dark brown, wavy hair that brushed the collar of his white dress shirt. He was a tall man, maybe 6'3", with broad shoulders, his pale lips pulled into a loving smile as he looked down at Stella.

"We absolutely love Stella!" gushed the man on the right. His hair was black and cropped close to his head. She was rail thin and rather short, only about 5'5". He was also smiling, but at Mary rather than the young girl standing between them. They were dressed similarly in black suits.

The man on the right noticed me first, and asked if I was here to adopt a child.

"That's my mommy!" Stella told them, excitedly.

Both of their heads snapped up to look at me. They wore mirror expressions of disbelief.

"But I though she was up for adoption...." The man on the left said, trailing off.

"She is," I said stiffly, "but I visit her every day to make sure she's okay. And Stella," I looked at her pointedly, "I'm not your mother, as I've told you before." I repeated the lie I told her every time I saw her. I said it so many times, wanting it to be true, but knowing it wasn't.

"They're going to take me to a schowl for specal people!" She said, not seeming to have heard what I said.

"Um," I heard Mary say, timidly behind me. Her voice started me as I had forgotten she was there, "here are the papers." She handed them to the man on the left.

"Thank you." He said, looking at me warily.

*****

I had left soon after that, staying long enough to say goodbye to Stella for the last time. I had argued with Mary, saying that she couldn't just give Stella to them. She argued back saying I had left her, anyone who met standards could adopt her.

As soon as I stepped outside, I began to realize how luck I was that these people were adopting her, it meant I didn't have to see her face ever again.

I felt a smile creep up onto my face and decided to go to the store. This news was worth celebrating, even if she was the only one who knew what she was celebrating.