Dark Daughter

Chapter One

  "The night is more alive and more richly colored than the day." – Vincent van Gogh

My knuckles were white as my hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. Anger and grief pressed down on me as I drove away from the house. How could my birth mother not want to know me? She created me and she had screamed at me before slamming the door in my face. I just didn't understand. My curly red hair was sticking to my cheeks as tears rolled down them. I took a shuddering breath that turned into a racking cough as I tried to concentrate on my gps that was leading me to the only other family I knew of from the adoption records. I hoped with all my heart they would want something to do with me.

I turned down a packed dirt road following it all the way down to a stone house with large windows shaded by two large oak trees. The sight of the two expansive lavender fields made me smile, my grandmother had a lavender farm. I parked the car and took a deep breath before climbing out of my beat up pickup grabbing the file. I stared at the house for a moment before climbing up the wooden steps towards the door. I hesitated with my hand in the air to knock, what if she rejected me like her daughter? Before I could question it anymore I knocked on the door quickly and stepped back to wait. When the door opened i was taken aback by the woman before me. Long silver hair hung around her shoulders, her wrinkled face was warm and welcoming. Russet skin that differed from mine tremendously, but what we did have in common were our eyes, deep brown. She smiled at me gently and I smiled back.

"Can I help you dear?" Her voice wrapped around me like a comforting blanket.

"I think I'm your granddaughter." I blurted out. Damn my word vomit. Her eyes widened in shock as her hand flew to her chest.

"You-you're- oh my goodness!" She pulled me into her arms with tears in her eyes. "oh u-we-tsi-ge-ya, I prayed for the day you would come home."

I didn't know what that word she said was but it felt right in my heart. I hugged her tightly and let the tears run freely down my cheeks.

"Come in, come in!" She pulled me into the house and we settled on the couch and she stared at me for a few moments. "Oh my darling you are radiant. You took after your father with this beautiful hair."

"I tried to find him, but I couldn't." She held my hands in hers as she spoke again.

"Have you spoken to your mother?" Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about what Linda had done when I went to her house. "Oh my. I see. I will not defend her u-we-tsi-ge-ya, but I will tell you that your mother has strayed far from the woman she used to be. When she gave you up she was heartbroken over it, but I'm afraid that the man she has married has her under his thumb. She won't listen to anyone. I will tell you that you have three younger siblings."

I grinned when she said that, I'd always been an only child, knowing I had siblings made my heart swell with joy.

"I hope I can meet them one day, but with the way Linda acted I don't know that I will."

"Only time will tell my darling." She patted my hand as another cough overcame me. "Are you all right?"

"Yes just a cold. My name is Georgia by the way!"

"You can just call me Grandma. My name is Sylvia Redbird though." I smile.

"Redbird, I like that."

"I was just getting ready to go into Tulsa to do some shopping. Would you like to come with me?"

"Yes!" I shrieked throwing my arms around her. She laughed and hugged me tightly.