Chance Encounters

Chapter 1

Two years later....

Evergreen, California

Light peeked through the curtain window shine on my face. I groan as I struggled to wake up.

"Ann!" Someone shouted at her. I mumbled a bit and tried to go back to sleep. "Ann, get up. I know you're awake."

I smiled as I snuggle deeper into my blankets and continued to ignore the speaker as she dozes back to sleep. The door creak open as the intruders struggled to contain their giggles. They jumped on top of me and playfully trying to shake me awake.

"Wake up Ann. Piper, is making pancakes and asking for your help. Everyone is starving for it." A little girl with blond hair with blue eyes shouted happily.

Another little voice then added, "Come on, Ann. We'll be late for school if we don't eat breakfast quickly. I don't want to make the teachers angry because we are late." The other voice belongs to a little boy with carrot hair and green eyes.

Ann laughs as she admitted defeat. "Alright, you little terrors I'm up." They squeal in delight. She shook her head at their nonsense. "Tell Piper I will be down in five." She reached for her glasses and then felt her bladder protest. "Better make that ten. And you two get dress. You still in your PJs." They scurried on out as I headed to the bathroom.

Six minutes later fully refreshed and dressed I headed to the kitchen. I greeted everyone, "Good morning, everyone. Ready for pancakes."

"Pancakes!" They all shouted. I laugh at their response

"Well, nice that you are finally up," Piper said as she continued to mix the batter. She was a lovely willowy tall brunette that I help with, in taking care of the children in the orphanage.

Our home is a large mansion that sat in the middle of a forest. The previous owners were unable to afford to keep the house when they sold it. We were able to purchase it and renovated the entire thing. That again was my fault but better to be safe than sorry.

"Sorry, Piper, but did you have to send Mary and Alex to wake me up," I complain as I put on an apron and started to pour the batter onto the frying pan.

Piper chuckled, "Be glad I didn't send all of them to you."

"Right, I don't want to replace the bed again." The last time all the kids came to wake her up her bed broke under all the pressure and weight.

"Come on, less talking more flipping." She said as she handed her another bowl of batter.

I continued to make the pancakes while on another stove Piper began making eggs and bacon. When they were done they put the plates of food on the table. The kids dug in immediately. I kept an eye on all of them making sure that they all ate some breakfast.

When the last of them finished they began heading to the door. I grabbed my jacket and Mary's jacket. The young six-year-old kept forgetting to take it with her every morning. "Okay, tiny tots, remember to hold your buddies hand and follow me." Five rows followed me as I held Mary's hand in mine. The school wasn't far from their home and they would always walk the few blocks to get there every weekday.

They arrived just five minutes before the bell. They all headed in after they hugged her. She waved them goodbye as they disappeared into the building.

I turned around as I felt someone's eyes on me. I looked around the crowd of parents dropping off their kids for the day. Only one guy was different from the hundreds of people that I saw every day.