Number 12

Chapter 4

Sam’s POV

“There is a letter for you’ Summer said as walked into the kitchen the next morning.

‘Did you read it, Summer?’ I asked.

‘No and please call me Mom’ she said.

‘No fucking way’ I told her.

‘Watch your language Samantha’ she snapped.

I grab a bread and butter knife and hold it to her throat.

‘What did I tell you about calling me Samantha?’ I threaten.

 ‘Hey idiot, don’t do that to my mother’ Jake snapped as I walked out. I waited until I was alone to open the letter.

Dear Samantha

I wish I could have done this earlier. My name is Katherine Evans and I am your mother along with your sister. Your Father and I had an affair when I was the intern at the business he worked and owned. I was eighteen and we decided that I would give you to Helena Jameson to look after. She was a friend of both me and you father. Helena moved out of the state with you and Amy. She had an older boy called George so it was perfect. When I learnt of your family’s accident I tried to get there for the funeral but I was too late. I wanted to be there for my daughter’s funeral but I learnt that there was only one body and that you weren’t there.

I have spent the last eight years looking for you. As there is no reference of you I decided to track your Father. I found him and his address and learnt that he had recently had adopted his daughter and I guessed it was you. I hope that you get this and if you do please meet me on Saturday at Southern Park at Eleven.

Katherine Evans

I sat there for a minute staring at the content of the letter. Today was Saturday so I decided to go out and meet her. My Father and Summer were sitting at the table deep in discussion.

‘Miss come and talk to us’ my Father  said.

‘I’m going out’ I said walking out. Father tried to stop me but I was already running down the street. Once at the park I realised I didn’t know who I was looking for. I looked around and say a middle aged woman wearing a pale pink blouse and navy blue skirt with white pumps.

‘Hi, I’m Sam Anderson’ I said politely, which I don’t do often.

‘Samantha, have a seat. I’m Katherine. Tell me about you.’ she said.

‘I prefer being called Sam. I lived with five boys for the years after the accident until my Father brought me here much to my disgust. I have another half-brother called Jake and I can’t stand him, he reminds me of George who I hate. I play football and I love it’ I said.

‘Well I have to say I don’t like you dress sense’ she said. I looked down. I was wearing torn shorts and a football shirt. My hair hung loose down my back. I looked at her. She looked exactly like my Mom did. She had the emerald eyes and honey hair that I also have.

‘Let’s go shopping and get you some better clothes’ she smiled.

‘If you think that you can come and just change me like that. I saw your face when I said I play football. You remind me of the mothers that force their daughters to be their look alike. I don’t want to be anything you want me to be. I am my own image so unless you want to lose your daughter again I suggest the fact that you fuck off’ I snapped.

‘My Samantha, you really are acting like a boy’ she said. I sprinted out of the park. Katherine called after me but I ignored her. She couldn’t run after me in heels and I am pretty fast. I opened the door to the house and Father and Summer were exactly where left them half an hour ago.

‘Sam let’s have a conversation’ Father said.  

‘Ok. I say I don’t give a shit and you get annoyed so I storm off’ I said.

‘Now let’s do that and I will storm off’ I say walking out. Once in my room I collapsed on the bed. Why did my life have to be so fucking hard? i picked myself up and grabbed the box hidden under my bed. It was dusting and on it was written, memories in my mother’s neat writing. I wasn’t sure who my mother was but I was going with the one that loved me and looked after.

The first thing was her diary. I had read it multiple times. It only had one page used. She had decided that she would start writing a diary the day before the accident.

I don’t really know why I started writing this but it seems like a good thing to do to get my mind of John. Samantha says that writing helps and I think that it does. Richard is taking me and the kids out for dinner tomorrow and I can’t wait.

After reading that I usually tear up but I didn’t that time but I felt like it. After my family died I changed. I escaped and ran as far as I would. A boy found me on the streets and took me home. He was six months older than me. his family took me in and I grew up with five older brothers. My father found me and brought me kicking and screaming here.

When I was eight I loved to dress up. I always wore dresses and skirts but I changed. Especially with five older boys they introduced me to the world of football. Of the boys my best friend was Michael and he was the youngest. He was so jealous when I made the Jaguars team but he made it the next year as a safety. I became a boy.

The next thing was a photo. There was my mother, Helena, stepfather who I love Richard, my twin Amy, my half-brothers George, the older one and Harry and there was also my mother sister Catherine who was 11 years younger but looked the same as Mother. They could have been twins. I heard my phone ring and I picked it up.

‘This is Blake family calling’ a male said.

‘Michael’ I smiled.

‘What number do you live at?’ he asked.

‘Number 12. Why?’ I asked but he had hung up.

I sat back down when I heard the door open. It couldn’t be. I ran up the stairs and there he was.

‘Sam’ he called and I hugged him tightly.

‘Why are you here?’ I asked.

‘I got accept into the Mountain Polar Bears football team and I’m staying with family here’ he said.

‘You are’ I gasped as I lead him downstairs to my room.

‘I’ve missed you so much’ I said.

‘It’s been like two weeks’ he laughed.

‘So’ I teased.

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The Wise One