(BOOK 1 IN THE FAMILY SERIES)
Featuring Carlton Football Club
She's lived a life in abuse,
She's lost her mother and brother,
And she has nothing but two friends to her name.
Adeline Isobel (surname covered) lives in hell.
That is, until one day...
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(No offence intended or directed at all to the Cordy family) 💘
...
Adeline Isobel Plowman -
"I don't mean to sound at all ungrateful, and I'm very appreciative to be here, but is she...always like that?"
I discreetly look over my shoulder at Zaine's mother, Karen, who's talking down to her husband, Brian, like he doesn't understand what 'get up at 7am for work tomorrow' means.
"Yeah, pretty much. Nothing ever really changes around here" Zaine says, looking back with me. His mother catches him.
"Zaniel, what are you doing? Mind your own business! And Adeline, I have no need for you moping around, bleeding us dry, while you're judging us" Karen says, as she sweeps the floor. Zaine shakes his head.
"I'm sorry. I intend on paying you back when I receive my next payment" I say.
"You mean if" Karen says.
"No, I get paid next...Thursday. I'll give you the entire pay, if you want" I offer.
"Adeline, you need to be living at home to receive benefits. If your parents go telling centrelink you're not at home, you'll lose your payments, and they won't be able to chase you up. Don't forget, your using a different phone number now" Karen says.
"Damn. You're saying I have to go all the way to Geelong for centrelink?" I ask.
"It won't work out. You have no fixed address" Zaine says.
"What do you mean? I'm staying here" I say.
"Only temporarily. Once your parents harass the Curnows enough, they'll probably figure out that you're here, and then we'll all be called back to court. We're trying to avoid that" Zaine says.
"And if they take us to court, surely the court will see that something's going on at home, and that's why I ran to Charlie's last time, and here now" I say.
"And what if the judge is in a bad mood, and orders you to have an abortion again? The last magistrate changed his mind, I don't think it would happen twice consecutively. Look, I know you think the outcome of the court appearance last time was unlucky, but it really is a miracle he changed his mind and let you keep your twins" Zaine says.
"It sucks that I can't even call or text Charlie, just to let him know I'm okay" I say, sitting back. Zaine smiles at me.
"He knows you are, don't worry" he says.
"You told him today at school, didn't you?" I ask.
"Well, yeah. I had to. He's so worried about you, everyone is. Even Jayden has been inundating me with texts to ask how you are. Lucky I came to rescue you. I don't know why, but everyone thought I would know what's happening, even though I hadn't seen you since the court.
