Silent Noise

Chapter 1

10 years later

They brought me back. The fifth family that had adopted me, brought me back to Mr. and Mrs. Harper's Home for Orphans. I mean, it's to be expected, right? No one wants to keep a 16 year old deaf girl. I was standing on the front porch of the huge building with Kathleen and Franklin, the two people who were supposed to give me a safe home. I saw Franklin bang on the door, hoping someone would hurry up and answer it soon. The door opened slightly and I saw a pair of blue eyes peek out from the cracked doorway. My favorite blue eyes, that is.

Jackie's ocean blue eyes and jet black hair could been seen as she opened the door a little wider. I gave her a smile and I saw her eyes light up like stars. She ran up to me and jumped up for me to catch her and hug her. This was our thing when I was here. We called them 'Jump Hugs.'

Because Jackie is only 5 years old, it's hard for her to understand that I can't hear. So she'll continue to talk and I'll have no idea what she is saying unless she is looking straight at me. She also doesn't know how to sign, so she'll talk and I'll have to try and figure out what it is she is trying to say. And because she doesn't understand sign language, I have to talk to her. I don't talk much, but for Jackie, I don't mind.

"How is my favorite girl?" I ask her.

Her lips moved in a way to say, 'I'm good.'

Kathleen tapped my shoulder, so I turned around with Jackie in my arms. Kathleen said "Where are Mr. and Mrs. Harper?"

I couldn't see Jackie's lips moving, so I don't know what she said. But she hopped down and grabbed my hand, leading the way.

As we walked, I took in the familiar scenery. The living room sofa was still in the middle of the room facing the small TV on the wall. The huge leather chair was still in the corner of the room next to the cream colored floor lamp and the wooden bookshelf. The black and white rug was under the coffee table. Mr. and Mrs. Harper still haven't changed anything around the room. The pictures of all of the children are still on the back table near the stairs.

Jackie continued to drag me throughout the house until we came to Mr. Harper's office. She knocked on the door before opening it a few seconds later. Mr. Harper was sitting at his desk, working on his laptop. He looked up and whatever expression was on his face previously was replaced with a fake smile. I watched his lips move and speak to Kathleen and Franklin.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cohan. Tatum. What are you all doing back here? Please, take a seat." Kathleen and Franklin both took the seats in front of Mr. Harper's desk and I sat next to the desk, so I was able to see what they were saying.

Kathleen's mouth started moving. She never sign anything; I mean, it's not like she could. She never attempted to learn.

"Mr. Harper, we cannot deal with Tatum. She is too much of a problem child."'

"How so?" Mr. Harper said and signed. Thank goodness for that. Sometimes he talks way too fast for me to catch what he was saying.

"She never listens to us." Franklin said. Well maybe because I'm deaf, idiot.

Mr. Harper looked towards me and began signing to only me.

'Did we not tell them you're deaf?'

I signed back. 'You told them when they adopted me. I've told them multiple times. But apparently they're the ones who never listen.'

Mr. Harper turned back to them. He said and signed, "We told you when you adopted her that Tatum is deaf. It isn't possible for her to hear anything anymore."

I looked towards Kathleen and Franklin. Franklin's mouth moved again.

"That was never mentioned to us." My mouth hung open in disbelief. Mr. and Mrs. Harper both told them I was deaf. I have told them that I was deaf every time they hit me for not replying to them. I told them that every single time I could. They knew I was deaf. But, they never even tried to figure out a way to communicate with me. Like signing, or looking at me when they talk. Or even writing things down.

Kathleen's mouth moved again. "That's not the only problem with her. She is constantly screaming through the night, she'll randomly pass out or fall over, and she never talks to us."

I was beyond annoyed. They knew my medical history. Was it so hard for them to actually attempt to understand what happened to me?

Mr. Harper looked towards me and started signing something. I just shook my head. I wasn't in the mood to waste my time. He sighed and looked up at Kathleen and Franklin. He said and signed, "So, what brought you back here?"

I looked at Franklin and he started speaking. "We cannot deal with Tatum anymore. If she's going to be difficult, there is no reason we should open our home to her. We tried and she took everything for granted. We could've taken any other child, but we chose her. And look where that got us. Nowhere."

Mr. Harper looked absolutely furious when Franklin said that. I refused to sit in the room any longer if all they were going to do was lie on me and insult me. So I got up and walked out of the room. I walked throughout the house until I was back in the living room. Jackie was sitting on the couch with a couple of the other kids. I saw the TV lights on, so I'm assuming they were watching something that little kids watch now.

Jackie turned around and smiled when she saw me. She jumped off the couch and ran up to hug me again. I crouched down so I was at her level. She gave me a huge hug and then she looked at me again. Her mouth started moving, so I started reading her lips.

"Tatum, are you staying this time?"

I thought about it for a minute. I guess I was staying for good this time. I'm 16 years old and no one wants to adopt a teenager. Everyone goes for the small kids because they're younger and adorable. In a couple years, I'll be 18; a legal adult. Along with that, no one wants a child with problems. If someone wanted a 16 year old child, they would go for one that doesn't need much. Not one who has PTSD. Oh, and who is deaf. That's the cake-topper right there.

I looked Jackie in her ocean blue eyes and replied. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm staying this time. I'm not going anywhere, Jackie."

"YAY!" she said. Then she grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the couch where she previously was. I saw she was sitting with Grant and Brayden, the 9 year old twins and Annalise, who is 8 years old. All three of them turned around and realized I was back. They all waved and got up to hug me.

The thing about all three of them is, they know I'm deaf. Well, they don't know the word 'deaf,' but they know I can't hear. So they don't usually talk to me. They only talk to me if they forget, but then they'd catch themselves and write down whatever they were saying. Brayden knows some sign language, but not enough to have a whole conversation with me.

I sat down on the couch next to Jackie and realized they were watching something on Disney XD called Lab Rats. I paid attention to the show for a little bit until I felt something on my leg. I looked down and realized that what was touching me was actually a who. It was Dominic, or Domi for short. He was about 9 months when I left, and I've only been gone a few months, so I'm assuming he's a year old now.

I slid off of the couch and onto the floor with him. I picked up one of his toys and handed it to him. He began shaking the toy and banging it on the floor. The smile on his face was huge just from banging the toy on the ground. I could feel the floor beneath me bumping with every hit the floor took from Domi's toy. After a while, he handed the toy back to me. I smiled and placed the toy beside me. I pinched his chubby little cheeks and saw his eyes light up.

I felt the floor bump once again, but it was further away. I turned around to see Mr. Harper, Kathleen, and Franklin walking towards the front door. Mr. Harper looked as if he'd had enough of them. Kathleen and Franklin looked at me and gave me looks of disgust. I rolled me eyes in response, then turned back to Domi and continued to play with him.

I could feel the wind from outside as it rushed into the house. I guess Kathleen and Franklin were leaving. I felt the floorboards shake, indicating the door had closed. I turned towards the door and saw Mr. Harper looking at me. He nodded his head in the way of his office. I sighed. Slowly I got up from my position on the floor and walked with him towards his office.

He opened the door and walked around to sit in his chair. I sat down in front of his desk and looked out the window. I looked at the way the branches danced in the wind. I watched as the birds flew through the air and the squirrels played tag along the trunk of the tree. I watched as the sun shines brighter through the clouds and through the window. I watched the trail of sunrays cast a shadow on Mr. Harper's desk. I looked up at his face and saw him staring intently at me.

He signed, 'Let's talk.'