WITHOUT

A Match Was Lit.

It was hard going in the beginning, she often woke up drained. Ma had told her a few times (Every now and then) the "flu" was doing the rounds..."Best eat well, drink every last drop of that green tea I made ya. Don't! Whatever ya do, don't throw your morning meal out! I don't have wasteful children within my house!.." Clark's ma gave her a small slap for good measure. She stared right at Clark a minute, her daughter looked thin and miserable.

It broke her in way, she knew too well...But, her precious daughter needed "strength". Clark would get through this. Clark's ma prayed everyday for that one single request.

Clark kept touching her now very hollow stomach, she'd stop herself.....Shake her head.

Sometimes she would look out the window, loose herself in a thought, she was happy in her thoughts (She really couldn't say why. She just was) Clark didn't see her friends very often now, maybe it was because there was work, or training....Or far better things that needed to be done. Adult-important things. Either way - Clark was now required to take her place!

•••|<|>|•••

Olive thought Ethan cried too much. Was this normal?      The nurses at the community centres assure her, that was a good sign.

"Baby needs to exercise his lungs.   It is a healthy sign!.."

Olive didn't completely agree, her mother told her - "The child is simply being naughty.   Teach him to behave..." Olive would look at Ethan for hours, he didn't have any of her in him, he looked like he might belong to her husband (Perhaps? Maybe? If Ethan was sitting outside, by a red rose brush?) Olive often found herself doubting Ethan was her child.

The nurses at the Christian Women's Centre always assured her - "All new mother's feel lost, unsure. Being a mother is all new!.." Olive was encouraged to join a "New Mother's Group". That would help, and answer all her questions! Ethan never tried to be difficult, it just happened. Grandma disciplined him a lot.....Especially more so after a visit to a park.

He'd been made to promise, if he was allowed to play with the others (And, not cause problems)...He could join them on the play ground. The play-ground area was close to a forest clearing - Ethan saw a bird, he had to get a better look (It was only going to be for a minute)

Ethan walked right into the centre of another forest clearing, he sat on a log (And suddenly felt happy) The happiest he'd ever been in a while. A young girl used to come to this forest, he could hear her singing in the tree branches. Her finger-tips touched him through the rays of sunlight. He could feel her, as the air changed around him. Ethan suddenly felt a deep longing for his mother.

(His real mother)

Not Olive. Olive kept saying he was "loved", she was doing what all good parents do - But, his grandmother kept telling Olive to be firmer, less weak with Ethan. Grandma thought Ethan was adopted, and Olive and Jack were lying to her about Ethan being her grandson! She couldn't prove it, she just felt it in her bones.

It was after his visit to the forest - Ethan was enrolled at a boarding school, the first of two.

GreenWood State - They had Christian values. Then, later to St Realms....Their claim was to have good christian values too!

While small, Ethan thought kindly of the person who he considered to be his real mother, but sadly as he got a little older - His true mother turned into an image of a heartless woman who had tossed him away to live with fake people.   If she had truly cared any thing about him, she would have returned and just put him out of his misery!