Searching for Love

Chapter 3

I wake up screaming, my knuckles white from gripping my pillows. "It’s just a dream," I tell myself. But this dream is becoming more realistic with every waking moment. I need to get out. Run. Somewhere. Anywhere but here.

            I hear Cindy knocking on my door. Without an answer she opens it and walks inside. My face in my pillow, I start sobbing as she walks across the room.

"Sweetheart," she says, "I heard you screaming. Is everything okay?" "Do I look okay?!" I snap back. She glances and me with a saddened look. "Well," she says after a long pause, "I'll leave you alone then.”

            As she turns to leave, I see a tear trickle down her cheek.

            Unfortunately, I wake up the next morning: Saturday. At least I don't have to deal with the phonies at school. I roll out of bed, grab a hoodie, throw my hair up in a messy bun, and head downstairs. As much as I don't want to deal with people right now, the smell of fresh coffee and crisp bacon leads me to the kitchen.

            Cindy is slaving over the stove with sweat beading on her forehead. As much as she's a pain, she's the closest thing I'll ever have to a mom and I love her.

"Hey," I say. "I'm really sorry about biting your head off last night."

"Oh honey. I forgive you." She gives me a momma bear hug that only she's good at. "I know you're dealing with a lot of stuff right now. I understand."

            She walks back to the stove and continues talking. "A letter came for you. It's from Westburry." My body tenses up at that name. Westburry Orphanage is where I spent most of my childhood. I prefer to think of it as the next step in my living nightmare.

                     As my stomach rises into my throat, I begin to read the words that are beginning to swarm all over the page:

                DEAR MISS DAWSON,

                WE HAVE RECEIVED WORD FROM YOUR BIOLOGICAL FATHER THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO MEET YOU. WE HAVE SET UP A TIME AND A PLACE TO MEET : EAST 4th STREET AT 4:00 PM ON SATURDY THE 23rd. PLEASE MEET US PROMPTLY AT THIS TIME AS WE WILL BE AWAITING YOUR ARRIVAL. THANK YOU.

               WESTBURRY ORPHANAGE

       

        I choke on my last gulp of orange juice. Cindy looks at me and then at the paper. "What does it say, honey?" "I-it says that Dad wants to...to meet me."