The Lost and Found

Prologue

The Lost and the Found

12:00 in the afternoon on Tuesday, May 21, 2002, was when my twin brother and I came into this world. We were brown skin and had a full head of curly light brown hair. We both had green eyes and one deep dimple. I had freckles only on my nose but my brother had them everywhere. We had similar features but still looked so different. You would think that we were 2nd cousins. My mom was mixed with German and Black and my dad was mixed with Cuban and Cherokee Indian. So that explained the hair and eyes. My mom had already had our names planned, Dream and Genesis. She named me Dream because she always wanted to name her first daughter Dream because of a book she read. And named my brother Genesis because he was born first. He was the beginning. The first thing my mom did was put on these initial pendants on our neck. It had our birth date and mommy loves you on the backside. No one ever thought that was going to be our first and last gift from our mom. She was very sick when she had us, and she eventually passed from the loss of blood shortly after. Our dad didn't make it to the hospital until my mom died after working long hours that day to support us. When he found out she was dead he grew angry and blamed us for taking his first love away. When we finally got out of the hospital he took us straight to foster care, and we never saw him again after.
A year has passed, and we're still in foster care. Our foster mom, Winnie, was a great person and loved us like we were own her kids. She even signed me up for beauty pageants and made sure I won every single time. At one of the contests, she met a man named Bill Ridges, whose daughter was major competition for me, but they fell in love at first sight. After dating for a year they got married. The problem with Bill was that he only knew how to give love to his 5-year-old daughter Stacy. He didn't like Winnie giving us attention. He always tried to make Stacy be the center of attention. By the time we were three, he warmed up to Genesis and treated him like he was his son but still didn't like me, thinking I was still competition.

Genesis and I never left each other's sides. ALWAYS keeping our matching necklaces on. Where Genesis was I was, where I was Genesis was. Until one day Genesis got really sick, so he was rushed to the doctors by Winnie and I had to stay back with the other kids, so I didn't get sick too. And that day just happened to be the day that a handsome rich man in his thirties came to our house and told Bill he wanted to adopt a kid. Bill was freaking out and asked for a picture. I didn't understand why until Stacy ran into the room screaming Jack Mitchell and ran to give him a big hug. That's when I realized he was the man on the poster in Stacy's room. He was a famous actor. Bill took this chance to get rid of me and led me to meet Jack.
Jack and I instantly clicked and before I knew it, Jack was already signing papers. Bill made sure that Winnie never knew about it, and I was too young to know what was really happening at that time, so nothing was revealed.

6 months later when Bill was at work, a letter came for him. Winnie opened it thinking it was the phone bill and when she read it, she dropped to the floor in shock. It was a date to the court making my adoption final. She knew she couldn't do anything about it because it was too late to back out now and knew it was what best for me. She called all the kids in the foster care to come into the kitchen and told everyone that I will be leaving. Everyone was surprised and confused. Even Stacy started tearing up. Winnie pulled me and Genesis aside and tried to explain that I would be leaving. We didn't understand so we just left hand in hand to finish playing. Later that night when Bill came back from work they had a big argument. All you heard was Winnie screaming and Bill just accusing her of picking favorites. Bill left Winnie crying and walked out of the house and slammed the door to have a smoke break outside.
But then someone called Bill while he was outside. The name on the phone said Dream's new dad. Winnie answered the phone, curious about who was going to be taking me.
" Hello this is Jack," said the person on the line.
" Jack who?" Winnie replied, trying to figure out why his voice sounded so familiar.
" Jack Mitchell ma'am. Are you Bill Ridges's wife, Winnie?".
She ignored his question and immediately asked " THE JACK MITCHELL!".
That's when Bill disposed of his cigarette and ran inside. He looked scared when he saw Winnie talking to Jack on his phone. Winnie glared really hard at Bill and continued her conversation with Jack.
"So you're adopting Dream, Jack?"
"Sí señorita, I thought you were aware"
" Unfortunately not Mr. Mitchell, but I would like to ask you a question"
" Ask away"
" Dream has a fraternal twin brother named Genesis and they're never apart, would you like to adopt him as well?"
" Ms. Winnie as much as I would love to I can not take on two three-year-olds, but I would love for us to keep in touch so they can visit often"
" Mr. Mitchell please-"
"I'm sorry ma'am but I really can't help you. I have to go now".
"Wait, sir! Don't hang-"
"Have a nice evening Ms. Ridges"
"No-"
Beep Beep Beep
Winnie looked up at Bill with tears in her eyes and said," I wanna divorce".

Two weeks passed and it's time to go to court to finalize my adoption. Genesis and I walked hand in hand together and went into a special room for kids. After playing for a while an hour passed and Winnie, Bill, and Jack came into the room together. Winnie's eyes were red and still wet while Bill just acted like nothing just happened. When I looked in his eyes he slowly started to smirk. Winnie bends down to look at me then Genesis. She slowly pulls us in to give us a hug then says,
"Dream you're going bye-bye without your brother".
This time we both understood. Genesis starts bawling his eyes out.
"It's okay Gen Gen I'm not leaving", I say patting his back trying to comfort him. Jack instantly bends down and hugs Genesis.
"I'm sorry little buddy, I'm taking your sister. He said in a comforting voice. I just can't handle the two of you right now."  Jack kept on soothing Genesis and wiping his tears while I was helping Winnie wipe her.
" Where am I going?", I asked Winnie.
Then Jake turns around and says, "I'm going to be your new Daddy."
"Daddy?"

We go back home and Winnie started to pack my stuff.
" Genesis don't go then I don't go, " I said. "I want Genesis."
Winnie looked at me with pity in her eyes and said, "I wish you guys can go together but then your new daddy would be stressed."
I looked into Winnie's eyes and realized this would be goodbye. I started crying and Winnie pulled me in for a hug using soothing words to calm me down.
" I don't want to leave my Bubba, " I whined.
"ill try to have him call you every week how bout that?" she said wiping away my tears.
"Ok."
I straightened up and acted like I wasn't crying so I could be strong for my brother. We went downstairs and said our goodbyes. I hugged Genesis for a very long time Jack had to pull me away. Stacy even gave me a hug and said that she will miss me. but then Bill pulled her back away from me. I started walking out the door and Winnie called out to Jake and said, " make sure she doesn't lose her necklace is her only thing from her mom!"
He nods and we proceed to leave.
Days, weeks, months past but still no call from Winnie or Genesis that's when I knew Bill did something. And he did he deleted Jack's number from his phone and Winnie's phone knowing since he's a famous actor they won't be able to get it again easily. He told her it was a mistake and she ended up kicking him out of the house and divorced him. She gave Stacy the choice if she wanted to stay with her or go back with her dad. She picked her dad and Winnie then went ahead and adopted Genesis hoping we would come and find them one day so we could take him in and we could be a family again.