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Complications had come into play, but in the end, another contract had been brought up as soon as they had saw my darling brother’s sweet sleeping face in his basinet, swaddled in a blue blanket. The way the tuft of dark brown hair was sprouting from his head, gave him the appearance of a newborn chicken, and just as oblivious to the world as one.

Mr. and Mrs. Hildman signed the papers, and on that moment I truly relaxed into the idea of being taken home with them, which was exactly what happened. Walking hand in hand with Cynthia, and George’s arm settled around my shoulder warmly. Jake cradled in the nook of her arm, still sound asleep, as if our whole lives hadn’t just changed forever. I smiled, for the first time in a very long time, I hoped it stay permanent on my face.

“Please, more?” Jake begged, hopping up and down restlessly on one foot then switching rapidly to the other. It was getting late and we were just finishing the last of the food that had turned into a late night picnic instead of an afternoon one. Cynthia and George were sitting near us; on the plaid blanket both looking so perfect in comparison to us, gleaming blonde hair and those brilliant blue eyes. I had never gotten used to calling them mom and dad, and probably never would, it was just too weird with them being only thirteen years older than me.

But there was definitely an affection set aside for both of them, for admiring me when I was nothing and loving me when I needed it most. Now almost four years later, we stood on the same lot and home we had come to since the very first day we were taken into their guardianship. Having just turned sixteen only a few weeks ago, I stood even taller than I had when I was twelve, but not tall enough that I towered over everyone. The scar still ran down my neck, telling me that it would never disappear, a forever reminder. But it had faded, just a reminder of my past, something that distinguished who I was and what path I would be taking in my future. My hair had grown out into a luxurious brown, but after my fourteenth birthday, I decided that keeping it short looked best.

“Now Jake, maybe tomorrow honey, its getting late,” Cynthia tried to reason, starting to pack up the last of the food that remained surrounding us.

“But mommy!” he whined, his foot hopping stopping so he could slam a heel into the grass, but the fight was instantly won by me the moment he caught on to my sidelong glance.

The grass felt cool against my bare legs, I had been wearing shorts in the celebration of the beginning of summer and long warm nights. The slight sting of sunburn along my shoulders was now appearing, from all those hours of playing out in the sun with Jake, a never ending source of energy that was combined with that endless imagination of his. I would apply aloe later, but at the moment I was just enjoying the bliss of it.

Noticing the fact that I could feel, the simple fact that I was allowed to stay down on this sphere of an earth just a bit longer so I could have this experience. I felt ashamed and blessed at the same time.

I wanted this day to never end, this perfection to never change. Have it set on an endless rewind that could play in front of my eyes whenever I felt like it, just when my life had finally taken a turn, a turn for the better in fact. I wanted it to stay this way.

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