Part 2
“You call abandonment and the foster system, followed up by a crazy adoption living life?”
“It's all about prospective. Do you love the way you grew up? Probably not, but it's made you who you are, and who you are seems to be amazing. This only adds to the person you've become. You can be mad about it,” he shrugged, “but I think it's pretty great.”
Part 3
Tim turned to back to the bed and reached for his clean shirt while Chloe digested what he had said.
It was true, life is about prospective, she knew this, but she had never been able to appreciate the cards she had been given. But no one could blame her. If they had been abandoned at only two years old by both of their parents, then maybe they could understand. She doubted Tim would ever really get it, but she wanted him to, there was a growing part of her that needed him to.
“So that's it then? I should just be excited about who've I become and whisper a 'thank you' into the night sky? Sound more like a Hallmark movie than real life,” she felt herself growing irritated.
He smirked, “I don't know about whispering into the night sky, but yeah, being appreciative of the life you do have would be a good start.”
“I do appreciate it.”
“Hmmmm,” he said walking over to a bookshelf next to the window. He grabbed a container of crickets and tossed them over to her. “Can you throw Oscar and Harriet about ten of those bugs?”
“What you don't believe me?” she said opening the box gently, she had learn not to rush this or they jump out and go everywhere then they are impossible to find. She opened up the tank where Oscar and Harriet, his two bearded dragons, lived. After dumping a few in, she looked back at him waiting for an answer.
“Why did you move to Kentucky?”
“You know why.”
“I know the reason you tell everyone else, that you wanted a change. You could have gotten a change by moving to a different city in Ohio, you didn't have to come all this way. I want the real reason.”
She felt her heels dig in. Who was this guy? Questioning her life? She was fine, really. But when she dared a glance up to his eyes, her defenses started to wane.
“I was unhappy.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm always unhappy. Because that spark that lives in everyone else's life doesn't exist for me. I don't feel it.”
“Never?”
She looked down at her feet, her chipping toenail polish that she meant to fix, and then looked back at him as he took a step closer.
“Listen to me,” he said lifting her chin. “It's okay that you are unhappy. It's okay that you have felt unhappy your whole life. The question now, is what you are going to do to fix it? It's time you started living.”
She felt the truth of his words tug at her heart. Her whole life she had been a victim. A pawn for foster families to gain more wealth. A gold star for her adopted parents wall. Why else would they choose her at sixteen?
“Where do I start?” she asked.
He scooped her into a tight hug. “I don't know, but I'll help you, if you let me.”
Thanks so much for sharing this story with me! I've really been enjoying this story is going! I would also like to give a big shout out to my son, @thegreatdayne, for giving me an idea for how to use 10 Bugs for Eating...I was lost! Haha For more info about freewrites visit @mariannewest!
Much love,
Stacie D
I love the wisdom in this line. I know several people who need to hear it and think about it!
Thank you! It's advice that I've heard my husbad say 😀 We've taken up the idea that the past is the past and the future is the future. Neither one exists in the present moment where we are.