IT WAS THE THIRD DAY IN A ROW THAT THE DAY HAD BEEN COOL AND RAINY, MAKING MARIAH, WHITNEY, LINDSAY, AND LESLEY, THE FOUR ARRINGTON SISTERS, TO STAY IN THE HOUSE.  MARIAH WAS GOING CRAZY AND WANTED TO SCREAM, AS SHE WAS TIRED OF HER THREE YOUNGER SISTERS ALWAYS TAGGING BEHIND HER.  WHAT NINE-YEAR-OLD GIRL WANTED A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD AND A SET OF FIVE-YEAR-OLD TWIN SISTERS TRAILING AFTER THEM WHEREVER THEY WENT?  THEY EVEN FOLLOWED HER TO THE BATHROOM FOR HEAVEN SAKES. 

HER MOTHER, PAM, WAS ALWAYS TELLING HER TO WATCH AFTER HER SISTERS, SO IT FELL ON MARIAH’S YOUNG SHOULDERS TO KEEP HER SISTERS FROM BOTHERING THEIR MOTHER OR WAKING UP THEIR FATHER.  PAM

WAS A WRITER OF SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE BOOKS AND NEEDED TIME ALONE TO WRITE, AND HER FATHER, ERIK, WORKED NIGHTS, AND NEEDED A QUIET HOUSE SO HE COULD SLEEP DURING THE DAY. 

ON THAT RAINY DAY, HER SISTERS WERE BEING A BIGGER PAIN THAN USUAL, ESPECIALLY THE TWINS.  “I HATE ALL OF YOU.  I WISH YOU WOULD JUST GO AWAY AND LEAVE ME ALONE,” SHE SCREAMED AT THEM.  “GO FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO PESTER.”

“MARIAH,” HER MOTHER CALLED OUT ANGRILY, STOMPING INTO THE ROOM.  “WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?”

“I hate being the big sister,” she bellowed.  “I just want to play by myself, but I can’t because I have to watch after these brats,” she screamed pointing at her sisters.  Then she ran into her room and slammed the door. 

A few minutes later, Pam entered her room.  “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Mommy, I’m sorry,” she muttered, fighting against her tears.

“Mariah, one day you may regret hating your sisters.  How would you feel if one day you woke up to find your sisters had been taken away from you?”

“I don’t hate them.  I just don’t want them tagging after me everywhere I go.”

“Your sisters look up to you.  Go apologize to them, then I’ll pop some popcorn and we can play a game together,” she said, brushing the hair out of Mariah’s eyes.

She gave her mother a tight hug.  “I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you too.  Tomorrow, we’ll go school shopping, then go and out to lunch.”

“That sounds like fun.”

The next day was a happy day as the six Arringtons had a rare family outing together.  When they got home, the girls put on their church dresses and her father took a picture of the four Arrington sisters, side by side.  Her mother made duplicates of the picture so each of them could have their own copy.  For Mariah, it was one of the happiest days in her life, but sadly, it was the last family outing for the Arrington family.

A few days later, Mariah realized something was wrong when her father came home early from work.  It wasn’t until after she was in bed, and overheard her parents arguing that she realized her father had lost his job.  When she got up the next morning, and her father wasn’t at the breakfast table, she wondered where he could be.

“Mommy, where’s Daddy?” she asked, thinking maybe he was still in bed.

“He left us to start a new life,” Pam said, refusing to look at her.

Life was hard after that.  The family had to tighten their finances, so all the extras were stopped, as their father still unemployed, couldn’t send them money, and they were living on their mother’s income.

A month had passed since their father leaving them that their life changed once again.  After breakfast that morning, their mother drove them to their elementary school as usually.  Since Lesley was going to the hospital to have her tonsils out, she remained in the car as her three sisters got out.  Pam kissed each of three girls, good-bye, telling each of them she loved them so very much. 

When Mariah she saw the tears in her mother’s eyes, she knew something was wrong, but when she saw her friend Janet; she completely forgot to ask her mother why she was sad, running to join her friend.

* * *

“Mr. Thurn, here are the folders on the new children that have been assigned to us.  I have their suitcases with some of their belongings at my desk.”  Sabrina Minchew told her superior. 

Terrance Thurn asked, wondering if one of these children would be the one, he was looking for. “Tell me about them.” 

“They’re three sisters who recently lost their parents, and don’t have any other living family members.  So very sad knowing they will probably not get placed together.”

“I will do the best I can to find them good homes.  Thank you, Sabrina.  Just set the files in my inbox and I’ll get to them in a minute.” 

Sabrina put the folders down where he’d requested, and then left the room.  She said a little prayer, asking that her boss would find a home that would take all three of the girls.  She went back to her desk, feeling helpless and frustrated in her job.

Terrance picked up the first folder, when he opened it, he saw a picture of four sisters standing side by side.  He was puzzled to why he didn’t have a folder on the fourth child, then quickly frowned, realizing she must have died with her parents.  How sad. 

He moved the picture aside and quickly read the information on her.  Her name was Mariah, and she was the oldest sister at age 9.  Since she wasn’t what he was looking for, he put the folder down on his desk and picked up the second folder.  This sister was seven, still not happy with what he was seeing, he put it down and picked up the third folder. 

As he started reading, a smile covered his face.  The information on her said her name was Lindsay Arrington, she was five years old, and was just the child he’d been searching for.  Recently he and his wife found out she couldn’t have children, wanting a child in their life, he decided to take one of the many children that came through his office.  Tears filled his eyes at the thought soon they would have a daughter, he sat the folder down, picked up the phone, and dialed home.

“Hello?” Margie Thurn answered.

“Honey, I’ve found her,” he said excitedly.  “Her name is Lindsay and she’s five years old.”

“When can you bring her home?”  she asked animatedly, clinching the phone to her ear so she wouldn’t miss anything her husband said.

“I’ll bring her this evening when I come home.”

“Can’t you bring her here sooner?” her voice full of disappointment.

“I wish I could, but she hasn’t collected yet.”

“I’ll get her room prepared so it will be ready for her,” she said excitedly.  “I can’t believe we’re finally going to have a child of our own.”

“Don’t overwhelm her with too many toys.”

She laughed.  “You know me so well.”

Terrance waited for his wife to ask a dozen of questions about the child he would bring home, but she never did.  He was extremely relieved, as he didn’t want to lie to his wife by not telling her that the child had two sisters who needed to be adopted as well.  He knew Margie would have been upset if she had known that and would want the other children as well.  They had decided at the beginning that they wanted just one child, a child who was old enough to start school, but young enough that in time they would forget about their old family.  He took the picture of Lindsay with her sisters out of her file folder and stuck it into the shredder, destroying the last connection of her family. 

After he did that, he returned to second child’s file as she would be perfect for the couple who were looking for a child just about her age.  They only wanted one child as well, knowing they didn’t want to separate siblings, he would be sure not to mention the child’s older sister to them.  He cleared his mind, taking away any guilt he had for what he was about to do to the second sister, then he picked up the phone and dialed the number written down in the folder.

“Hello?”

“Mr. O’Rourke, this is Terrance Thurn at Little Sheppard Home and I have good news for you.  A seven-year little girl who has recently lost her family and needs a home.  Are you interested?”

“When can we see her?” he asked eagerly.

“I’m having someone pick her up from school and she should be here in about an hour.  Will that be soon enough for you?”

“That will be perfect.  We never gave up hope that you would come through for us.  Thank you for doing this for us,” Theo O’Rourke said breathlessly.

“You’re welcome.  I’ll see you in an hour.”  He hung up the phone, with a smile on his face as the O’Rourkes was paying him a great deal of money for the child.

The next transaction wasn’t financially profitable for him, but still had to be done.  He picked the phone back up and dialed another number.

“This is Bianca.  How may I help you?”

“Bianca, this is Terrance Thurn.  I have a special job for you.”

“What are the details?”  Bianca Hurst asked him, knowing it would have something to do with a child who had lost their family

“I have a young girl I need for you to retrieve for me.”

“Give me the child’s name and location,” she said, while in the back of her mind, she was thinking that this would be the last child for her.  It was time for her to start looking for a new job, one that didn’t entail children and their lost families.

Terrance quickly gave her Whitney name and the address of the school.  “I’d like for the child to be here in less than an hour if possible.  She has two sisters at the same school, and I would prefer she doesn’t see either of them.”  He didn’t tell Bianca that the reason he didn’t want Whitney to see her sisters, is because he was going to tell her that both of her sisters were deceased.

“I’ll go get her now, and I’ll do my best that she doesn’t see them.”  She hated the thought that the three sisters would probably never see each other ever again, probably forgetting about even having sisters.

“Thank you.”  He hung up the phone, then picked up the first folder again, opened it up and looked down at her picture.  She was a cute little girl, but because of her age, he felt it would be hard to find someone to adopt her, then checked his files until he found an opening in a foster home.  It wasn’t a perfect place for her, but it would have to do for now.  He picked up the phone and called his assistant. 

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“Yes, Mr. Thurn,” Sabrina responded.

“I need for you to send two people to the school, one to pick up Mariah Arrington and one to get her sister, Lindsay and bring them both here.”

“What about third girl?” she asked.

“I’ve already sent someone to pick her up.”

“Why not have just one person get all three of them?” she asked innocently, not thinking that something shady could be going on regarding these precious children.

“Because this is the way I want this done,” he replied sternly.

“Yes, sir.  I’ll see to it immediately.”  Siblings were usually kept together, so Sabrina couldn’t understand why Mr. Haggard would want the three girls retrieved separately.  Was he planning to separate the girls and send them to different homes?  It wasn’t really any of her business, but she felt something dishonest might be into play here. 

After Terrance finished the call, he phoned the woman at the foster home to inform her that someone would be bringing her another child later today.  The woman seemed extremely too happy about having another child in her care, and he figured she was seeing dollars signs instead of a homeless orphan who needed a home.  He didn’t say anything to her about it, as he was as guilty as she was regarding receiving financial gain for this family’s loss.

Then he called the girls’ school to explain the situation to the principal, telling her that the three girls would be picked up separately.  When he was done with his call, he took the pictures out of the other folders, put one in the two-remaining suitcase and threw the other one away.

* * *

Mariah

Just after lunch, Helen Ackerman, the principal, came to Mariah’s classroom and asked her to come to her office with her.  Once there, she told her that both of her parents had been killed and she was going to live at a special home for children who had lost their families.  Mariah began crying at the loss of two of the people she loved. 

Helen tried to comfort her, but the tears continued.

Finally, Mariah stopped crying.  She was the big sister; it was now her responsibility to take care of her sisters.  Mariah didn’t understand why she wasn’t with her sisters at a time like this, and when asked Mrs. Ackerman, where Lindsey and Whitney were, she said that someone was coming to get them separately, assuming they would be taken to a different foster home.  

Mariah let out a sob at the principal’s words as she’d finally gotten her wish, her sisters were now out of her life.  What made it worse, she wouldn't even get to see her sisters one last time to tell them she loved them. 

A woman came into the room and introduced herself as Terri Thompson, and she was there to take her to her new home.  Mariah told Terri that she wanted to go to her parents’ funeral, but Terri told her that wasn’t possible.  When they arrived at Little Sheppard Home, Terri took her to Terrance’s office and knocked on his door.

“Come in.”

“Mr. Thurn, this is Mariah Arrington.”

“Come in child,” he said pleasantly, then turned to Terri.  “Thank you for bringing her to me.”

“You’re welcome.”  Terri looked over at Mariah.  “I hope things go well for you.”  She nodded at Mariah and then left the room.

“Mariah, I’m Mr. Thurn, I’m sorry that you have to be here.”

“I want to be with my sisters.”  She didn’t understand why she couldn’t be with her sisters, how scared they must be.

“I’m sorry, but that won’t be possible.”

“What about Lesley?  Where is she?”

Mr. Thurn expression turned to one of sadness.  “I’m sorry, but she didn’t survive either.”

Even at age nine, Mariah knew something wasn’t quite right with this situation, as their father hadn’t been living with them.  So why was both her parents and Lesley dead?” 

“You’ll be staying in a foster home until you’re adopted or until you’re eighteen.  I have some of your belongings for you to take with you.”  He handed her a suitcase, telling her it was time for her to leave for her new home. 

When she arrived at what would be her home for the next year, she opened her suitcase, but other than some of her clothes, the only other item in it was the picture of her with her sisters.  Each night she cried herself to sleep, regretting her words to her mother about hating her sisters.

She hated the foster home she was taken to and it never felt like home to her.  She met with several prospected parents during the first few months, but no one wanted her when they desired a baby or younger child. 

When she was ten, Ned and Vera Faber, a middle age couple who didn’t have any other children, adopted her.  They were wonderful parents, but Mariah still missed her own family, especially her sisters.  Her life now was with Ned and Vera, and she forced herself to accept that she would never see her Whitney, Lindsay, and Leslie again.  The years passed, but Mariah never forgot her sisters

* * *

Whitney

Whitney kissed her mother good-bye, then took hold of Lindsay’s hand, and went into the school to take her sister to her classroom.  An hour later, Mrs. Ackerman came into her classroom asking for her, and she instantly knew something wrong by the sad expression on the principal’s face.  Neither of them spoke as they walked down the hall, but once they were in her office, Whitney found out that her parents were gone.  When she asked about her sisters, Mrs. Ackerman just shook her head and told her she was sorry, but she didn’t know anything except that Mariah had already be taken away and someone would be coming by later for Lindsay.

Bianca Hurst came into the room and told her that she was taking her to her back to office.  When they arrived at the office, Bianca took her to Mr. Thurn’s office, stopping at his assistant’s desk. 

“I’ve brought Whitney Arrington to see Mr. Thurn.”

“I’ll tell him that she’s here.”

The next few hours went by quickly for Whitney.  She was introduced to Terrance Thurn, and he explained to her that Theo and Peggy O’Rourke were going to be her new parents.  She wanted to ask about her sisters, but the man made her uncomfortable, unsure why.  She was introduced to Theo and Peggy O’Rourke, then they took her to their home. 

After Whitney was settled in her new room, she asked where her sisters were and when she was going to see them.  It was then that Peggy explained that her sisters were dead.

“I don’t understand.  That isn’t what Mrs. Ackerman told me.  How could Mariah and both of the twins be dead?”

“I don’t know the details.  I only know that all your family was killed,” Peggy told her gently.

“But Lindsay was going to the hospital, and my other two sisters were in class when they took me away.  How could they be dead?” she argued.  “I was told they were being sent to other homes.”

“Whitney, the man at the adoption agency was very hush hush about your situation, but he did tell my husband that all your family was deceased.  I’m sorry this has happened to you, but Theo and I will try to be good parents to you.”

And they were.

* * *

      Lindsay

Mrs. Ackerman came to Lindsay’s classroom and told her that she needed to speak with her.  Why did the principal want to talk to her?  Lindsay was terrified she was going to be punished for something she’d done wrong, but she knew she had been a good girl.

“Lindsay, you aren’t in trouble.  I just need to talk to you without your classmates.”

The two were quiet as they walked to the principal’s office.

“Now sit down in that chair there.”  She pointed to a small chair next to an adult-sized chair, then she sat down next to Lindsay and picked up one of her hands.  “I’m sorry to tell you this, but I’ve bad news for you.”

Lindsay tightened the grip on Mrs. Ackerman’s hand.  “I’m ready,” she responded bravely.

Mrs. Ackerman sadly told Lindsay about the death of her parents, as well as informing her that she would be going to a foster house to live until she was adopted or until she was eighteen.

“What?  Where are Mariah and Whitney?”

“There are already gone to their new homes.”

“I want my mommy,” she cried.

Mrs. Ackerman pulled the five-year-old into her arms.  “I’m so sorry.”  A knock interrupted whatever else she was going to say.  “Come in.”

“I’ve come for the other child,” Sabrina told her.

Lindsay left with the woman she didn’t know, crying at the empty feeling in her chest, as she was distressed over the loss of her family.

When they arrived, Sabrina took her to Terrance’s office.  “You sit right here,” she told her pointing to a chair in front of Terrance’s desk.  “Mr. Thurn wants to talk to you.”

Lindsay just nodded as she sat down in the chair, then watched as the man stood.  Panic filled her as her eyes took in the size of the large man, a man who was so much larger than her father was.  Tears started down her cheeks, petrified of what he was going to do to her.  

He hurried to her side and knelt beside her.  “Please don’t be scared of me.  I’m not going to hurt you.  My wife and I would like for you to come home with us and be our daughter,” he said softly.

“No, I want my mommy and daddy,” she replied tearfully.

He took hold of her hand.  “I’m afraid that isn’t possible.  I’m sorry, but they’re dead.”

“I want to be dead too,” she cried.

“No, you don’t.  You have your whole life ahead of you,” he said, rubbing his hand up and down her back as he tried to comfort her.

“Where are my sisters?  Why can’t I be with them?”

Terrance had to make a quick decision.  Should he tell the child the truth or should he lie to her about the rest of her family?  If she thought her family was gone, would she accept being adopted easier?  He thought she would.  “I’m sorry, but they’re gone too.”  So, another lie was told to one of the sisters.  The child began sobbing and he gently put his arm around her.  “Please say you will come home with me.  My wife and I can’t have children and we so much want a little girl to love.”

“What will happen to be me if I don’t go with you?”

“You’ll be put into a foster home.”

“Is that a bad place?” she asked, staring into the man’s eyes.

“We do the best we can to ensure every child has a good home, but sometimes the foster home is overcrowded, and the child suffers because there aren’t adequate beds or sufficient food to go around.  If you come to live with us, you’ll have your own room, and won’t ever go hungry.”

“I guess I’ll come live with you,” she replied miserably, her heart aching.  She was too young to realize she had been lied to, but even if she had known the truth, at her age, it really wouldn’t have changed her destiny.

“Thank you.  Let’s go get your suitcase and I’ll take you to my home to meet my wife.”

Thirty minutes later, Lindsay was being introduced to Margie Thurn and her new home, and as the years passed, Lindsay slowly forgot about her old family and accepted the new family as her own.

* * *

Lesley

Lesley opened her eyes, her throat hurt, but she had been told that it would be sore for a few days.  She turned her head and when she saw her mother, she smiled.  When she noticed her mother’s heart-wrenching expression on her face, her smile disappeared.  “Mommy, what’s wrong?”

Pam took hold of Lesley’s hand.  “I have some bad news to tell you.”

Lesley’s eyes watered up.  “Am I dying?” she asked, her lip trembling.

Pam forced a smile.  “No sweetheart,” she said, stroking her daughter’s forehead.  “I’m afraid it’s just you and me now.  Your father and sisters are gone.”

“Where did they go?”  Lesley couldn’t understand why her family left without her.

Pam took a deep breath before responding.  “They’re all dead.”

“Dead!” she shrieked, then regretted it as pain ran through her throat.

“I’ve moved us to a two-bedroom apartment across town and you’ll be going to a different school.  Won’t that be exciting?” she asked animatedly.

“I don’t want to go to another school,” she said, pouting as she looked at her mother.

“I don’t care what you want,” her mother screamed. 

Lesley wasn’t used to her mother yelling at her and began to cry. 

Pam pulled her daughter into her arms.  “I’m sorry sweetheart.  Mommy didn’t mean to yell at you.  Things are going to be difficult for us for a while.  We’ll just have to help each other to get use to this new life.”

“Okay, Mommy.”

“That’s my girl,” she replied, relieved that Lesley accepted her lie so easily.

Two days later Lesley when they arrived at their new apartment, her mother showed her new bedroom.  She saw all her toys were there, the room looked almost the same as it had at her old home, except this one didn’t have her sister or her sister’s bed in it. 

“Why don’t you rest until lunch?  If you need me, I’ll be in my bedroom working on the computer.  After lunch, I have some items I need to throw away.”

“I don’t think I could go to sleep, my throat hurts too badly,” she whined.

“I’ll get you your pain pills.” 

Pam left the room, then returned with a glass of water and two pain pills.  She gave them to Lesley and tucked her into bed.  After her mother left, Lesley got out of bed to investigate her new home without her mother watching over her.  While she was in the kitchen, she saw several boxes stacked against the wall.  Curious to what could be in them, she went to the first box and opened it.  Right on top were some pictures of her and her sisters, including her favorite picture of her and Lindsay together. 

Lesley grabbed several of the pictures, closed the box, and then hurried back to her room, quickly closing her door.  She ran to the bed, but before she could reach it, she tripped and the pictures flew into the air, landing on top of her pink bedspread. 

When she looked down at the pictures, she let out a cry, as her favorite picture wasn’t among them, and assumed she must have dropped it on the way to her room.  She was about to go back to look for it, but when she heard her mother outside her room, she quickly gathered the pictures and hid them under her bed.  Then she jumped onto the bed, quickly laying down, and tightly closing her eyes. 

As the pain pill began to take effect, Lesley relaxed and soon was asleep.  When she woke, she ran to find the picture she’d lost, but there wasn’t any sign of it and Lesley figured her mother must have found it and thrown it away.