Chapter 4 Sister Pamela’S Pov

• Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into…
• It was the eve of Christmas, a year after I had rescued Annabel and brought her
• with me to Beetville Town.
• I walked into the hall and met her standing by the window
• beside her bed space while the other kids were going about their businesses.
• She glared menacingly into the open space completely oblivious of her
• environment.
• “Hey, Annabel” I called out to her.
• “Sister Pamela” she exclaimed.
• She smiled at me and was surprised to see me in the room.
• “So have you got your things ready, Mr. and Mrs. Stake is
• waiting to take you with them,” I asked.
• She murmured some inaudible words and shifted her gaze to the
• open space through the window.
• “Come on, Annabel, not the window again. Please leave there
• and bring your bag” I said.
• “But it is a year today, right, and he is supposed to come
• for me. I am waiting for him to come and get me. If I don’t remain by the
• window, he might not see me when he arrives” she responded.
• Her words pierced my soul and I understood exactly how she
• felt. The other kids felt differently, and they started to laugh at her.
• “She is waiting by the window for her prince charming to come
• and rescue her” one of the kids, Lily laughed.
• “No, she is sleeping beauty and her prince charming would
• soon be here to rescue her” another called Stephanie said and joined in
• laughing.
• “But, Stephanie, I thought sleeping beauty was supposed to be
• sleeping?” a much younger kid, Tina, asked.
• “Don’t listen to them, Tina, they are just been naughty and
• that is not the right way to act when one of you is down. Now, Lily and
• Stephanie, you have to apologize to Annabel” I reprimanded them.
• “We are sorry, Annabel” they chorused.
• “But Rich is family, why has he not come for me?” Annabel
• asked while ignoring the other girls.
• “You see, Annabel, I have gone over there several times but I
• could not find anything on Rich in the whole of Everestland. The report I got
• could not lead me to Rich. I wish I have more information about Rich. Don’t
• worry, I know you will meet him someday” I explained.
• I have gone in search of Rich or any other relations of hers,
• but my attempts have proven abortive. I could only hope that someday, she will
• find him.
• “Okay, sister” Annabel replied.
• “Now, you drag your bag along and follow me” I instructed.
• “But must I go with them?” she asked.
• “Yes, Annabel. You are going to spend the Christmas holidays
• with them. I already informed you before now, didn’t I?” I responded.
• She grumbled a little and I moved closer to her and placed my
• hand on her shoulder. “See, Annabel, they are good people. And I know you will
• love their kid” I said.
• Her face brightened. “Do they have a daughter?” she asked
• with eyes wide open.
• “Yes. A girl just your age” I replied.
• “And are they going to adopt me? You promise to come for me
• once Rich comes, right?” she asked.
• “No, they will not adopt you. I already told you that you are
• going to remain with me here until you come of age. And yes if Rich should come
• for you, I will hand you over to him” I responded.
• Here at the orphanage, we are willing to give up the kids for
• adoption in good homes. But that is not the case with Annabel. Her father had
• given us enough money to take proper care of her without giving her up for
• adoption and so we intend to have her with us until one of her own comes for
• her or she decides to leave by the time she comes of age. Until then, we are
• going to give her the best.
• “I am going to miss you, Sister Pamela” she hugged me and
• went over to her bedside and took her small luggage.
• “It is going to be for barely two weeks, Annabel,” I said.
• A tear dropped from my eyes and I quickly wiped it off. I am
• not supposed to be seen doing this, let alone being seen by the kids. We have
• to act strong in front of them and make them believe that moving to a new place
• or home was an essential part of existence.
• But then, this would be the first time that Annabel will be
• leaving me since after that fateful day and I am beginning to get cranky over
• it.
• The mother superior, Sister Catherine was the person that
• came up with the idea of Annabel going for a holiday at a foster home. I wanted
• to kick against the idea, but she explained that living a normal family life
• might be just what Annabel needed to stop her endless wait for Rich.
• I share this bond with Annabel, a kind that I have never
• shared with any other child before. She was handed to me by her dying father. I
• had been there at her most dreaded moment and so I feel I share a part of her
• pain.
• With Annabel, I feel like a mother. I feel as if I had
• carried a child in my womb for nine months and that child is Annabel. These two
• weeks would most likely be the longest in my life.
• “Is she ready to go now?” a voice asked beside me.
• I looked by my side and saw mother superior standing beside
• me.
• “Oh mother, for how long have you been here?” I asked.
• “Long enough to tell you that I know just how you feel,
• sister Pamela” she replied. “Don’t worry, before you know it, she will be back
• here with you”
• “Thank you, mother, I never imagined that I was going to get
• this emotional. I have had others leave too before now” I said.
• “Yes, dear, but it is never the same with Annabel” she
• replied.
• “Mother, I am ready to leave” Annabel exclaimed as she saw
• Mother superior standing beside me.
• She dragged her luggage along. “See, Sister Pamela already
• told me that Mr. and Mrs. Stake are very nice people and also that they have a
• lovely daughter that is just my age” Annabel announced.
• “Yes they are nice people and I know you will enjoy Christmas
• with them. Remember all Sister Pamela taught you and be a good girl” mother
• superior advised.
• “I will, mother” Annabel replied.
• I collected her luggage from her and she went to say goodbye
• to her friends with a warm hug.
• “Goodbye, Lily, Stephanie, and Tina. I am going to miss you
• all. But don’t worry I promise to bring along a Christmas present for you all
• when I return” she said.
• “We will miss you too” they replied.
• When she was done with the exchanges of pleasantries, we
• walked out of the hall leaving the other kids.