Published: August 3, 2021

Edited: May 14, 2022

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The day that set my life down the crappiest course the fates could dream up was the day that Mrs. Tiday, the matron, woke my room up very early on the last Monday of July. Of course this got all six of us excited. Waking up early could only mean one thing: there was someone coming who wanted to adopt a child our age! 

Everyone got dressed in the least wrinkled of their three uniforms, determined to impress the parents. As you may have guessed, a room with six five-year old girls was very noisy, and Evelyn, my best friend and bunkmate, had to yell for me to hear her over the giggles and clatters from the other girls as they got ready. 

     "I know the new mommy and daddy will like US the bestest." She called determinedly, yanking a pick through her dark brown hair. Evelyn was biracial, an African American and she had the most beautiful curls ever. Only the caretakers at the orphanage really had no idea how to take care of them so they mostly just sat in a floofy cloud around her face. I nodded my head fervently, waiting for my turn with the hairbrush. 

     "Yes, we will be the goodest girls ever! And they will take us to a home with them!" I added, fussing with my gray pinafore. Evelyn beamed and handed me a wooden hairbrush. Everyone in the orphanage, from the meanest seventeen year old boys to the loudest two year old girls, wanted to be adopted. Not because the orphanage was necessarily bad in anyway, in fact as far as orphanages go, the food was good and the carers kind. The reason everyone wanted to leave was because none of us had ever had a family and from what people told us at school and the things that we read in books, a family was just about the best thing in the entire world. 

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    I had eaten very little of the blueberry oatmeal that was served for breakfast that day (not wanting to spill anything on my clothes) when I heard Melody, one of the Matron's Helpers, calling my room number to put away our dishes and come through to the next room. We followed her into a small waiting room with lots of cushioned chairs and a wicker basket of children's books. Mrs. Tiday was there and she told us to wait here while she went over some things with the new family. She left through a swinging door with a pane of glass on the top that was at the other end of the room. My roommates and I all chose chairs to sit in while we waited anxiously. I sat next to Evelyn and Klara, my two best friends. 

Evelyn was a tall African-American  girl with dark brown ringlets and deep black eyes. Her skin reminded me of coffee with creamer and was smooth as anything. Klara on the other hand was short for five years and had bright red hair with ivy green eyes. Evelyn, the louder of the two, was rambling on about something while Klara stared out the window. I swung my legs back and forth, my mind racing from thing to thing. Would the mom and dad be nice, would I have siblings, would they like me or hate me or pick my friends and leave me behind? I barley noticed when Evelyn was called in to talk to the family or when she came back, talking more than ever. I only snapped out of my thoughts when Mrs. Tiday's voice rang out: 

 "Neridia? Neridia come on in!" I stood up, my legs suddenly shaking. I took a deep breath and walked towards the door. I placed one hand to push it open before pausing and looking back at my friends.

"Wish me good luck!" I told the others. Klara gave me a thumbs up and Evelyn shot me with a finger gun. I giggled and crossed the room. I pushed open the heavy door, and walked inside. 

Mrs. Tiday was behind a big desk and a group of three people sat in chairs. A slim, Asian woman with black hair and red streaks, a man with blonde-gray hair and a girl who looked about my age. She had curly blonde hair that reached down to the middle of her back and big gray eyes that were focused on the picture book that was in her lap.

"You have princess hair!" I exclaimed to the girl. She looked up from her book, a little surprised. "oops..." I said more quietly, glancing at Mrs. Tiday. "Was that rude?" I thought it must be for them to all be looking at me like that. Mrs. Tiday was always telling us to be polite, especially to strangers.

"Who's your favorite princess?" The girl asked me curiously, closing her book and studying me closely. I flounced over to the empty chair near the girl and scooted myself onto it. 

"Ariel," I said matter of factly, "what about you?" The blonde looked at me like I was nuts.

 "That's silly, Ariel doesn't do anything! I like Belle." She said firmly. I shrugged, unconcerned.

"Belle is my SECOND favorite. But Ariel is the first." I assured her. The girl looked me up and down, looking a bit miffed.

"Belle is better, she is smart and brave and doesn't like the big handsome guy." The curly headed girl announced to me. The adults said nothing but looked on with faint amusement at out squabble.

"But Ariel is a MERMAID! She talks to animals and explores the ocean! That's awesome!" I replied, bouncing around in my seat. The fire behind her gray eyes faded slightly, replaced with a dancing light.

"You like the mermaid princess, your name, Neridia means 'mermaid' in Greek." She said happily, "That's funny." I giggled, I hadn't known my name meant mermaid.  

"That is funny! I want you to be my sister!" I decided, turning questioningly to Mrs. Tiday and the parents. Who now looked a bit bemused.

"That sounds nice. I like you, you're fun. I'm Annabeth by the way." Annabeth fired out rapidly, looking excited. I sounded it out in my head. Ann-a-beth. She looked up at her dad. 

"Daddy can we? Can she be my sister, she's the best one!" Annabeth bounced wildly in her seat, her curls bouncing up and down. Her dad chuckled and her mom let out a tinkling laugh.

"We'll see dear, there's more to talk about." The mom said. Annabeth pouted but nodded.

"Okaaaay." She opened back up her book and began to show me the pictures. The adults talked some more about medical obstacles, like my ADHD, and my pineapple allergy. The dad said that Annabeth had ADHD too and that was perfectly manageable. The more they discussed, the more hopeful I became, they really seemed to want me to be part of their family. Finally, I was dismissed to go back to sit. 

"You were in there for foreeeeverrrrr!" Klara whined when I came out, "what were you doing?" I shrugged. 

"The adult's were talking, and the girl, Annabeth, even read to me!" I squealed, wiggling back up into my chair. Both Evelyn and Klara looked shocked. 

"You mean she put away her book?!"

"And actually had a talk with you?!" 

"Yes, we talked about princesses, she likes Belle the bestest." I told them matter of factly. Klara still looked doubtful.

"If you say so Neridia. I didn't really like them anyway..." Klara said quietly. I bugged out my eyes at Klara in disbelief. Evelyn shook her head, her curly hair bouncing  like a sheet of springs.

"You're so weird Klara, they are a awesome family!" Evelyn said disapprovingly, her eyes squinted. I nodded vigorously, agreeing with Evelyn. Klara shrugged in an off hand sort of way. 

We talked for a while longer until Mrs. Tiday came back and dismissed everyone to go back to the room for quiet time. We all filed out of the room, Evelyn, Klara and I towards the back. Just as I was about to close the door behind me, Mrs. Tiday grabbed my arm gently and held me back. 

"Neridia, the Chase's want to adopt you. We still have to go over some paperwork, but I'd like you to go pack." She told me quietly. My heart soared and I squealed in delight. I twirled around on feather light feet.

"Okay, I'll go pack up all my clothings and my toys!" I assured her, racing out of the room and up the stairs. I took a flying leap onto my bed and shoved my face into the pillow. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEE" I screamed into my pillow, kicking my feet. I ripped the small suitcase that was provided by the orphanage from under my bed and threw it open, not the slightest bit bothered by the cloud of dust that plumed up from it. 

"What are you doing?" Evelyn asked rather sourly, her face popping down from the top bunk. I didn't look up from folding up my baby blanket while replying.

"Packing." I said smugly. Evelyn 'humphed' disbelievingly.

"Why are you packing, you might not even get adopted." She reminded me, sounding annoyed. I looked up at her, eyes shining.

"Mrs. Tiday said so! I'm going with the new mommy and daddy and Annabeth!" I revealed while I messily folded my jeans and gray t-shirts, my two other gray dresses and my socks. Finally I threw my underwear on top (next to the noisemaker that helped me sleep) and yanked the zipper shut. By the time I had zipped up the bag all the way and looked up, both Klara and Evelyn were standing behind me. Though Evelyn looked slightly sad she hugged me tight and gave me her favorite hair clip, a set of judicial scales she had gotten from our trip to the courthouse, to remember her by. In return I rushed over to my nightstand drawer and fished out a green crystal I had found outside one day and snapped it in two. I handed one to Klara and one to Evelyn to remind them of my eyes. Klara reached up and pulled her hair ribbon out and handed it to me. 

I snapped the clip into my hair and tied the ribbon clumsily around the handle of my suitcase before looking up and meeting my friends' eyes. I was hugging them both again when I heard my name being called up the stairs. Klara was slightly tearful and Evelyn wasn't looking at me. 

"Bye bye Neridia." Klara whispered sadly, reaching for Evelyn's hand. Evelyn looked affronted and pulled her hand from Klara's grasp.

With some difficulty, I lifted my suitcase off the bed and hurried back downstairs, through the door to the room with chairs. The Chases were waiting there for me, all looking rather happy, even Annabeth. I had to sign a paper with my name, the way I had been taught in preschool and again with a swirly handwriting that was barely legible and had to be guided by Mrs. Tiday. Then my new mommy grabbed my suitcase and my hand and walked us out to their car.

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Word Count: 1857