15 - Home

Clara had been quiet on the plane ride home. She had a lot of things to process. Was she really Carmen Jacobs? Is that going to be good or bad? What does that mean for her and her brothers when they finally find her family? Will they be welcoming?

Of course, she would not abandon her brothers for anyone, she’s spent most of her life with them already, and they would continue to be together. It just meant that, finally, she would have closure. 

She did not remember if she had pictures when she was younger. Not even one with Max and Jeremy as kids. In fact, they were so poor that pictures would get taken only for records and identification. So she had nothing to compare to the photo in that news article. At an age when kids were making memories with their friends, she was already working. 

In her hand, she held the first and only picture she had from when she was 15. It was a photo of Mr. Wong and the guards training at the dojo. It was not a lot to compare to, but she could see a tiny resemblance. Either that or she wanted so badly to belong somewhere that she imagined herself to look like that little girl in the picture. 

When they got home, she showed Max and Jeremy the article, and Max got excited. 

‘This is you, Clara, I’m sure of it. This is how you looked when we were kids. I’m so happy for you’ Max hugged her and dragged Jeremy in for the group hug. 

‘We found your family. But why don’t you seem happy about it?’ Max asked.

‘Are we sure this is really me? What if we’re just guessing because we want this to be me so badly?’ she sighed as she touched her forehead.

‘Don’t be sad Clara, the orphanage probably had a picture when we were kids. We can just swing by tomorrow and ask for it, then everything’s going to be fine,’ Jeremy replied. ‘You’ll see Max is telling you the truth.’ He looks over at Max with eyebrows raised, saying, ‘Bro, you better be right about this.’

She was still worried. Now that they have information about her, it seems surreal.

-=-

The next day Clara got up even before the sun was out in the sky. Exhaustion had her sleeping early the night before, but it seemed that meeting Celine had brought on a new set of night terrors that had her screaming deep into the night. 

Things were more vivid now. Before, her nightmares always came out blurred. The men in the black masks were always taking her, pulling her towards the dark. These dreams scared her the most because she couldn’t go anywhere, and she always felt powerless.

Then there were dreams where they would take Max and/or Jeremy, depending on the day. They allayed these nightmares by having her brothers beside her during the night, and this allowed her to sleep until the morning. 

But now, her dreams showed them taking Celine, and she was there as her ten-year-old self, helpless to do anything. 

There was no cure for her. She tried anything and everything. Shrinks, meds, trials, hypnotherapy, and even meditation. But nothing worked. It would always be a temporary remedy, lasting for a few weeks or months, at best. Then her nightmares would come back as viciously as before. It was as if they had a life of their own and did not want to be suppressed. 

She stopped drinking the meds because it prevented her from thinking rationally or logically. It left her loopy during the day, like a robot being controlled by somebody else.

Her brothers had slept beside her last night to quell her fears. To show her appreciation, she planned to make them a big breakfast. She hoped getting busy with her hands would help dispel some of the anxiety she was feeling, that is, before they got back to the orphanage, where they all met. 

-=-

Clara forgot how beautiful it was out there. It was close enough to the mountains that the kids could take a hike into the woods whenever they wanted to. And the location was far enough from the city that visiting made you feel as if you were going on a vacation somewhere isolated, free from technology and the city’s bustle. In the past 20 years, more houses started sprouting up around the area. But they were lucky enough to have enough sponsors to keep the orphanage where it stood. And with enough enhancements, it became a sanctuary for abused and neglected kids, not just orphans. 

She hired Mr. and Mrs. Powell, Heather's parents, personally to oversee this orphanage. They met at another facility that was now converted to house the teens and young adults. They showed a lot of care and empathy towards the children they had taken in. Their love and kindness made everyone happier and more productive. 

When they took over, they transferred all the previous unhappy, underpaid caretakers to desk jobs or jobs around the farms, somewhere they could be happier. Mrs. Powell made this decision because she found that most of them disliked taking care of the kids. She wanted to keep their distance and interaction with the kids to a minimum until they retired. As replacements, they hired people who had compassion and a more positive outlook on life. To give the kids a better future.

It was Saturday, and Clara thought it was strangely quiet. ‘Where are the kids, Ma? I don’t seem to hear anybody around?’ she asked as they got ushered into the office.

‘Oh, they went out early for a small field trip. One of the local high schools has started this Big brother, Big sister outreach program. And they took the kids out to the amusement park, all expenses paid by the school.’ 

‘Let me tell you, ever since you, Johnson siblings have been active about the orphanages here and the surrounding cities, people just followed suit.’

‘We don’t even need to go around soliciting companies, like you guys used to do. Individuals and sometimes celebrities have come forward to donate and volunteer here themselves. All those other facilities you sponsored have greatly benefitted from that effort and are now thriving. If only we could have more nice people in this world like you guys, then this world would be a better place,’ Mrs. Powell finished.