More Than Meets The Eye

I can’t believe my mom kept this from me. I’m adopted? She gave me a picture of my real mom. She’s really pretty. My mom told me that she died in an accident a few years ago.

My name is Josie. Today is Halloween and my mom told me that I was adopted. My real mom had told her not to tell me about her until Halloween the year I turn eighteen. She gave her a necklace to give to me as well. It has some weird symbol on it and on the back it says my name and says “Protection.” It also has my birthstone on it. I guess that’s what the word is referring to. They say that my birthstone was used for healing and protection. When she gave me the necklace, I suddenly felt like something was wrong. I felt like the whole world had changed somehow and it was all because of this necklace. I put the necklace on and finished getting ready for school. I tucked the necklace into my shirt so no one would ask questions. I don’t think I’m ready to tell my friends about all of this quite yet.

When I get down stairs, my mom has breakfast made. My older brothers are argueing over who gets the last waffle and my dad is reading the newspaper, as usual.

“Hey, good morning. So, you turned eighteen in January, shouldn’t it be about time for you to move out and get a job?”

“Shouldn’t you have done that three years ago?” My brother Greg and I are really close. I always go to him if I have a problem and he always comes to me. I always joke around with him and say that he needs to get a job, even though everyone knows he can’t. It’s not that he can’t, really, just that my mom won’t let him. A few years ago, before my sixteenth birthday, he was in an accident and now he’s blind. Every time mom tells him he can’t do something because of his disability, he always says “it’s not a disability, it’s an obstacle.” He’s one of those people who think that everything happens for a reason. I am to, but I think he believes it more than I do. He says that no one has an easy life, so why should he. Before the accident he played football and baseball and he also played soccer. Now my mom seldom ever lets him out of the house.

My other brother is the oldest. He just recently graduated from college. He went to law school. He is the smart one of the family and the only that graduated from high school. Greg couldn’t because of the accident. He was in the hospital and they didn’t know he was going to pull through. He missed half the year and thought it would just be easier not to go back.

I was sitting at the table thinking about my brother’s accident when I remembered I had to be at school early for practice. I grabbed my bag and started to walk out the door when I heard my mom say, “Josie, aren’t you going to eat breakfast?”

“Mom, I’m sorry, but I totally forgot I have to be at school early today. I have practice.”

“At least have some bacon.”

“Are you serious? Mom, I’m a vegetarian.”

“Since when?”

“Oh, I don’t, since I was old enough to realize what it actually was. I’ll get something from the cafeteria if that will make you feel better.” She knows I’m a vegetarian, yet she still tries to make me eat meat. I can’t stand the thought of eating all of those poor helpless little animals. Well, cows aren’t really that small, but I still don’t want to eat one.

By the time I got to school, they had already started practicing.

“You’re late.”

“I know Coach Stewart, I forgot all about it. I’m sorry.”

“It won’t happen again, I’m sure.”

“Thank you.” She was always my favorite teacher. With the exception of my choir teacher anyway.

I walked over to where my friends were standing and started talking to them.

“Happy Halloween!” shouted all of my friends. It is our favorite holiday.

“Are you ready for the game next week?”

“Could she be any more pathetic?” I turned to see who Holly was looking at. Of course, it was Tabitha, wearing her “Birthday Princess” sash and a tiara. All of her friends were giving her presents that were professionally wrapped. Every time she would open one she would cover her mouth and gasp.

“She’s such a drama queen.”

“Just forget about her guys. We need to start planning for tonight.”