Beaten

Chapter 5

" Can you find a birth certificate for me? " I asked one of Christie's coworkers.
" I'm gonna regret this aren't i? " Crystal sighed " Does Christie know? "
" She has been talking to me about my birth parents... So... Well... I just want it know who they are " I pleaded.
" Fine, what's your full name? " Crystal asked, her hands hovering over the keyboard keys.
I took a deep breath, knowing that the name I was given wasn't the one my real parents gave me, even if they never named me, Christie said that my mom had a pretty good idea of what she wanted my name to be, and Christie took her advice.
My real last name, I don't know, of course it is my dad's, and my middle name I share with my real mom, which keeps me close to her, knowing that I have the same middle name.
" Lacelyn Marie Star " I gasped.
" Star, isn't your biological last name though right? " crystal looked back up at me.
" No, but maybe my adoption records will come up " I felt tears swelling up, but I wouldn't let myself cry.
" Here it is... Christie and Michael Star, adopted one of the Banning Babies " Crystal started but realized the mystery was solved.
" Banning babies? Adopted one? " I asked in shock.
" There is so more though " I ran out before Crystal could say anymore.
All I could think about was that article.
I had a twin, that was adopted into another family.
My father was Mr. Banning for sure now.
I could already see my brown eyes in his.
But one question still remained unanswered... Wait two questions.
Who was my twin?
And who is my real mommy?

I hate snow.
But in Minnesota, that's what you live for. The cold.
I waited with Chloe, Haley, and Kendra, at Walmart in town, for Michael, my adoption dad, to pick us up, and meet Jane and Nikki, later.
It was around 7:00, and getting dark, we were one of the only people in the lot.
Haley kept telling us that she had a bad feeling, which just made us more nervous.
" I'm gonna run to the restroom, K? " Chloe got up.
The parking lights, were the only light we had left, the snow was getting slushy so it was warmer outside, but not warm enough.
" Maybe I should go with you " Kendra stood up too.
" No, I'm fine " Chloe started to walk.
Chloe disappeared into the dark.
10 minutes went by without Chloe.
" Ok, I've had enough, let's find her " Haley jumped up.
" I'll stay and wait for your dad " Kendra sighed.
" Ok, Haley and I are gonna run in for Chloe " I told Kendra we we walked off.
We walked to the other side of Walmart where the doors were open.
Just before we walked in, something caught in the snow bank below the ledge.
" Haley, wait " I put my hand up to Haley.
" What? " Haley asked.
" Call me crazy, but that looks like Chloe's purse " I pointed down the ledge to a pink purse sticking out of the snow bank.
" Your crazy " I glared at Haley and she shrugged " Force of habit "
" It's not just a purse " Haley squatted down and looked closer.
Tiny blood droplets littered the white snow.
One more thing stuck out, it almost looked like fingers, white and black fingers, sticking out of the snow.
I didn't even wanna think about the possibilities.
I looked farther over the ledge.
That's when I saw her face, a black and white, stiff face.
" No! No no no no no " I panicked, scaring Haley, I darted down the ledge.
" CHLOE! " Haley shrieked from above me.
I plunged into the snow bank, in search for Chloe, suddenly Haley went silent and I couldn't see her anymore.
With a few sweeps of my hand, I unburied a black and white body.
Right away I knew it was Chloe.
She was stiffen and blackened from frostbite, she was gone.
Before I even had a chance to scream or cry, a hand scooped over my mouth.
A sticky, sickly smelling cloth covered my mouth, in a split second I fell over, losing consciousness.

Miss B's POV

Carter had been gone for over an hour.
I was so scared he was going to show up suddenly.
Ive gotten pretty good at hiding the pregnancy from him, but it wouldn't last much longer.
The baby bump I had was starting to bulge out of my clothes a lot now, maybe he thinks I'm just eating a lot.
The pregnancy symptoms were starting to take their grasp on me.
I had, so far, a little bit of morning sickness, weird cravings, and I was always tired.
It was now becoming 8:30, the house was dark, but I felt much more than alone.
The hot water of the shower poured down on me, it stung my skin, but I didn't care.
I stared down at my stomach, I was about half way through the pregnancy, 20 weeks, or 5 months, soon my belly would be pretty hard to hide.
Maybe Carter would think the baby was his.... We've slept together before, but I was on a pill. And the DNA showed it was Eric's baby, I was carrying.
Clash! Something crashed downstairs.
I began to cry.
I slid down to the floor of the shower, clutching my knees to my chest, careful not to squish my belly to much.
Reaching up to turn off the shower, I heard footsteps getting closer.
I twitched, waiting for him to slam the bathroom door open.
Rocking back and forth, i listened for him, but all I could hear was my pounding heart in my chest.
There was another heartbeat. My baby's heartbeat matched mine.
I was starting to come to like this little " mistake ".
Tomorrow I had an ultrasound to go to, I was meeting Eric there too, if I could sneak away from Carter.
" Amber? " Carter called from outside the door " Amber? " he asks again.
I grabbed my button up top and slipped it on, along with undergarments, even while I remained soaked.
My long hair froze my back, as I slipped out of the shower, near the open window.
I was so afraid he'd ask about my baby bump.
Deciding then that I could sneak a lie in, I opened the door.
" I have some good news for you " I put on my best smile.
" Oh and what's that? " He grabbed me, pushing himself backwards onto the bed, and swinging me on top of him.
I looked at his hand on my cheek, " Why is there blood on your hands? " I asked, nervously.
" Oh well, I cut myself " He rubbed his hand and stared at me with google eyes.
This side of him was weird, it was almost like he loved me truly at this moment.
Of course not! He never had love for me, this was just his act of love before abuse.
Like most abused women, I protected him, made up excuses for him, and let him hurt me repeatedly.
" So again, what's this good news? " Carter broke the deadening silence.
" Your going to be a dad " I cringed, knowing I was lying, and waited for an answer.
" That's.... Incredible " He stuttered then smiled happily, it was a different reaction than I expected... I expected either anger, or shouting happily.
Well now I felt bad.
He wasn't really gonna be a dad, it wasn't his baby, but I could convince him that it was until the birth....
Carter kissed me, but I pulled away.
" What's wrong? " Carter asked.
" Oh just the baby " I lied.
The baby was kicking, but the reason I didn't want to kiss him, was because I didn't love him.
Carter reached his hand down to touch my small baby bump.
" It's like a whole new world, that there's a baby in there " He smiled for the first time in awhile.
I put my hand on my stomach too.
My baby is in there, and this time things will work out better.... Than 13 years ago.