UNLUCKY 13

PART 1

What is karma? How about luck, or fate; even fortune or chance? What exactly do they mean? They are opportunities to try and change what the fates have planned for you. During your life you usually have a bit of both, bad and good karma. There are some who are more lucky than others and have the good outweigh the bad. Others aren't as fortunate. But what if I told you about a third option? One which consist of people who have nothing but bad luck and misfortune, and every choice they make seem to be the wrong one. You would think that this isn't possible. That no matter how unlucky a person can be, that there is no way that there could be only wrong turns, mistake after mistake, no right choices.  Well, I guess that makes me a special exception. For you see, for quite a bit of my young life, everything that could go wrong did. While my life hasn’t completely sucked, most of it has.

    Before I continue, allow me to explain a bit about myself. My story. Not as melodramatic as my beginning, but it will allow me to explain why you probably think that I’m being such a drama queen. My name is Melody Weston. I live in New York. Thank the gods; I have a family who loves me. Now, I know what you're thinking. "Who does this girl think she is? She has a family that loves her, and she's ranting about how her life sucks!" Before those thoughts come to mind, let me continue. This family that loves me is not my biological family. Melody Weston is not even my real name.

    Before I met my parents, Lena and Jeremy Weston, I was in a rundown orphanage in Dublin, Ireland, with no name to speak of. This was the case for two reasons. One- whoever left me at the doorstep of the orphanage did not leave a note or a name. Secondly, the people at the orphanage didn't give enough of a crap to give me a name at all. So they decided instead to call me 923, since I was born September 23, 1993.

    After twelve years of what seemed like one misfortune after another, Lena and Jeremy walked into my life. They are quite the couple. Jeremy is a well known writer who works with several important magazines, and Lena was a model who now works in the fashion industry as a stylist, with the occasional walk down the runway when she can. They have two children, Jamie, a ten year old blond and blue eyed beauty, like her mother; and Eric, a six year old boy who has brown hair, with a dusting of blond, and the greenest eyes. He takes after his father.

   They were on a vacation as a family, and one of the stops on their way through the United Kingdom happened to be the orphanage that I lived at. They told me that they had been looking to adopt, but couldn't seem to find any children who they clicked with. So for them, this vacation had a twofold purpose. They wanted to go on a relaxing family vacation; and also to see if they could include a new addition to the family. So when they came into the orphanage playroom, all eyes were on them. The children as well as our caretakers. All wondering the same thing. Who would be lucky enough to go home with them? I on the other hand, backed into a corner hoping that they wouldn't see me. I would have run out of the room, but the policy was that when any potential parents came, all children had to be present in the room so our potential family could get to know us in an easygoing setting, and to see if we connected. After the last disaster I had with a potential family, I was determined not to let anyone else get hurt. Especially a family with kids that looked to be about my age. So I stayed in my corner in hopes that they wouldn't spot me. 

   At first, I was lucky (sort of), seeing as I was being ignored. However, it was not meant to be. Eric, who was looking around the room, seeing what was fun, as well as breakable, spotted me playing in my corner. He tugged on his mom's dress sleeve and pointed at me. When I picked up my head and saw them coming toward me, I froze in fear. For you see, I don't look all that normal. My hair is quite interesting. I have dark brown and white stripes instead of just one color. My eyes are a cloudy grey, and change according to my mood as well as the weather. I have a light sprinkling of freckles across my nose. So you see, I look odd. (I guess then i had no chance of hiding from a curious, wide eyed six year old.) As they all came over and crowded next to me, I expected the worst.

  "You have very cool hair. I wish I knew people who had hair like that."

  "Better than what other people say about my hair."

   "What do they say?"

I found myself opening up to this charming woman, looking into her crystal green eyes, my cloudy grey ones mirrored right back at me. She had the most melodious voice. I felt as though I had heard a voice similar to hers before, but I couldn't place it. I couldn't help myself, I had to talk more.

  "They say I'm a freak of nature, with weird hair, and funny eyes."

  "I actually think your eyes are marvelous, and your hair quite interesting."

I turned to look at this imposing, yet kind man. His voice had a deep baritone that almost made it sound musical. I found my mouth twitching into a smile, as I looked into his deep set chocolate brown eyes, realizing that he was just as nice as the beautiful woman. 

"Thanks. I guess that's another way you could put it."

"Hahaha. Did you hear this kid? Quick as a whip. How would you like to come home with us?"

At this point, her Eric, and Jaime, who were quietly listening to the exchange, turned to me and smiled.

"It would be nice to have a sister who is close to me in age. Someone to talk to. Plus I like your hair. I think it’s cool, and your eyes are awesome."

(What a kid! Eloquent with manners to spare....)

"Your hair is cool."

"Eric, you baby, don't tug it!"

"It's okay. I mean, he likes it, right? As long as he doesn't pull it out, we're cool."

"So", I turned to look at the man as he spoke up, “what do you think about my offer of coming with us?"

"I don't even know your names, or where you live. I mean, you don't sound like you’re from Ireland."

"True, true. My apologies. My name is Jeremy Weston. This is my lovely wife Lena. These are my two children, Jaime, who is ten years old, and Eric, who is six. We live in Manhattan, which is located in New York. What's your name?"

"I don't have one. They never bothered to name me."

The entire Weston family looked shocked at this proclamation. I just shrugged my shoulders. I didn't understand the big deal.

"Well, that won't do at all. What do they call you when they want you?"

I snorted, “Right, me wanted. If they need me to do something, like chores, they call me by my birth date, 923. Other than things like chores or meals, we are left to our own devices."

"What do you want to be named? I would think that if you were to come home with us that you would need to be called something."

"Well...."

"You can call me Lena sweetie."

"Well Lena, I honestly never thought about that. What do you think?"

"I always thought that if I were to ever have another child, that I would call her Melody."

"Melody....."

"You can have the name, even if you choose not to come with us."

"Well.... The truth is you aren't the first family who tried to take me home. Others have tried, and sent me back after only days."

"Why on earth would they do that?"

"I'm unlucky."

Lena, Jeremy, and Jaime all burst out laughing at my declaration. 

"I'M NOT KIDDING!" 

I closed my eyes, ready to burst into tears. Here I was thinking that I finally may have found a nice family, and they thought my curse was a JOKE! I was so mad.

"Why do you think that?"

I opened my eyes, and looked at Eric, the only one who wasn't at the present moment trying to stifle giggles.

"You believe me?"

At this point the other three had calmed down, and looked at me, somewhat apologetic. 

"Of course he does. He's a brat."

"Jaime, be nice."

"Sorry Mom."

"What my daughter is trying to say is that as a young child, his imagination is quite vivid. What makes you think that you're unlucky?"

"Let's start with the fact that someone ends up breaking a bone by the time the day is done. Dishes crack and break, people slip, and things fall. Liquids land places where they normally wouldn't, and people get stuck. Need I go on?"   

"No." They both looked at me and then at each other. It was as though they were having a silent conversation between themselves. (Great, I lost my self a chance to go home with a good family. However, they had a right to know what they were going to get themselves into if they choose to take me.)  So I waited until they were done with their silent talk to see what they would say.

"We'll take our chances."

"What? Why?"

"Believe it or not, sometimes finding the right home is all it takes for the unlucky ones to become lucky." 

Tears began to stream down my face. I could not believe it. 

"I... I guess I can give it a try." I shot them both a watery grin, nodding my head to show them I consented to this. 

"All right then. Jaime and Eric will stay with you here? Come on Lena, let's fill out the paperwork, and make the necessary arrangements to take our new daughter home."

"Well, sis... Can't wait to show you our home." Jaime looked at me with the biggest smile she had to offer. 

Sis. OUR home. I couldn't believe it. I stood there, shell-shocked, with my two new siblings, when it really hit me. I was going to have a new home. I was determined to make this one last.

 TO BE CONTINUED........