I'll Be Home for Christmas - Part I

     "This will be your new family." The words from the social worker echoed through her mind. At sixteen years old, she'd been tossed around in the system for so long. Needless to say, her faith in it was shallow. She'd been disappointed too many times to believe that any good set up would come from it. The first two families she had forgotten; she was too young to remember them. The next, she chose to forget; their bitterness had left her heart cold. The last family was decent enough. They were kind and sincere people. However, she never felt as though she belonged there.

"I wonder what this family will be like...?"

     The question plagued her mind ever since she received the notice that she would be leaving. This time, aside from all the wordy legal notices, official documents, et cetera, they sent her what was, in her opinion, nothing short of a treasure. It was a picture; a picture beautifully composed of five bright faces; a loving smile on each one. As much as she was determined to not get her hopes up, she couldn't look at the picture without a soft smile appearing on her face; a wonder in itself. She wondered if she could still smile like they did. She wondered if she might love them as they so clearly loved each other. "Maybe this family will be the one..." Then, in realization of the danger zone she was heading into, she stopped. Whispering into the stale car air, she said: "No... you're not allowed to hope for the best." Turning her head to the window once again, she watched the world pass by.

In a few short hours, hours that would seem like an eternity, Dominique would get her first taste of life in the Carwyn home.