Amélia Vassiliev - 27 Days to return

An agonizing memory

   I wake up hearing the girls from the orphanage getting ready. I snuggle deeper into the warm sheets. It's winter.

 "Get up, Amélia, Sister Luci is going to fight with you."

 I let out a grunt of discomfort at the thought of getting up and turn to the other side. I hear the shoes running to line up in a row until Sister Luci arrives.

 "Good morning girls."

"Good morning Sister Luci, with the grace of the Lord we are available to serve" 

I turn to look and see Sister Luci staring at me, I cover my face with the sheet at the same time.

"Amélia, can I know why you're still in bed?"

 "It's so cold, I don't want to leave here." 

"Are you like this because you think you won't be adopted?"

 I remain silent at her question,I don't know if that's really it, I just didn't want to go out today I guess. 

"Hurry up my dear! Let's go girls" 

I sit on the bed for a few minutes until the urge to get up comes. Everyone is in a line waiting for the director to arrive to give the messages and start the coffee.

 "Good morning girls!" 

"Good morning director Reis"

 "as you already understand,We will receive a visit from some couples, I ask you to be confident and friendly and, don't be sad if today is not your day, it means that you will receive something better! Good coffee to all"

We sat down, and I listened to everyone talking about how cool it would be to be adopted today, what their appearance would be like, what their home would be like, whether they would have siblings or not. Not that I'm a pessimist, but,I can't adapt so quickly to new things, it would be really bad if something happened again.

After coffee, the sisters called us to the living room, all the parents were waiting for us, each one introduced themselves by saying their names, hobbies, things they liked and disliked. Each couple went to a room with the girl and her sister to sort out the adoption paperwork, as well as the social worker. I was also chosen by a couple who were a little older than the others.

"So Amelia, do you want to spend the adaptation period with the Karls?” 

I look at the smiling social worker and make a face of discontent. 

“Don’t worry Amelia, you will have a brother and a super cute puppy to keep you company, we really like you, please!"

 "I would like to think about it first"

 "okay Amélia but, know that you will be welcomed in our home if you change idea" 

It was your chance Amelia, I can't believe you did that. Now it's going to take us longer to get out of here. I keep thinking and blaming myself for not having the courage to accept the adoption. I should think about it right at me.

 "Are you okay?" 

"Yes, I am, sister Teresa." 

"If you want to talk, you can call me, okay?" 

I smile and go to my room to change and go to the study room.       Once in bed, I can't sleep again, even after drinking chamomile tea or taking medication, insomnia continues to attack. I was so traumatized that it seems like the car accident happened yesterday. It was a spring Sunday, we were going to grandma's house to celebrate her birthday, the street was still quite slippery.

 "Are you anxious, dear?"

 "Yes, I want to eat a lot of cake today, daddy." 

"Only if I leave some for you"

 I laugh at everything my father says.

 "Honey, slow down, the road is still wet"

 "I'm going but someone back there doesn't seem to be" 

He looks in the rearview mirror and sees a red car speeding along, indicating an accident on the highway. 

"These people really don't respect safety signs."

"No way, my dear." 

On a curve I feel a strong knock on the back of our car, we spin around until we stop on the cliff below. At that moment I don't hear anything and I only open my eyes when I'm on the ambulance stretcher, holding my teddy bear tightly, the sirens, the people in a hurry, I didn't understand any of that, I just thought about closing my eyes and going back to sleep.

(There may be errors in English)