The Great Perhaps

Chapter 1~ The Beginning's just another End.

I'm Allison. I'm 15 years old and I have two younger siblings. My sister is Jessa and she is 8 years old, and our brother is Caden is 9 months old. We went to Nerdfighter gathering in my hometown of Houston. It was a normal day, or so it seemed. I went with Jessa, Caden, our mother Rosalind and her boyfriend Daniel. It wasn't Jessa or I's first gathering, but it was our first gathering with our mom, Daniel and Caden. And, to make the day more special, it was the first gathering we went to where John and Hank Green would be at. We were so excited! Then, the unthinkable happened. As I held Caden in my arms and Jessa's soft, innocent hand with my free hand, our mother and Daniel were killed. Shot by an angry ex of Daniel's, Nora, the crazy woman who hurt Daniel before when they were dating. She was crazy. She had been abused by her parents as a child, and she had gone insane because of it. I don't blame her for her issues, but I don't know what to think when it comes to what she did to our little family. And we were just starting to heal after our father left us. He left completely and allowed Daniel to adopt us. Nora tried to hurt us. She slapped my back, failing to catch me. I ran to get help, Jessa in tow and Caden in my arms, then I bumped into John and Hank, who stopped us. John helped dry Jessa's tears and calm her down, while Hank asked me what had happened out there on the sidewalk. I told him what had happened, and he asked for my name and for my siblings' names. I told him who we were, at that time we were Allison, Jessa and Caden Hindersfield. He saw the tears running down my face like rain from the heavens. He looked at me, dead in the eye, and I could see the genuine concern in his eyes. "Hank, I'm scared. What am I gonna do? I have no other family besides these two angels. Where will we go? Who will love us?" I say though my tears. "You three could always come with us, if the state's ok with that." he replies, comforting my soul with his gentle words and John comforted my little Jessa with his words of kindness and compassion. I hug Hank, thanking him and John for their extraordinary kindness towards us three young orphaned children. "Alli," he says, looking me dead in the eye after the hug that could cure cancer, "you don't need to worry about all of that. As long as I'm around, I will make sure that you, Jessa and Caden are loved and cared for. Okay?" "Okay." I reply as the tears become Hurricane Ike upon my face. He called the police as John comforted a shell-shocked and terrified Jessa. She's been though too much for just 8 years old. She was only 6 when Dad left us after finding out about Caden. He didn't want any more kids, and he left Mom after finding out she was expecting Caden. While comforting an upset Caden, I told Hank why Jessa was the way she was. His face hearing our story told me how it affected him. It hurt him as much as it hurt Jessa. The police came and interviewed us and several other people who saw what happened. John comforted Jessa as she cried and I helped him. See, Jessa has a little Bitty Twin that she got from me for her 8th birthday. She carried that little baby everywhere she went. I handed it to Jessa and John helpped me calm my sweet Jessa dearest. Hank talked to the police about what was going to happen to us, and the news wasn't good unless Hank, Katherine, John and Sarah did something. We had no relatives that could take us, since they lived very far and didn't know our mom had us. So, Hank and John did something no-one had ever done for us three. They decided to take us in. We were so excited. But, we had to go home one last time to collect the little possesions we had. We collected our clothes, my own doll Isabel, our mother's music box that she gave us the day before, saying just in case something happens, 8 books, 4 mine, 4 are Jessa's books, and Caden's blanket. This little blanket with the stars and the moon on it was mine when I was small, then I shared it with Jessa and then it became Caden's favorite cuddle buddy with his stuffed bear Buddy. He really loves that soft brown bear. Buddy is Caden's buddy, so that little bear lives up to his name. I packed the little laptop we had all our pictures and videos on and helped Jessa pack her clothes. She was so distrought and it hurt to see that sweet face tear-stained and afraid. Caden started to get a sense of what was going on as I grabbed the passports Mom had placed on the counter, just in case something happened, that morning. It started to really stick in my mind as I buckle Caden in his carseat, careful to attach Buddy's connection string in case Caden dropped Buddy. He wouldn't sleep without Buddy, so leaving Houston for Indiana was hard for him, Jessa and I. Not gonna lie, leaving home knowing that it isn't your home anymore was hard. But we did it. We got into the car and I helped Jessa in, then buckled Caden's carseat into it's base, once I attached that stubborn base to the seat that is. I climbed in after securing Cadenbug's carseat and we were off. We made it to the airport soon after and while we waited in the line to check in for a flight that had just been scheduled 2 hours before, John and Hank addressed Nerdfighteria on the situation with the Nerdfighter gathering that was going to be held in downtown Houston. We checked in with no issues, as we had legal guardians once again after that morning's tragic events. We got on to the plane not long after that, but not before being stopped and told that many Nerdfighters and other people had us in their thoughts and prayers. It was nice knowing that so many people could be so compassionate. Jessa started to hum "Jesus loves me" as we walked though the airport and onto the plane. I won''t forget how calm she was being, holding John's hand and walking like what had happened that morning didn't happen aat all. She's a strong girl. We sat down, all 5 of us together on 2 rows and calmly flew from Houston to Indianapolis without an incident. Suprisingly, Caden fell asleep before we even took off. When we landed, we had some issues, one being Jessa's shyness, the other being a cranky Caden. Buddy helped out by calming him down and soon, we were there in the airport greeting Katherine. She was so kind. She helped calm Jessa by asking her questions about her doll, who she had named Azaria. Once Jessa was ok and ready to go, we left the airport to greet Indianapolis for the first time in our 3, miraculous lives. We got into the car and once Caden's carseat was secured, we were off to meet Sarah, Henry and Alice. We were greeted by a happy celebration by Sarah, Henry, Alice and Willie when we reached John and Sarah's. Once Jessa, Caden and I met Sarah, Henry and Alice for the first time, we went inside and I watched Jessa run off with Henry and alice to play games. I was so proud of her in that moment. She doesn't warm up to people this easy, but she's seen the VlogBrothers videos before, so I just they weren't strangers to her after all. Katherine, Hank, Sarah, John and I sat down in the livingroom, me on the floor to entertain and eventually lull Caden in his carseat. I told Sarah and Katherine the story of Allison (known as Alli to everyone), Jessa and Caden Hindersfield and who we came to Indianapolis as three orphaned siblings. I told the entire story, from Dad leaving us after 5 peaceful years and 2 violent ones, to meeting Daniel and becoming his adoptive kids. I even talked about his plan to propose that day at the gathering, something I had told no-one before. Sarah and Katherine were shocked by our tale, but I told them that if I hadn't found the Vlog Brothers back in 2007, I wouldn't be here, finally safe and protected with my 2 little angels I call Jessa and Caden. I cried telling this story. But, this is my life. They graciously welcomed us into their family, John saying as I held Caden in my arms that us three Hindersfield children were now a part of the Green family, with made me feel safe and at peace. For the first time, I didn't worry if we were safe, if someone was going to take us or hurt us again. I felt like a member of their family, and to feel like you finally have a family that's not just a mother and a step-dad was amazing. To know my siblings and I had a family that was there for us was such a weight off of my shoulders. It's an undiscribable feeling, being loved unconditionaly for the first time without the fear of that love being ripped from you. It made me feel like I belong. I think I have finally found my family. I really feel like Jessa, Caden and myself can really be safe, cared for and loved in a place we can be loved and be cared for without me fending for Jessa, Caden and lastly my safety and care. God, thank you for getting Jessa, Caden and I out of the bad situation we were in, though I love Mom and Daniel still. Now, as I write in the old journal I've had since my birthday. 2 days ago, back in Houston. It hurts to think about it, but if I don't hurt, than Jessa and Caden will feel, as us fan-girls and fan-guys love to say, feel all the feels. It's a depressing path I have traveled so far, until I met John, Hank, Sarah, Katherine, Henry, Alice and Willie. Bad reasons for meeting them, but I'm glad we did. Jessa was going on a downward, depressive spiral and it didn't look like she would be getting better without some help, and a change in every aspect of our lives. Thanks God for everything, even if it's painful.

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Ok, so this story was told as a flashback to that day's events to tell you what happened to Alli, Jessa and Caden and how they became a part of a family that loved them more that words could tell. This is the only time I plan to tell the story like this. With the exception of flash-backs, this story will be told as their lives unfold. This story will also be told by more that just Alli's POV. And, yes, they are Christians, but like myself, they judge people by how they treat others, not by other things that make that person them. Please don't hate the story because of it. Give it a chance, okay? I won't make any stereo-typical remarks or judgments of others in the book. Just please give it a chance. Hope you enjoy! Hugs and Hope!!!! ~Bitsy