Glory Days: Unraveling Michelle Martins' Past

Prologue

November 20, 1985- New York City, New York

The cries of a beautiful baby girl filled the hospital room as Cecilia Grace Martins held her daughter for the first time, standing beside her is a very emotional Ryan Jans Martins as he looked at his beautiful wife and precious daughter.

They have wanted to officially start their own family ever since they got married a year ago, but it took them about a year before trying with their growing family businesses. Months later, 3 pregnancy tests stared at them with two lines, after that 8 months had passed and now here they were. After 8 hours of labor, they welcome their beautiful daughter into the world.

"Welcome to the real world, Michelle Lorraine Martins. You are going to be off to do great things, I just know it."

January 29, 1986- Lima, Ohio

Settling into their new home, Ryan and Cecilia smiled at each other as they watched the movers move around their house, putting furniture in and out of the house. They smiled at each other when they heard their 2-month-old giggling while playing with her pacifier.

They moved closer to each other, holding each other's hands, eyes feeling a little glossy because their dreams were finally coming true.

Ryan leaned into his wife, kissing her forehead. "This. This is where we will raise our perfect daughter. This is where we are going to grow our perfect family."

March 29, 1988- Lima, Ohio (Dance studio) [2 years old]

"But Mooom, I don't want to dance right now."

Cecilia and Michelle Press rushed down the hallways of the dance studio, the 2-year-old had a pout on her face as she was pushed inside studio 5 for ballet. "You are going to behave alright?"

The stern look that her mom gave her made her stop whining, but her forehead was still creased. Cecilia smiled in satisfaction as she slowly made her way to the front of the class. 

Looking around, she noticed that she was the youngest. Not minding that fact, she turned to herself in the big mirror in front of her, her face stoic, as she listened to her instructor.

She looks so old... I wonder if her bones are really as brittle as she looks.

Forcing herself to concentrate on her form, she tilted her head to the side.  "And down and down and down and plie."

After 2 hours of pirouettes, Michelle dragged herself out of the studio where Cecilia was waiting for her, waiting to drag her to the studio on the second floor for jazz. The child sighed tiredly but followed nonetheless because she knew Brittany, a girl who is a year older than her who was the only one talking to her, was going to be there.

Entering the studio, she immediately made a beeline towards the blonde, who smiled at her.

"Are you okay?"

Michelle hummed and leaned down to change her shoes. "I just came from Mrs. Pier."

November 26, 1989- Lima, Ohio (Family house) [4 years old]

The newly turned 4-year-old moved around the kitchen like she had been for the past few months since her parents rarely pay attention to her at this point, sometimes forgetting that they have a child with them in the house and eat outside instead of cooking and forgetting to get take out for little Michelle.

She hummed, grabbing the small chair from the corner, putting it in front of the counter so she could stand on it and reach for the eggs. Michelle cracked the egg on the edge of the marble countertop, putting it in the bowl and stirring so she could make the scrambled eggs that she had been craving.