A Never Ending Goodbye

Chapter 1

 Once upon a time, there was a very happy family. Everyone knew this family. The whole town, city, and state knew they're name! The Sullivan's, Rang through the newspapers, the streets, the voices, everything was The Sullivan's.

Now, why don't I introduce this family. The mistress of the household, Marie Lin Sullivan, which is also known as the Mother. The master of the household, James Sullivan, the Father. And finally, the young master and mistress, Robert Inn Sullivan and Elaine Ymir Sullivan. These two are Marie and James' children.

Now, let's get on with The Sullivan's never ending goodbye.

* * *

"Mama! Papa!" Elaine called.

"Yes sweetheart?" Mother replied to her nine year old daughter.

"Look at my drawing!" Elaine was bursting with happiness at her scribble drawing.

"It's beautiful." Said the Mother, smiling. She looked over to Elaine's father.

"Isn't it pretty?" Mother giggled, asking Father.

"No. Teach Elaine to be lady and stop with these dumb drawings." Father replied harshly. Mother sighed and guided Elaine to her room. Mother slowly explained to the child, who wasn't going to understand, why she can't draw like this anymore.

"Us women, there's a strict standard we have to follow, and that means you can't be drawing and scribbling anymore. The men call it unladylike." Mother would say with sorrow. Elaine looked at her, confused. Mother sighed and gave Elaine a big hug, then went to read the paper.

He doesn't have to be so mean, Elaine is just a child, Mother thought. Father heard a knock on the door, as he went to answer. Jack came running.

"Who is it, Father?" Jack asked. His father looked surprised, then quickly closed the door behind him and talked to the man with hushed whispers. Father poked his head through the door and called to Elaine. She rushed forward, running her hands against her dress in an attempt to please him. She followed his orders to go outside, and that's when she saw a tall man dressed in black. Alongside him, a beautiful woman stood. She stood with great posture, and had the face of an angel.

"Here she is, our beautiful girl. Sadly, the mistress failed to put her into her day clothes again, may I sincerely apologize." Father gently bowed, a straight expression on his face. Elaine stood as straight as possible and bowed as well, solely because Father was doing so.

"Ah, what a lovely little girl." The woman bent down to look at her face. Elaine smiled yet again. "She is indeed going to be as beautiful as me one day, and with our training, she'll be a sensation!" The woman celebrated.

With our training? What does she mean? Thoughts buzzed in Elaine's head.

"That's great to hear. I am delighted to hear that the Sullivan family has birthed no mistakes into our world." Father smiled. The tall man dressed in black chuckled.

"Yes, yes, your family is surely a worldwide sensation by now." The man spoke. "Surely a mistake of a child shall ruin a fine man like you."

Father looked taken aback, almost as if he was calling Elaine a mistake. But instead of saying something, he chuckled and nodded his head.

"Now now, stop with the chit-chat, sir, these are our conditions. She shall stay with us at the center, lodgings and food will be taken care of, for one month. After one month, she shall be spending the weekends at home, and weekdays at our center. Lodgings and food are paid for by you." The woman said.

"Sounds good to me, she's leaving on december first to december thirty-first, correct?" Father asked.

"Correct." The woman smiled.

"Huh? Father, I'm leaving home?" Elaine asked, sorrow filling her words.

"Yes." Father said while handing the people money.

"You're selling me?" Elaine's voice was quiet and sad.

"It's the real world Elaine. Get used to it. Now go pack with your mother, you're leaving in two days." Father said without looking at her once. He said his farewells to the man and woman, then walked inside. Leaving me standing there. Small tears welled in my eyes.

Mama! Look at what I drew! Brother, brother, let's go play! Papa, isn't this a pretty dress?

Memories flooded Elaine's head. More tears started to fall. She couldn't imagine being separated from her family. She ran back inside, eager to find her Mother. Elaine spotted her, and made a dash for Mother. Elaine plowed straight into her, hugging Mother tightly. Elaine sobbed.

"Elaine? Why are you crying?" Mother sat on the floor so she could look Elaine in the eyes.

"Father sold me! I have to leave you!" Elaine stuttered on every word and hugged her mother again. Mother sighed and gave her a big hug back.

"Elaine, when you turn ten this december, you're going to be taken away to train as a lady, because one day you'll have to marry a nice, rich, suitable man and be the mistress of another big, fancy home like ours. That's exactly what I had to do, don't worry, it's tradition and you'll be just fine." Mother spoke calmly and sweetly. Though, Mothers words didn't calm her. Elaine didn't feel any better. Marrying a rich, suitable man was not at all what she wanted. Afterall, Elaine is still a child, and whenever she sees a kiss, she goes, "eww"!

Elaine frowned and went to her room, there, she grabbed her best clothes and set them out on the bed. Her mother walked in and went through what she pulled out, her mother nodded then pulled more clothes out of drawers and closets. Mother neatly set them in a bag, then she put more in another.

"You're all packed, ready to go! I'm so happy for you, you're going to become a lady." Her Mother said with a big smile, then left without giving Elaine time to speak.

Elaine sighed and futon out of the closet. She slowly unrolled it, frustrated. After setting her bed, she went to say goodnight to her family, then returned to her room. She heard footsteps outside and flopped onto the futon, pretending to be asleep. The door creaked open slowly. Her brother, Jack, appeared in the dim lighting of her room.

"Elaine? Are you awake?" Jack said.

"Yes, I am." Elaine responded, sitting up.

"So you're leaving in two days, right?" Jack said with a hint of sorrow in his voice. Elaine just nodded her head, whispering a faint yes.

"For how long?" Jack asked her.

"One month, then after that I only stay on weekends." Elaine said, never once looking at her older brother's face. He sighed and bent down so he could look her in the face.

"I'll miss you." He gave her a big hug. Slight tears fell from Elaine's face as she hugged him back.