RONAN'S PICK-UP TRUCK ran on a prayer. The engine sputtered, the brakes squeaked, and a concerning clack resounded every few minutes. Gwenn kept to her corner on the passenger side of the leather, black bench seat. An arm resting by the window, she let the metal warm her skin as she leaned her forehead against the glass.
"We should be getting there soon," Ronan announced, turning right. The truck responded with a loud screech. Gwenn winced, looking out at every building and bridge they passed, driving closer to the edge of Lockfell. "I saw online they accept walk-ins."
She was about to ask more, but Ronan parked in front of the center before she could say anything. Her eyes wandered over the quaint building painted white with dark gray borders.
Ronan shut off his truck. "Let's go get some answers."
Gwenn didn't have time before he marched to the glass sliding doors. Without a plan, she followed behind him. A colorful explosion of flowers covered the main wall in the lobby. Petals of tangerine, coral, and bright yellow jumped out into her vision. A distinct memory of splattering the walls of her room with a collection of paint came flooding back.
"Hello, how can I help you today?" The lady at the front desk said once Ronan came up. He waved Gwenn over, so she walked up, bright eyed and nervous. A tiny thrill swept through her spine.
"Hi, we looked up your adoption center, and we decided to come check it out for ourselves," Ronan started. Gwenn looked up at him, appreciating how he took the lead without hesitation. She leaned over the sleek white desk, ignoring the biting cold on the skin of her forearms, confident they would find out the best steps to find her biological mother.
"Looking to adopt?" The lady asked, standing from her chair. Her tight ponytail swished behind her as she grabbed a brochure.
Gwenn was about to say no, but Ronan grabbed her shoulder, successfully startling her. Her lips parted as he looked directly at the lady.
"Yes," he announced. "My wife and I really want kids, but we've been having issues." The lady nodded, her expression molding down into pity. "We decided to adopt rather than go through such a hard time with procedures."
Gwenn's throat closed up, her eyes widening at Ronan. He smiled down at her, grabbing onto her hand. Her cheeks warmed, and she sent the lady a shy smile.
"Well, here's the brochure, but we can start the process right now, if you'd like," the lady said. "My name's Cameron if you need anything, but I'll have one of our supervisors take you through the center and orient you to see if we'll be a good fit for you."
She could feel her pulse skipping. Cameron pressed a clipboard towards them, a pen at the ready over it.
"Please write your names here, and we'll start right away."
Gwenn didn't get to show her fear because Ronan grabbed the pen like it was second nature. She leaned towards him, watching him write down Robin and Gail Prince in his tiny handwriting.
Protest got buried beneath her clogged throat when he gave Cameron the clipboard back. A sudden heaviness settled into her stomach as their fake names were accepted.
"Follow me, Mr. and Mrs. Prince," Cameron said, a bright smile on her face.
Ronan tugged at her hand, his icy eyes piercing into her. An unspoken conversation passed between them just as Cameron escorted them into a separate room.
A wooden desk stood in the middle, with two armchairs angled in front of it. No one sat at the other side, where a desktop computer and a pile of folders waited. Cameron's heels clicked on the tiled floors behind them, still holding onto the door.
ŞİMDİ OKUDUĞUN
Forever Luminescent
Genel Kurgu"Just shine like you always do." Gwenn Davidson has always known she was adopted, but after clearing up her stuff for her first move out of her parent's house, she finds an old blanket gifted to her by her birth mother that triggers an avalanche of...
