Broken child | Adopted by Elizabeth Olsen

Chapter 22: House of memories

Lizzie's pov:

I'd never think a kid could be arguing about not wanting a phone. Tessie is specific, but it's the cutest thing ever.

We're going to her old house now to get the rest of her stuff to my apartment.

I can't imagine how hard it must be for her to go back there. See her 'previous life'. Some of the memories are probably cheerful, but some of them are surely tough. I want to be there for her, to support her and hold her hand.

"Are you gonna be okay, honey?" I ask when we drive through known to her neighborhood

"Yeah"

Tessa's pov:

As we drive through the neighborhood, I'm hypnotized. Memories are floating in my head.

Right there, by this store we played hopscotch with Theo. I remember he wanted to brag, so he tried jumping further than I could and accidentally slipped. He fell down and had a giant bruise on his thigh for weeks.

Near that house, there's a pebbly path that leads to a beautiful meadow. We never saw anybody there. Theo and I would just hang out in that heaven place; read books, laugh, hug trees. The last time we were actually doing that was not so long ago...

Oh and here, on this street, I rode a bike for the first time.

I remember lighting up fireworks around there. It was the best New Year's Eve party I've ever had, because Theo could be with us. He begged and begged his parents so badly, they finally agreed. It was a year ago. We had so much fun that day.

And about time - I see the house.

The one I was taken to right after I came out of my mother's womb. The place where my dear dad held me in his arms, where he smiled and danced with me. There are the rooms my brother chased me around. There's the garden I was playing hide and seek in.

That's the house that was full of love and full of hate. Lots of cuddles and sweet tears. Lots of violence and screams. So much life.

A house full of memories.

"Whenever you're ready" Lizzie parks the car in front of the building

We leave the vehicle and head towards the door. I twist the key in the lock and swing the door open. As I stand there, the flashbacks are coming back to me.

"No, no! Stand there. Make a pose! It'll look funnier!" Theo yelled as we snapped silly pictures

His birthday was only few days ago and he got a new camera as a gift from his grandpa.

"How about this!" I sticked out my tongue and laughed right with him "now you go!" we switched places

He made a duck face as I took the photo. His hair was messy, which looked even better in the picture.

I enter the kitchen and notice the old stemware in the cabinet.

"You were supposed to wash them, not break them!"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! It slipped" I tried to defend myself as my mother kept on screaming at me

"I give you a one, simple job and you can't even do that, you small fucking shit!"

My eyes swam with tears. Face was puffy from all the crying. My breaths were short and my sobs quickly turned into a panic. My apprehension from was she was gonna do was the worst thing I was ever able to experience.

"Get out of my kitchen!"

Or...

"I've never had sushi before. This is so exciting!"