The Safe Island. (Adopted Family Was What We Were) #2

Lost and Gone

There was ten of us, me, I was Montry, 15, Dale 12, Juluis and Lui, twins 11, Lenorad 7, Alfred 6. Then the girls Imogene 17, Fay 15, Brenda 12 and baby Sarah 4 years old.

The guy woke me up and asked if I needed work? I said "yes" and worked with him hauling and delivering furniture or appliances. I worked for a month not talking just working. I sent all my money home and told them I would send more when I moved and found another job. I cut my hair and dyed it completely blond.

I changed my name to Thomas Orin​. The driver (Edward Lomb) helped me get a fake identification. He told me I was good hard worker. I stayed with him for months and June was coming around and a new year, I was gonna year and a half.

Imogene will marry and Steve will be father and land owner. I sent the money and thought I would call. I called Minster Ray, I heard his voice and hung up, I heard him say my name.

After another year I called Steve's construction. He answered "hello, Kings construction" I said "you own the company too?" He said "Montry please come home, Imogene is sick and worried, she won't eat and little sleep. She quit school and won't marry me"

I told him I would get a bus, he said no a plane! I told him where I was and Edward took me to the airport. Steve picked me up and I ran up the stairs to Imogene. She was sitting in the kitchen and she wasn't sick. I turned away and started walking out. Steve tackled me on the ground, your going to talk now he yelled.

I saw the kids they all grew, they didn't need me. I told him get off! I will talk. Imogene walked in pregnant, I glared at her, what do you want I growled at her.

She looked hurt, why did you leave Montry? I told her, everything was theirs including the house. Nothing was ours anymore, with Mr. Perry we was okay it was our home. Now you and your husband own it!

Now everything is Steves and I guess your his now, that your knocked up. Steve said watch your mouth, I said right it's your house, your furniture, your van, your everything. Imogene looked at me, what are you talking about? I told her they own everything now including our opal mine.

Steve looked down, be quiet, it's not yours! I yelled at him Mr. Perry gave it to me and he didn't care about the opal. Your mother found out you guys had a rich mine. And she made sure you got it. Imogene sat down, your family owns all the  Stores, The Department Store, The Appliance Store and The Theater, The Laundry, The Gas and Eat Store.

She was getting whiter and sick looking. And now our home and Montry cave and stones. I told her yes and were there charity case or away to get the mine.

Steve started pacing back and forth, no Imogene, I love you and the kids. She ran to the bathroom and threw up. She started crying and yelled for me.

She looked so pale, she whispered amblance. I called Minster Ray and he drove over fast and got us to the hospital. She lost the baby it was in her tube not her womb.

I talked to her, she whispered take us to the mission Montry. I whispered I would and asked Minster Ray to please take us. He shook his head okay.

I went to the house and got the kids, take nothing, it's not ours. Steve kept pleading, please Montry, I love you, Imogene and the kids. I thought I never heard him say ours, it was always the kids, the children.

Not to much ours on anything. His parents came to the mission and I went out and told them, keep everything and give us a bill for anything, I will make sure we pay. I went back into Imogene she said she used my money to pay for everything the bills and food,

Steve never gave her money. I shook my head why? I told her I had $360. dollars. We can find a place to rent, Minster Ray said the assistance check comes in, it's $1254. and he's been giving it to Steve, he thought they pooled their money. She shook her head no, he never gave me anything, I paid for shoes, coats not thinking about that check.

Minster Ray added up the months he gave it to Steve. It came out $16,304 dollars. I called around to find out how much was the items we didn't buy. Fridge stove microwave equals $770. Washer and dryer $655. carpet $1460. Tv, shelf, tables, furniture, sheets, bedding, my desk and player, radio and speakers, clothes cards I didn't use handed it to Minster Ray. It came to $2300. The toys and bikes and gifts $2000. We owed them 7000. I asked her what about the van? Minster Ray said he was with him when he got it and it cost $6600. So now we owe them $13,600.

And they have $16304 minus $13600 = $2704. They owe us. Minster Ray took it to Steve and he gave him a check for the amount. Minster Ray told him we would be out by next week. Steve told him what ever and Imogene looked at her finger the ring, I forgot and Minster Ray said you have to give it back.

She got a ride to the house and he was there. She told him, here's your ring, he looked at it. Don't you love me Imogene? She looked at him and asked why didn't you tell me? The stores? The mine? The money from checks? He looked at her, I don't know, your always so proud and strong. I thought if I told you, this would happen and it did anyways. He told her to come into the house, he pulled a ledger out. It read Montry and Imogene Mine INC.

He showed her how much they pulled out and they closed it and have a guard station up there. He handed her the ledger it's yours and Montry s. You have over 3 million dollars and money taken out for the guards. I didn't know what to do with the assistance checks when you had that money.

He showed her a bank book with all the deposits. She started crying, you do love us? Why didn't you ever call us ours or your family. Because I knew this would happen and you guys would leave and it makes it more painful.

She walked over to him and held him, Montry is home and we're getting married and having babies. Steve kissed her and whispered I love you and let's go get our kids, my kids.

They went back and explained everything to Montry and Minster Ray. Montry asked can you forgive me Steve? He walked up and hugged Montry, don't you ever runaway again, you nearly killed us. I looked at them and they looked tired, black eyes and skinny.

I told them the kids, Steve told me go get our kids Montry. My children need to sleep in their own beds in our home. The kids come running out of the dark, yeah! We're going home! I got home and it was the same, little dusty but the same. I laid in bed and thought I wouldn't have believed him then but now I do.

We were planning for a September wedding when its cooler. She's going to marry right out here, under a big tent. We were finally complete and safe, they were adopting all of us and we was going to be a legal family. I was back in school and seeing a new girl. I couldn't be a rich, townie kid. I like who I was and who I am. We saved the mine money for college or vocational school for all the kids.