Young Love ➼ Parker Rooney

Prologue;

It seemed like an ordinary Sunday morning in the Smith/Rooney household. Liv, Maddie, Joey, Parker, Ruby and Dena sat in the kitchen, eating their breakfasts, when Karen walked in, clutching the landline to her chest with tears in her eyes.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Liv was the first one to notice her mother's distress as she got up from her place at the dining table and walked over, wrapping an arm around Karen's shoulders.

"My... My best friend has died..."

"Abigail?" Dena asked, a mixture of shock and devastation in her voice and on her face as Karen nodded.

"Who's Abigail?" Ruby wondered.

Karen took a deep, shaky breath before explaining to her niece and children, "She was my best friend throughout high school. We went to the same college as well, but she moved to England after we graduated. Just before she moved, we made a pact. We promised each other that when we had kids and if anything were to ever happen to one of us, the other would take them in and become their guardian," She paused for a moment to wipe away a couple tears that had fallen as Liv gave her mom a sad, sympathetic smile, taking her hand and giving it an affectionate squeeze before Karen continued, "And I've just got off the phone to a social worker in England who basically told me that Abigail and her husband, Sean were killed in a car accident last night and their daughter, Penelope needs somewhere to go."

"Mom, I'm so sorry." Maddie spoke up, tears threatening to spill behind her glasses. She couldn't imagine how she'd cope if something happened to her best friend, Willow.

"Thank you, Maddie." Karen just about managed a small, sad smile at her daughter before looking at her sister, "Dena, I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind but I told them we would take her in. It was either us or a care home and I just can't put her through that."

"Karen, of course I don't mind." Dena assured her sister, standing on the other side of her to Liv and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"When will she be getting here?" Parker questioned.

"She'll be flying in from the UK next week." Karen answered.