by Robin Delph
To my wonderful Mother thank you for being so supportive and never giving up on me. I love you so much.
A Home for Jessa
By Robin Delph
Part One
Prologue
Jessa Parks sat on the bench outside of school thinking about how her life had come to be what it was. When Jessa was five years old her parents were killed in a car accident. Jessa could still see the look on her babysitter’s face as she turned to tell her why the cops where at the door. At just five years old she knew that her life had changed forever, she no longer had a mommy and daddy. Who was going to take care of her? Her answer came all too soon as a social worker stepped in the door.
Jessa was told that she they were unable to find any relatives to take her and she would become a ward of the state. The next thing she knew she was packing her clothes and being hurried out the door. Jessa was being taken to the local orphanage. She was told she would receive grief counseling and many other things to help her through her parent’s death.
Chapter One
Friends were hard to make and keep at the orphanage because once you would made a friend they would be placed in a foster home, some of the kids were even lucky enough to find a family that adopted them. Jessa would look out the window and watch her friends get into the car and drive away. Some of them would return and some she never saw again. The one’s that would come back would always seem so different to her. Some had been beaten while others had been starved and some came back because the family had had a baby and just couldn’t handle a baby and them.
Jessa never gave much thought to being adopted or to live with a foster family. She had been living at the orphanage for three years and had never had anyone want to adopt or foster her. That is until one day the social worker came and took her to the main office to meet a family. Jessa was told they wanted to foster her and that she would have a new home. Reluctantly Jessa left her comfort zone at the orphanage and headed out to her new home with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson.
She loved her new home the Johnson’s were the nicest people she had ever met. Jessa fell in love with Mrs. Johnson they would play for hours and they at night they both would yuck her in and read her a bedtime story. Every morning she would wake to the smell of pancakes, eggs and bacon. Them Mr. Johnson would come in and say, “Wakey wakey eggs and bacy.” It always made Jessa laugh to hear him say that. They always had breakfast and dinner together like a real family. One night after dinner they told Jessa they wanted to adopt her and that they had a meeting that following week to get all the paperwork done. Jessa was ecstatic she was finally going to have a real family
That weekend Mrs. Johnson went to see her sister and tell her the good news and Mr. Johnson and Jessa stayed behind to go to the zoo. After returning from the zoo Mr. Johnson received a phone call that his wife had been in an accident and didn’t make it. He decided it would be best if he didn’t adopt Jessa and sent her back to the orphanage. Jessa’s heart was broken when Mr. Johnson told her she would be going back.
Eyes filled with tears Jessa climbed the stairs to her room to pack. As she looked around the bedroom she couldn’t help but think just this morning she was going to have a real family and within a few hours she was packing to go back to the orphanage. Her little heart had been shattered for the second time in her short life.
Jessa dressed for bed wondering if Mr. Johnson was going to read and tuck her in tonight. After waiting for almost an hour she gave up on that thought and climbed into bed. Jessa lay awake that night and thought about how happy she had been here and knowing this would be the last time she would lay in this bed. Tomorrow she would be going back to the orphanage. She tossed and turned for hours before she finally fell asleep.
The next morning she woke up got dressed and headed down stairs hoping Mr. Johnson had changed his mind and wanted to keep her. When she stepped into the kitchen she knew he hadn’t, for the bags she had packed the night before were sitting by the door. Mr. Johnson opened the door and there stood a social worker to take her back. Her little head hung low as she picked up her bags and walked out the door never to see sweet Mr. Johnson again.
It was all she could do to keep from calling out after him as she got into the social workers car, she just climbed in. she wanted to look out the window at the house that was supposed to be her new home but she couldn’t. Jessa just hung her little head and let tears roll down her cheeks. The car ride to the orphanage seemed to take forever and with each second they got closer her hopes seemed to slip away little by little. By the time they made it to the orphanage Jessa had promised herself that she would never let her heart be broken like that again, she would never become attached to anyone ever again.
Chapter Two
“Hello Jessa, welcome back,” Miss Nancy spoke as Jessa came through the door.
“Hello Miss Nancy,” was Jessa’s reply as she headed toward the stairs to go to the girl’s sleeping quarters
Once upstairs Jessa found a bed and a small chest waiting for her, she placed her backs next to the bed and began to unpack. The thought of being back here caused tears to well in her eyes which she quickly wiped away, “No sense crying,” she told herself. And with that she finished unpacking, made her bed and headed back downstairs to see what class they had put her in.
It came as a shock to no one that Jessa loved school especially her English class. She loved to write stories, poems and she loved the books she got to read. Although she loved school her favorite thing to do was to go to church. A pastor came around to hold services at the orphanage at least once a week and a bus came on Sundays to take any of the kids that wanted to go to church.
The days at the orphanage were long and dreary especially for Jessa. She had no friends and made no attempt to make any. She had been called in twice to speak to the counselor about why she chose to stay to herself and she always told them the same thing, that it was easier for her that way. If you didn’t get attached to anyone it wouldn’t hurt when they left. Jessa knew this was the wrong attitude to have but she just couldn’t help it.
“Jessa it’s time to go see the counselor,” Miss Nancy said stepping into the room.
“Okay,” was the reply Jessa gave as she turned away from the window and headed downstairs.
Once in the counselor’s office Jessa sat waiting for Mr. Henson to come in. While she waited she looked at all the books that were in the bookshelf. As she looked threw them she noticed that they were mostly children’s books on how to handle and cope with different things.
“Well hello Jessa. How are you today,” Mr. Henson asked as he entered and took a seat.
“I’m fine Mr. Henson.”
“Have you made any friends yet?” he asked
“No and I don’t want to.” Was her only reply.
Jessa sat for half an hour and listened to Mr. Henson tell her the importance of friendship and why it wasn’t good for her to spend so much time alone. She tried to tune him out as best as she could. She didn’t want or need any friends and that’s how she saw it.
“Jessa I think it would be good if you kept a journal. You don’t have to show it to anyone and you can write whatever you want in. Does that sound like something you would like to do?”
Jessa thought for a moment, “Could I use it to write stories in?” she asked.
“You can write whatever you want in it. It will be yours and for your eyes only.”
“That would be nice Mr. Henson, but I don’t have a journal or a notebook to use as one. All I have is the ones I use for school and Miss Nancy said not to use them for anything else.”
“How about this what if I gave you one, would that work?”
“Yes. But do you think Miss Nancy would let me keep it?”
“I’ll talk to Miss Nancy, I’m sure she will. Jessa come back by this evening I should know something by then.”
“Thank you Mr. Henson.”
Jessa raced back upstairs with a smile on her face. How wonderful it would be to have a something to write it stories in she thought as she plopped down on her bed.
At five o’clock she decided to go and see Mr. Henson. She wanted to barge in his door but deciding that would be rude she took a seat and waited outside his door. Thirty minutes later Miss Nancy came out the door.
“Hello Jessa. I think Mr. Henson is waiting to see you,” she said with a smile.
Jessa knew by the look on Miss Nancy’s face that she was going to get the journal. It took everything she had in her to keep from jumping up and running through the door. She contained herself as best she could and got up and walked into Mr. Henson’s office with a big smile on her face.
“Well hello Jessa. I believe you’re here for this,” he said handing her a thick leather bound journal.
Jessa’s eyes grew wide as she looked at the leather journal. It was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. “Thank you so much Mr. Henson. I promise I’ll take real good care of it.”
“I’m sure you will dear. Now run along and have a nice night. I’ll see you in few days.”
Jessa could contain her excitement no longer she ran out of his office and up the stairs. She could not wait to start writing in her new journal. Once upstairs she plopped down on her bed grabbed a pencil and opened her journal. She could hardly believe she had something like this that was her very on, but know she needed to figure out what to write first. After thinking about what to write for a couple hours she fell asleep.
Jessa woke even more excited than she was when she fell asleep. She rubbed her eyes and got dressed in a hurry so she could write before it was time for class. After she was dressed she sat back on the bed and opened the journal. As she began to write her first story she decided she would make it a funny short story about a dog named Lady. Writing seemed to take her into a completely different world one that was her very on.
Chapter Three
A few years had passed and Jessa sat on the bed wondering how she would spend her tenth birthday. She decided to look through her journal at the short stories she had written over the past two years. They were all short stories some about dogs others about princesses and things of that nature. She was pleased with the stories she had written and had even shared a few with Miss Nancy and Mr. Henson. Jessa had also written about some of the changes over the past two years. Miss Nancy had married and longer worked at the orphanage and a plump older widow named Mrs. Drew had taken over for her. Miss Nancy was kind, compassionate and loving. She had treated the children at the orphanage as if they were her very own. Mrs. Drew was no Miss Nancy. The woman seemed to be bitter and cold toward them and Jessa had never seen the woman smile.
“Jessa Mrs. Drew wants to see you in her office,” one of the younger girls had poked her head in the room and said.
I wonder what she wants now Jessa thought had she headed downstairs to Mrs. Drew’s office. It can’t be good the only time she wants to see any of the children here is to jump on to them for something. And he lately I have been her main target. First it was the way I stay to myself then about my writing. I wonder what I have done to make her mad this time.
“Hello Ms. Parks. How are you today?”
“I’m fine Mrs. Drew.”
“Have a seat Jessa.”
Here we go Jessa thought.
“Jessa I was looking over your file and it has come to my attention that you haven’t been placed in a foster home in two years. Now as I am sure you know our goal is to place children in foster care in hopes of finding adoptive parents. That way they can have a real family and a stable home one day. Do you understand?”
“Yes Mrs. Drew I do, but I am happy being here. I don’t really want to be in a foster home.” Jessa said.
“And why is that Ms. Parks? Don’t you want to have a real family some day?” Mrs. Drew asked.
“Yes I would, but have you heard some of the stories the kids that come back here tell about the foster homes they have been in. some of them are beaten, starved and others have had much worse happen to them.”
“That’s enough Ms. Parks. I will not tolerate you saying such things! All of the foster parents are thoroughly screened and the accusations made by the child are always checked out. And for your information none of them have ever been found to be true. With that being said go pack your things Ms. Parks a social worker will be here soon to take you to your new foster home.”
Jessa new there was no use in saying anything else about. She just stood up and headed upstairs.
“Oh and Jessa,” Mrs. Drew called after her “I don’t want to hear another word about the matter. Do you understand?”
“Yes Mrs. Drew.”
“Good now go pack.”
Jessa pulled the tiny suitcase form under her bed and began packing. It wouldn’t take her long to pack since she hardly had anything. All of Jessa’s belongings fit in the small suitcase with room to spare. With that done she decided to finish a short story she had started a few days ago while she waited for the social worker to come get her. Writing and church seemed to be all the joy she had in life and she was worried that her new foster parents wouldn’t take her to church or let her write. No matter what Mrs. Drew said I know those kids weren’t lying about what had happened to them in there foster homes she thought as she closed her journal. “Lord Jesus I pray that you watch over me as I go to this foster home please be with me and keep me from harm. Amen.”
“Jessa Parks, I’m Mrs. Turner I’ve come to take you to your new home. Are you ready dear?”
“Yes Mrs. Turner.”
Jessa followed Mrs. Turner downstairs and out to the car parked in front of the building. I dread this oh how I dread this Jessa thought as she climbed in the backseat. What if they don’t like me, what if I don’t like them. Jessa wrapped her arms around her stomach so she could try and relieve some of the knots that were starting to form. Oh Lord please be with me she silently prayed.
“Well Jessa this is it. Here is your new home,” Mrs. Turner announced as they pulled up the driveway.
Jessa’s heart sank even lower when she looked at the house. It was a nice enough house but what bothered her was the two little boys passing a football in the front yard. She knew that most foster parents took in more than one child at a time but why did it have to be boys.
“You ready Jessa,” Mrs. Turner asked.
“Yes,” was the only reply Jessa could give for she knew she couldn’t say no. It wouldn’t do her any good she would still have to stay. As she stepped out and walked toward the house with Mrs. Turner she saw a man and woman step onto the front porch.
“Jessa I would like you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Harris.”
“You can call us Rick and Sara and these are our two boys James and Nelson,” Mr. Harris said.
“Well I will leave you all to get acquainted,” Mrs. Turner said handing Rick Jessa’s bag. “And if you need anything or have any problems feel free to call.”
Jessa watch Mrs. Turner drive away. Not wanting to go in the house but knowing she had to.
“Come along Jessa,” Sara called. “I’ll show you your room.”
Chapter Four
Jessa had been at the Harris’ for two weeks and she didn’t like it at all. Her room is in the attic, the boys tease her all the time and when she tells on them they lie and say they haven’t done anything. Of course their parents believe them over her because after all they their kids. I don’t even get to go to church she thought to herself. The only good thing is I get to go to a school instead of the orphanage classes.
“Jessa breakfast,” Sara called.
Sara always waited until the boys were done eating before she called Jessa down. Jessa knew once she was finished eating she was to wash and dry the dishes. It seems to me Jessa thought that all t
he Harris’ wanted was a housekeeper. Since she had been her all the chores had fell to her. While James and Nelson got to go outside and play Jessa had to do all the cleaning. A few days after she was here she said something to Rick about the boys not doing anything and that she wanted to go out and play to. All that got her was a hard slap across the face and a warning not to talk back to him again.
“Jessa,” yelled Rick “Sara said breakfast. Now get down her NOW!”
Normally one would say coming but Rick would take that as back talk and then Jessa would get slapped. To Jessa Rick was a mean man and Sara was no better for letting him do the things he did. Or maybe she wasn’t? Jessa thought. Maybe she didn’t have a choice? I’ve never seen him be mean to her but I’ve never seen him be nice to her either, he was always good to the boys though.
“Jessa what took you so long?” Rick asked as Jessa entered the room
“I was making my bed and tiding up my room.”
“Still no excuse, you need to start getting up earlier. Now hurry and eat so you can do the dishes and clean the kitchen before school.” And with that he stomped out of the room.
Jessa quickly ate her breakfast then started cleaning up. We had chore to do back at the orphanage too but not like this she thought as she scrubbed the oven. A lot of the things they have me do are not needed every day. Every day everything has to be cleaned from top to bottom like the oven. Who needs their oven cleaned every day and if it’s use for dinner then it has to be cleaned twice a day. Even if something is already clean it has to be cleaned again.
“Jessa the bus is here,” Sara said entering the room.
“But I’m not finished cleaning and if I leave it Mr. Harris will be mad.”
“Rick has already gone to work, so go on and I’ll finish.” Sara smiled.
