Timeline: New York City, slight past times.
Characters: Anastasia de Haven, Roslyn de Haven and mentions of Evelien Abrams
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December 23rd, 2005
Home for orphaned children Den Helder, Netherlands
“S’not the same since Eve left…” Of course it wasn’t. At fifteen, the twins had lived all of their lives in the home, abandoned by parents when they were too young to realize or recall at all. Evelien, on the other hand, had come to live within the home when she’d been thirteen, after a fire had killed both her parents and left her without family anywhere else.
Being all of nine years old then and having lived at the home longest, they had seen plenty of children come and go, be adopted by willing parents. However, none had been willing to take in two at the time. So the arrival of a slightly older girl had brought some hope that perhaps a friend would stay longer than the others and they had easily become close.
Eve had left the home just a year before and while she had only been there for a few years, her departure had left quite a mark on the young twins. At least they had not lost track of her and still knew where she was. She sent them updates and notices now and again, they knew where she was, it was warming, even if it was lonely.
Her departure however had shifted things around and while Eve had been on gathering duty—taking inside what the delivery folks brought in—it had been shifted down to Anastasia. It would have been shifted down to both Ana and her sister, had said sister’s health not been so fragile. Spending time outside for Roslyn, especially when the cold months began to settle in, were a bad idea.
Most of her life had been spent sitting by the window in one of the large bedrooms of the home. Even in the summer, spending time outside was a bad idea, especially if it was spent around with the other children, running and playing. Easily short of breath, attacks were common and medication to see to these issues not quite so.
“I know it’s not the same since Eve left, but we gotta just hold on. S’just three more years and then we can go and do our things. Plus, you’ve started to find means of getting in touch with her with more than just the postcards she sends so it’s not such a bad thing, right?”
“Guess so. Still.” Ros tapped a fingertip to the window as she gazed out quietly, wrapped snuggly in a warm blanket. “You think they’re gonna come?”
“Well it’s the date they came by with the deliveries and they haven’t come by yet, so I bet they do come.” Which was a good thing for one but not the other. Ana did get to talk to the delivery boys when they came, briefly, but her sister, stuck inside, could only watch from the window, eyes wide and hopeful, just for an upward glance..
She knew well enough that it was foolish to hope that something would come of now and again delivery visits with these boys. They weren’t even allowed inside and she couldn’t be out. What sort of friendship could one develop if one couldn’t talk at all? Of course she knew that her sister often pointed up to the right window, but what was there to see and do? It was ever so frustrating in the end.
“I like.. last year.. remember last year?” It was hard to forget that year really. The boys had added streaks to their hair, it had stood out rather clearly. Quite festive and it had amused her to a point, had rather honestly been the highest note of her holidays as she’d gotten sick just a day before Christmas and had spent it mostly out of her mind from fever.
“I wish just once you could come down with us and at least say hi. I mean I know you can’t but it’s unfair. They’re nice.” For how little she saw of them herself since it had been Evelien’s job until that point though she had helped now and again.
“Wrap up, it looks like it’s going to get cold in here before long.” The home wasn’t new, it was old and parts of it were falling to pieces, but it was all the orphans had. It was that or they were moved off and to the nearest proper orphanage which was in Haarlem, an hour away from where they were now.
Ana looked about the bedroom a moment and located one of the blankets which she brought back and wrapped her sister in. There was a kiss to her cheek and a tight hug before she was running off to find her jacket and go outside to help with the deliveries.
They were coming up the street. Perhaps this holiday wouldn’t be so horrible, if nothing else, perhaps she could have a glimpse, maybe just a look.. if Ana pointed at the window again, maybe they’d look. She didn’t hold onto much hope but there was still some to be had.
Some so very, very vague hope.
