• The funeral was small. Two flower covered caskets lay in the middle of the cemetery. Charlene stood with her hands on each one. Tears rolled down her cheeks dripping onto the new wood. Alex was standing beside her, crying as well. The pastor stood between them with their hand on their shoulders. He had been talking about the orphanage they would be going to. Charlene heard none of it as she said goodbye to her mom and dad. All the guests had left, and a car pulled into the churchyard and a woman stepped out of it. She was nicely dressed and had a kind and sympathetic smile, but Charlene didn’t care. She wasn’t her mother. That woman took her by the hand and grabbed her suitcase in the other.
    But another car pulled up and a woman very familiar to both Alex and Charlene stepped out, accompanied by a girl three year's older then Charlene.
    "What do you think you're doing? Those kids are coming home with us." The woman who had just gotten out stormed. Natalie Matherine was a woman to be feared.
    "I'm taking them to the Provincial Orphanage, where they're supposed to be."
    "Oh no you are not lady!!! She's my sister and you will not be separating us!" Marty, the girl, yelled at the social worker. "The system isn't a good way to be raised, so don't think about sending her there!!" Marty rolled onto the balls of her feet ready to attack the social worker.
    The woman gasped at Marty's audious behaviour. "How dare you threaten me? Don't you know I can have the police after you?"
    "Think they'll find you if we bury you in the back forty?" Turning to Charlene now, she extends her hands and says, calmly, "Sorry we missed it Charlene...Mom got hung up at work, and I just got on break."
    “Come on Alex.” She called over her shoulder as she had helped Charlene to the car.