Chapter 1 - Why can't you tell me everything?

Arabella's eyes scanned the last lines of her book and she was left wanting more. She was very grateful for the stranger named Bill who had gifted her the book. This was the third time she had read the book, as Arabella was fascinated by the world created in the book. She wished Edith would allow her to visit Diagon Alley where Arabella would be able to buy the following books in the series but since her detour last time, Edith wasn't allowing Arabella to visit the Alley.

It occurred to Arabella that she had momentarily forgotten that it was her birthday the following week and after this realisation, she hoped that Edith would allow her to visit the store for her birthday. She didn't want to count on this happening too much on the chance that it didn't happen.

There was a sudden knock on her door which was followed by Edith poking her head through the door. "Breakfast will be ready soon and I expect you to be in the kitchen in a timely matter." Edith gives Arabella a withering stare as she takes in her pyjama clad state. The door is closed with more force than necessary, resulting in a loud thud.

Arabella lets out a huff as she pushes herself up from her bed. There is a shuffling sound against the floorboard as she returns the book to her bookcase. Glancing down at her pyjamas which are adorned with cats, Arabella wishes that she was able to wear them for the entire day without being enforced to change into her day clothes.

Arabella grabbed the first dress she saw in her wardrobe and quickly changed into the dress. After she placed her pyjamas in her laundry basket, Arabella soon found herself standing in front of her mirror. She smoothed down the front of her sunflower yellow dress and took in her reflection. Her wavy blonde hair was somewhat secured in a plait at the nape of her neck and she decides to leave her hair in its current state as a small way to annoy her foster mother.

Footsteps echo down the hallway as Arabella heads towards the kitchen where Edith is waiting. Once she enters the kitchen, Arabella finds Edith seated at the small, circular dining table with her hands primly folded on the table in front of her. Arabella gives her a small nod in apology for making Edith wait before pulling out a chair.

"How are you this morning, Edith?" Arabella grabs a plate from the centre of the table so she can serve herself breakfast.

Edith diverts her eyes from Arabella down to the table as she answers, "I am quite tired this morning as I struggled to fall asleep last night."

"Oh, was there any reason why?" Arabella enquired as she scooped some fruit salad onto her plate.

There was a long pause before Edith replied, "I have something important that I need to inform you of and I am worried about the impact that sharing this information will have on you."

"Well, what is it that you have to tell me?"

"I think it is best to save that conversation till after breakfast." Edith continues to avoid eye contact with Arabella and starts to eat her breakfast.

This causes Arabella halter in her buttering of a slice of toast. What could she have to tell me that has her nervous and worried? Does she not want me anymore? A million thoughts race through Arabella's head.

The rest of the meal is eaten in silence with the scraping of their forks and knives against the plate the only sound echoing in the room.

Edith collects the empty plates from the table and turns to the sink. "I'll meet you in the living room in a moment."

Arabella takes in a deep breath as she collapses into the plush sofa. She scrutinises the photos placed on the mantle opposite the sofa. Photos where she is the point of focus. Or was the main focus. The photos stopped when Arabella was seven years old which was when Edith began to be less affectionate and more distant with her foster daughter. It was difficult for Arabella to associate the kind and soft caregiver who used to read her to sleep every night with the critical guardian who was quick to point out what she considered to be Arabella's flaws. Arabella had long given up the hope that she would ever feel fully accepted, loved and supported by Edith again.

There was a shuffling sound against the wooden floorboards and Arabella felt the other side of the sofa dip down beside her. Edith sits on the edge of the couch and crosses her right ankle over her left as she angles her body towards me.

"So what is it that you have to tell me?" Arabella asks as Edith repositions her hands which are rested in her lap.

"I'm not exactly sure where the best place to start is but I'm going to do my best." Edith takes a deep breath before she continues. "As you know, I've been your foster mother since you were around one and a half but what you don't know is why you were put in my care. However, I'm not able to tell you everything."

Arabella tried to hide the shock on her face. Was she going to be learning about her biological family? Every time Arabella had asked about what happened to her family, she was told she wasn't old enough to know and she would be told when it was the right time. Edith would consistently try to redirect her whenever she was too curious and would ask lots of questions.

"Why can't you tell me everything?" Arabella asks.

Edith hesitates before she answers. "I am only able to tell you the basics and you will find out the rest when you are older."

"How much older?"

"I'm not sure as it isn't up to me. I think the best way for me to tell you is just to get it all into the open. Your biological parents are still alive and they didn't pass away as you've assumed."

"What? Then why have I been living with you?" The possibility of them being alive was always at the back of her head but she tried to push it away every time it surfaced. Arabella felt her eyes well up with tears. "Did they not want me?"

"Oh Arabella, not at all. They wanted you to stay with them but sometimes things happen which are out of our control. When you were younger, there was a situation where you were you could have been gravely hurt which was not at all the fault of your parents. However, it was decided that you would be placed with me."

"How was I almost hurt?"

"Sorry Arabella, but that is something you can't know at this point. The reason I am telling you this is because your placement with me was not a permanent one."

Arabella was glad she was sitting and not standing and she was about to ask another question when Edith started talking again.

"Let me explain a bit more before you ask more questions. It was decided that I would care for you until your eleventh birthday and you would then go to live with your biological family again."

Arabella leaned back on the couch as she rubbed her face with her hands. Her head was reeling from all the information she had been told. Her eleventh birthday? It felt surreal to think that she would be living with her biological family in a week. What would they think of her? Would they be disappointed in how she's turned out at this point? She was struggling to concentrate as she was beginning to feel overwhelmed.
"I just need a moment."

"Take as long as you need Arabella."

The sound of the clocking ticking helped to ground Arabella as her head continued to race. What could have happened to separate her from her family? Why was she separated from her biological parents to be reunited with them almost ten years later? Does she have any siblings? If she has siblings, were they placed somewhere else or were they able to stay with her parents?

"What is going to happen?" Arabella decided to start with a simple question first.

Edith stares at the mantle "You'll have to begin to pack all of your belongings up which I can assist you with if you would like. Your parents will be coming to visit in the coming days so you can get to know them before you move in with them. You also have the decision of moving the day before your birthday, the day of or the day after."

"Can you tell me anything about my family?"

"I think I'll leave that up to your parents as they will be able to tell you more but I will say that your parents are good and considerate people."

"Will I be able to have contact with you after I leave?" Arabella asks quietly. Even though they didn't always see eye to eye, Edith was the closest thing to family that Arabella can remember having and it strange not being around her.

Edith's head snaps in Arabella's direction. "You still want to contact me when you're back with your family?"

"Why wouldn't I? You've been in my life for all I can remember and I do care about you."

Edith blinks away tears. "I want to apologise Arabella for the distance that I've kept the last few years. I didn't want to become too attached to you once you got older because I knew that it would be much harder for both of us when you had to leave. So I'm sorry that I haven't supported you or been there as much as I should have." Edith's voice begins to crack. Edith takes a deep breath to settle herself. "You don't have to say anything, I just felt you deserved to know why I acted the way I have."

"I... Thank you for telling me Edith, it must not have been easy."

"I'll leave you here so you can have a chance to think to yourself." Edith quickly moves out of the living room into the kitchen.

All the information Arabella had been told made her feel like she wanted to scream. So she screamed into the couch cushion so it was muffled. She laid down on the couch and stared at the ceiling as she tried to comprehend everything she had been told. Arabella felt as though she would explode with all she was feeling. She felt confused about her relationship with Edith. There was a hint of anger and annoyance about all this information being hidden from her. She was feeling sad that she would have to leave Edith to live with a family she didn't know. There were feelings of anxiety as she worried about how her biological family may see her. But she was mainly feeling hopeful. Hopeful that she may finally feel like she has a real family.