Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (the lemonade war series .TXT) 📖

of a lonesome Scottish girl.
“Now, Derek Reid was a crafty soul, yet caring. He took her in and made her his wife, without knowing a thing about her. Something in his soul told him she was the one for him. Her ebony eyes and red-hair intrigued him, as did her demeanor.”
“Was she mischievous?” I interrupted to ask.
Evelyn smiled at me. “How did you know?”
“I think I met her ghost here.” I told her.
Evelyn’s eyes shot up. “She actually trusted you enough to appear?”
I shrugged. “I guess so.” I replied. “What happened next?”
“Years go by with Sophie and Derek having a child. The commotion of generations later lengthened the name to Reading.” Evelyn supplied. “My son was named for the original Derek.”
I closed my eyes, envisioning the happy couple together. Sure enough, my Derrick was the spitting image of Derek Reid.
This got me thinking again. “How was he as a child?”
“Oh, Derrick was the brightest student in school. Jake was the popular one and the two boys were constantly rivaling each other.” Evelyn laughed. “Derrick was on the swim team, soccer, school newspaper and baseball. Jake practically took over everything else, leaving his brother in the dust.”
“That wasn’t nice.” I joked.
“Of course not, they’re brothers.” Evelyn laughed with me. “This reminds me of when I met my grandsons. As I looked into Mark-Antony’s eyes, I could see the mischievous little Jake peeking out. As for Andrew, he’s so much like his father, it’s scary.”
I giggled.
“What are you ladies giggling about?” I heard Father Reading’s voice peep from behind us. Derrick was smiling beside him.
“I was just handing down the Reading family heirloom.” Evelyn stood, kissing him.
“Ah, the Reading family quilt.” Father Reading supplied with a grin. “I never thought I’d see the day it left the house.”
“Alex!” Evelyn laughed, hugging and holding him.
“You seem so happy now.” I sighed, smiling.
“We knew how selfish we were being once Derrick ran away.” Father Reading pat his son on the back. “Now that he’s finally a married man – to a beautiful woman no less – I’m happy to say the Reading family is harmonious once again.”
“Let’s get out of this dusty attic.” Derrick spoke up. “I’d already spent too much time in it growing up.”
The four of us headed downstairs, with me carrying the Reading quilt.
“Evelyn?” I asked, fingering its threads once again.
“Yes dear?”
I waited until Father Reading and Derrick were outside in the yard before saying anything else.
“Thanks for telling me about Sophie, and Derrick.” I replied softly, my eyes on the quilt.
Evelyn hugged me. “Thank you for listening.” She said. “You don’t know how much it meant to him. You’re finally a Reading, and it’s your turn to add your magic touch to the family legacy.”
I grinned, finally relaxing around my mother-in-law.
Kelly’s face went through my mind then, and I remembered what I’d come for.
“Evelyn, I came over for a reason.” I then told her about Kelly’s kidnapping.
“I always knew Adrienne was bad news.” She shook her head. “She used to be so nice and innocent when the children were young. Did he ever tell you about their relationship?”
I nodded. “I found out when she came over, claiming her daughter was his.”
Evelyn waved a hand at me. “Don’t think a thing about it, Ariana. He never took her seriously.”
“Oh, I know that now.” I told her. “I know for a fact he loves me. Always had; always will.”
Evelyn smiled, putting her arms around me. “Let’s look for my step-granddaughter.”
I grinned.

When we finally made it back home later that afternoon, I got a message I’ll never forget. “Ariana, call Caroline.” Luna supplied, coming in to greet us. She wasn’t smiling.
“Why?” Derrick asked, looking at me. I shrugged.
“What’s wrong?” I was suddenly frantic for my adopted-sister’s safety.
“I don’t know, but I think you ought to go over and find out.” Luna pleaded. Her face painted a very pained picture.
What was wrong with Caroline Parker?
Chapter:
Secret Wish

I raced over as soon as I could, wondering what was wrong with Caroline.
I knocked on the door. She answered, with tears in her eyes. She held a tissue, dabbing her eyes and nose with it.
“Caroline, what’s wrong?”
“Mother’s dying.” She replied, hugging me.
“Mother Parker’s dying?” I asked. “Where is she?”
“In her room.” Caroline supplied. “Please be quiet about it, though. I don’t want the twins to be alarmed.”
I was about to question her about her own twins when I heard Mother Parker’s voice. “Ariana! Is that you?” She coughed.
“I don’t know if she’s delirious or what?” Caroline supplied. “She keeps calling for my sister.”
“Let me talk to her.” I replied.
I didn’t feel right about it, but I knew it had to be done. I knew I wasn’t the real Ariana Parker; Marie in the Dream Realm was.
I walked up the staircase once again. So many memories came back to me like a flash. Mark Grey, how I missed him so. He was so loving and caring. No matter what ailed me, Mark was always there to comfort me.
I sighed, heading down the hall. I passed Bonnie Marie’s room first, the same one where I met Mark. I looked across from it to see his old room. Turning the knob, I found it was locked, the same as hers.
At the end of the hall was Mother Parker’s room. The smells of hospital medicine filled my nose. I heard a pair of giggles coming from the other direction.
Why did I have the feeling I was being watched?
I shook my head and knocked on the door. “Mother?” I tried, just in case she really was delirious. “Can I come in?”
At that, the door opened. I saw one of the maids, Amelia standing by the bed.
“Hello Amelia.” I greeted softly.
Amelia nodded hello and stood.
Mother Parker looked up from her bed. “Bonnie, please. Come in.”
I heard the door shut behind me, looking to see my favorite butler, Charles. I signed a quick hello to the deaf man, with him and Amelia leaving.
“I called you here for a reason.” Mother Parker replied.
Mother Parker looked ill. Could the regal Diane Parker have been brought down by a silly illness?
I didn’t want to alarm her by telling her I’m not her daughter, but she went on.
“I have a confession to make.” She replied, patting the bed.
I took the cue and sat down next to her.
“What is it, Mother?”
“I know who you truly are.” She supplied, her green eyes looking sadder by the moment. “You are Ariana Moon Woods.”
I was speechless. “Why hadn’t you told me sooner? Why were you always calling me Bonnie?”
“Susan made me promise not to.” Mother Parker replied softly.
“My mother sure has a lot of friends in a place where she’s hated.” I commented softly, thinking about Evelyn and Alicia Edwards, and what they’d each told me.
“Nonsense child.” Mother Parker tried to smile. “Susan was well-liked in school. It was just the strange things she started to do that made everybody turn against her.”
I knew what she was talking about, but I pretended not to. “What strange things?”
“Let’s see...” Diane started softly. “Her eyes were like yours – an exotic silver-blue. She made things appear out of thin air and could heal with just a touch.”
That was my mother all right. I thought.
“She told me who you were to become, and how important it was for you to learn on your own.” She said. “I first believed you really were my Bonnie Marie, fooling myself into thinking it were true.”
She paused and I sat, silent, waiting for her to continue.
“I want you to do something for me.” Mother Parker’s green eyes grew dark, and I knew her time was almost up for this earth.
“Anything, Mother Parker.” I whispered, a tear forming in my eye.
I may not have known her very well, but I would miss her.
“Keep an eye on Caroline and the girls for me, will you?” She asked, grabbing my hand. “I have a feeling my daughter will need your help.”
I nodded, not even knowing which girls she meant. “I will. I promise.”
“Thank you.” She whispered, and then closed her eyes.
Softly, I stood and headed out, closing the door behind me.

I went down the hall to visit Mark’s old room before heading downstairs again.
I closed my eyes as I touched the door, seeing Panther smiling back at me. I sighed, remembering the adopted-brother who’d loved me in his own way.
“Hey, get away from there!” I heard a young girl’s voice shout. “That’s off-limits!”
I snatched my hand back, alarmed.
I turn to see a little girl – about Kelly’s age – with her hands on her hips, frowning at me. Immediately, the picture of another adopted-sister came into view. This little girl in front of me was born the same day as Kelly – nearly nine years ago.
The name Michelle Lambert-Sheridan came to mind, along with the day we met.

The day after I had Kelly, I opened my eyes when I heard a voice beside me. “How ye feeling?”
I turned. “Could be better.” I told her.
“The name’s Michelle Lambert-Sheridan. You can call me Shelly.”
“I’m Ariana Moon.” I told her, and then smiled. “Call me Ariana.”

I snapped out of my daze when the girl shouted again. “Didn’t you hear me? Mom’ll kill you if she finds out you’ve touched that door.”
I stepped away. “I’m sorry.” I stepped away from the door, but the girl watched me. “What’s your name?”
“Kimberly Parker.” The girl supplied, her brown eyes searched me. She looked lighter than African-American, but darker than myself.
When did Caroline adopt this girl? How? Why hadn’t she told me sooner?
Goddess this was getting to me.
“Who are you?” Kimberly pressed.
“I’m Ariana Reading.” I said. “A friend of your mother’s.”
Kimberly continued to stare. She looked into my eyes, interested. “You have strange-colored eyes.”
I smiled. “I know.” I winked at her, heading back downstairs.
“Carrie! Kimberly! Dinner!” Caroline’s voice called.
I met my adopted-sister in the kitchen. “Caroline, who’s that little girl?”
Caroline smiled. Her red hair, I noticed, was pulled up into a professional bun. “Another of Mother’s adoption ideas.”
Somehow, I knew better. I told her about my visions when I first saw Kimberly, and she smiled.
“You know Michelle?”
“I did know her, I believe so.” I replied. “I met Michelle Sheridan when I first had Kelly in Shore Point.” I looked at her. “How do you?”
“Like I said; another of Mother’s adoption ideas.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I demanded with a grin.
Caroline’s voice grew quiet, almost a whisper. “Michelle lives in town, and the girls know her as my cousin. Of course, it’s not true, but it was the only way she’d let me adopt them.”
I didn’t know what to think. “Where is she now, and who’s the other girl?”
“Michelle lives on-campus, substituting as a counselor-in-training every now and then at Hill View University.” Caroline replied. She grew frantic when she heard the girls’ voices arguing. “Please, they can’t know the truth. Promise you won’t tell them, Ariana. Please?”
I hugged her. “Yes, Caroline. I promise.” I thought of Mother Parker upstairs. “Can I tell you something else?”
“Sure.” Caroline looked almost domestic. I’d known her as a snob, not knowing how to boil water, let alone cook a full meal. She looked so happy; I didn’t want to crush her by telling her the truth about her mother. “Go ahead.”
I