A Missing Key 218 Missed Calls One Family Secret novel Chapter 36

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I followed Uncle Tiger and the nice lady to their really cool black motorcycle.

The nice lady held me tight in her arms, and Tiger’s back was wide and warm, blocking all the wind.

We went to this huge apartment complex that was way prettier than the dark, run-down building we’d been living

Their home was so big and bright.

The nice lady led me into a room and flipped on the light. I saw a little bed with pink sheets, a white desk, and a huge closet.

On the walls, there were glow-in-the-dark star and moon stickers.

“Mia, my name is Sarah. You can call me Aunt Sarah. His name is Jake – call him Uncle Jake.”

“Mia, this is your room. From now on, you’ll live here.”

Aunt Sarah’s voice was sweet like cotton candy.

“Aunt Sarah… Uncle Tiger…” I mumbled.

Aunt Sarah burst out laughing.

“Right, Uncle Tiger.”

She looked so pretty when she smiled.

My room?

I’d always slept in a storage closet full of junk.

I walked in carefully, touching that soft bed like I couldn’t believe it was real.

Then Aunt Sarah opened the closet. It was full of beautiful little dresses in every color.

The bathroom had this thing I’d never seen before a showerhead that sprayed out lots of hot water.

Aunt Sarah helped me wash my hair. It smelled so good. When she was washing my body, she saw all those old bruises on my arms and legs the purple and yellow ones.

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Chapter 4

Her hands stopped. Her eyes got red right away.

She didn’t say anything, just brought over some ointment and dabbed it on gently, bit by bit.

It felt cool and nice.

That night, I had the biggest dinner of my whole life.

There were braised pork ribs, chicken wings, and my favorite – scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

Later, I lay in my new bed, hugging my pink backpack, still feeling like I was dreaming.

I quietly pinched my own cheek.

It hurt. Yeah. It was real.

I really had a new home.

Uncle Tiger and Aunt Sarah were so good to me, it felt like a dream.

My identification papers got sorted out quickly thanks to Uncle Jake’s efforts

I got a new name – Mia Johnson. Aunt Sarah said she hoped I’d always be strong and brave, just like my name.

I became a real, official elementary school student with proper ID and everything.

But in this house, there was one room that was always locked.

That room was right next to my bedroom.

Once, I saw Aunt Sarah come out of there with red, puffy eyes, like she’d been crying.

I was curious, but I didn’t dare ask.

Then one day, I came home from school and found that room’s door slightly open. Something made me quietly push it open.

Inside, the room was decorated in pink just like mine. But the desk and bed were covered in a thin layer of dust.

On the wall hung a photo.

In it was a little girl with the sweetest smile, wearing a blue princess dress and pigtails.

She looked… a little bit like me. Uncle Jake and Aunt Sarah stood beside her, looking incredibly happy.

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A Missing Kev. 218 Missed Calls. One Family Secret

26.5%

Chapter 4

I walked over to the desk and saw a music box sitting there.

I carefully opened it, and “Happy Birthday” started playing.

That’s when I heard footsteps behind me.

I spun around, scared, and saw Aunt Sarah standing in the doorway. The fruit plate in her hands crashed to the floor.

Aunt Sarah didn’t yell at me.

She just rushed over and hugged me tight, her whole body shaking.

That afternoon, Aunt Sarah sat on the little bed in that room and told me about the girl in the photo.

She was their daughter, Anna.

Two years ago, Anna ran into the street to get a ball that had rolled away, and a truck running a red light…

Aunt Sarah couldn’t finish. She covered her face and broke down sobbing.

My heart hurt so bad for her.

I finally understood.

I understood that complicated look in Uncle Tiger’s eyes when he first saw me and why he was so good to me.

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