Forty-three Grandparents - A Novelette By Angie Tonucci

By Angie Tonucci

Whenever anyone asks 13-year-old Kayla Green about her family, she creates elaborate stories. Other than temporary foster families and group homes, she's never had a family who was committed to keeping her and loving her forever. But when a mysterious visitor arrives to meet her, Kayla can hope, for the first time in her life, that she won't have to make up stories anymore. (30 Pages / Ages 10+)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 5, 2014
• ISBN: 9781312252394

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Forty-three Grandparents - A Novelette By Angie Tonucci

Forty-three Grandparents

A Novelette by Angie Tonucci

Forty-three Grandparents

A Novelette By Angie Tonucci

Electronic Version

First Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Angie Tonucci

All rights reserved. Published by Angie Tonucci. Distributed by Lulu. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. For information, please visit the following website:

www.angietonucci.com

This story is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

ISBN: 978-1-312-25239-4

For my son, Kaleb.

"‘There,’ she said. She rocked him back and forth. ‘There, you foolish, beautiful boy who wants to change the world. There, there. And who could keep from loving you?

Who could keep from loving a boy so brave and true?’"

I tried not to be too excited or hopeful. I tried to tell myself that once this lady met me tomorrow, things would go back to normal. She’d realize she had the wrong girl. She’d head straight back to the Sunshine State.

But I couldn’t keep the what ifs from inching their way into my thoughts. What if this was real? What if somebody wanted me? Not just momentarily for a monthly check from the state, but forever?

Part One

I was six years old the first time I was told to write an essay about my family. I don’t remember my first grade teacher’s name. She was the oldest person I’d met to that point, but she had greasy, jet-black hair cut into a bob with uneven bangs. I’d always imagined her combing shoe polish into it every morning.

The family essay had been our homework for Thanksgiving break. I remembered that because she’d pointed out that we would all be spending time with our extended families on Thanksgiving Day. I’d raised my hand to ask about extended families.

You know, Kayla, she’d said while erasing the blackboard. Your grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, that sort of family. She’d then turned back to face me. You don’t have to write about everybody if you don’t want to. You can just tell us about your mom and dad and brothers and sisters.

Before I could ask her if just my