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Her given name was Sarah,but her adoptive parents always called her "princess". They told her that Sarah meant princess of spring in a native american languag . From the moment that she was old enough to understand she knew that she had been adopted from an orphanage in Romania . She was one of the lucky ones and only had vague memories from the times she spent there. She had just turned four , when all the paperwork had been finalised and she became the daughter of a mid-thirties american couple that had been unable to have children of their own .A couple of years later they all returned to her homeland and brought home a little brother for her . 2
Sarah never lacked for anything .Her adoptive parents were not rich,but they were comfortable and were able to provide everything the children needed.Sarah was fitted with a legbrace to correct a problem with one of her feet that was abit deformed due to the lack of prenatal care her birthmom had been able to avail herself of in Romania.By the time she was six ,the problem was barely noticable with the exception of a little limp when she was extremely tired from running and overexerting herself during play.She finally was able to start the ballet lessons that she had so desperately dreamed off.With her tights and the tulle tutu,she really felt as the name princess described her perfectly . She threw herself into her lessons with a passion and determination far beyond her years.How proud she was when she got the leadrole in the schoolrecital of the "Nutcracker".Tears streamed down her face when after the performance her brother presented her with a bouquet of pastel pink roses.They loved each other dearly,but they had their squabbles as any brother and sister would. He teased her about her frilly tutu ,and she called him a jock as he had taken a liking to american sports. 3
The years passed swiftly,and the little waif of a girl became quite a classic beauty and never lacked for dates during her Highschool years . If there was a dance like homecoming or the winter snow festival ,the boys fought over who was going to get to her first to ask her out.Even though Sarah enjoyed all these extracurricular activities,she did not get serious about any of the young men. She had big plans for her future.She wanted to become a doctor and return to Romania,as there was a definite lack of qualified medical personnel there.She spent alot of time in her room pouring over medical journals and had literature from the best colleges in the US. and she had started writing letters of application.With her grades there should be no problem obtaining at least a partial scholarship. 4
Sarah's other passion was drawing and painting .She dabbled in charcoal,oils and pastels, and had an entire portfolio of her artwork . Yet for some reason she did not share most of them with the family. Maybe she thought they were not all that good. 5
She also felt an urge and unrest that starting eating at her when she was about fourteen . Despite the love and the care her adoptive parents bestowed on her and her brother,there was an empty feeling deep inside of her heart. She lay awake many a night wondering who she really was....Sarah,princess of spring , but that did not seem to be enough for her to get an image of her ancestry,as it was merely a name and a term of endearment.She looked in the mirror and wondered whom she resembled. Whose traits had she inherited that made dancing,learning and art so easy and natural to her. Those things had to be genetic.Not wanting to hurt the parents that had given her so much , she kept that yearning to herself.Maybe if she really became a doctor and returned back to Romania , she might be able to find out something ...anything that might her trace her roots . 6
Sarah's graduation from Highschool fell on the same day as her 18th birthday . Her emotions were mixed that day.She teetered between joy and sadness.She now officially was an adult , and four months earlier she had recieved that long awaited brown envelope with the return address of Harvard University . It was a letter of acceptance .On that day she had screamed with joy and almost knocked over her dad as he came home from work and she leaped right into his arms in the driveway.But as the time was getting closer now to leave home for the first time in her life,she could not help but feel butterflies in her stomach . She could hear the preparations for her party begin downstair ,as she lay accross her chintz bedspread . Allright..."time to pull myself together"she told herself . A gentle knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts.Quickly she wiped the tear off her face that had started running down her cheek without her even noticing at first.She really was not much in the mood for a party,as it was supposed to be a celebration to a new start , but to her it also presented the end of her childhood,and soon she would have to start packing for college and leave behind all she had ever known and where she ha felt safe and loved. 7
Her mom entered the room and in her hands she held an envelope that looked somewhat tattered around the edges.As if through a fog she heard her mom tell her that it contained something she had saved for all those years and thought the time was right now to give it to her.Was it a premonition ...maybe , but Sarah's hands trembled a little as she reached for the envelope and opened it.A gasp escaped her lips.For it contained a faded picture,gently laid between folds of delicate parchment paper,and in the back it was marked "Natalia, Sarah's mom ". She had to sit down as her legs felt as if they would buckle and give out right from under he .How could this be possible?Sarah had never seen her birthmom . She was sent to the orphanage right from the hospital ,as her mom was single and very young,and had no visible means of supporting herself , much less a newborn little baby . 8
Without a single word Sarah reached under her bed and withdrew a folder that she handed to her adoptive mom.They were various paintings in different mediums , yet they were all of the same lady.There was no mistaking whatsoever....the lady in Sarah's drawings was the same as the lady in the old photograph.A tear trickled down her adoptive mom's cheek as she gently reached for the girl's hand . "Let's enjoy your party today princess .......I will make arrangments for us to fly to Romania as soon as we can , there is someone there we need to find and meet ........I love you Sarah" 9
Author notes
This story is pure fiction...but I do know a couple that adopted a little girl and a boy from Romania. The wife had gone over there to volunteer with the children in the various orphanages as a nurse and she fell in love with all the children , but unfortunately could not adopt them all
What did you think? Please comment!
Comments
1 - 8 of 8
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Poignant
simple unprepossessing and poignant ... too close for comfort for some ... I have Romanian friends near Paris and their family is coming to France today - pure coincidence.
The story is both touching and also shows skills beyond those which are readily perceived in some of your verse
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A late comer to this lovely story but still a pleasure to read, nonetheless, thank you. Often times what a person says about themselves on their page does not match what they post, in this case, the magic of you own acclaim shows through nicely. I thought of Nadia Commaniche(sp) then I read the mother's name a Romanian girl who won in Gymnastics, I think.
And the acknowledgement that talents and skills can very well be inherited was also a deft touch to your story.
most enjoyable....amicus....oh, 'premonition' was a typo, I think...
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Awww.. that was the sweetest story i've read on ap!!
I h ad no idea the ending was gonna turn out that way,,,
Great job :]
Nour- -
Oh I almost had a tear by the end. This was so lovely. I kow of several children who were adopted from Romania and China. some are grown now and are beginiing to make a life of their own. I like that in your story she has a desire to return home and give back to her people. This was well written. Keep them coming...
Susan -
Great story. It's interesting what the unconscious mind contains in its deep and often unreachable depths. They say it holds every detail of every event you've ever lived, every memory you've ever taken in. If this is true, then it's truly extraordinary what the unconscious mind is capable of. The reason I'm saying all this is because Sarah was apparently able to recall, unknowingly of course, the image of her mother's face. When you're a child, an infant, even then you are able to absorb and remember things, just not on a conscious level. Great write!
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Such a sweet story. I like how you mention she kept that artistic side to herself, and then later the paintings turned out to be of her mother. Wow. Neat. Good luck. I enjoyed reading it.
Peace,
Lo
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a beautiful touching story to often repeated by children the world over but i liked the touch about the picture sharing. to cool.
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Aww, this is such a beautiful story, you really have a talent for writing. I loved this story from beginning to end, it realy was a pleasure to read. Muchas amor, Mandy
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