Diane's Remembrance (Second Chance #4) Read Online Free Page B

voice.
     
    “Good, that’s good.” Diane responded absently.
     
    “Ms. Hall, I came to see you because Karla is happy. She’s getting ready to start school and seems to be adjusting well to the environment she’s in. I’ve come to ask you for something. I’ve come to ask you to leave her alone once you are released. You are a toxic person and she does not need to be exposed to you any longer.”
     
    “Dr. Peterson, you don’t know anything about me. All you know is what she’s told you and she’s a liar. She never let me be happy so why should I let her? She ruined my life from the time she was born.” Diane spat hatefully. Saying the words nearly broke her, but she could not let anyone know her weakness. She had to continue to make everyone want to keep Karla from her because what he said was true. She knew she was toxic and knew that Karla deserved better than she’s gotten over the past six years. “But I won’t bother her. I didn’t want her to begin with.” At least that much was true.
     
    “That’s all I ask.” Andrew said and stood from his seat. “Oh, and one more thing, Karla is an amazing child. She is so smart and sweet that no one would even recognize the lost and broken child she was just a couple of weeks ago.” With that he hung up the phone and walked away. Diane sat there for what felt like hours thinking about what Andrew said. She was happy that Karla had found a family to embrace her and care for her.
     
    When Diane returned to her cell she sat at the desk again and started writing another letter to Karla.
     
    My Dearest Karla,
     
    In my last letter I told you about your brother, Elliot, and why I left you both. Now I want to tell you about someone else you may meet someday. You have a younger sister too. When I found out I was pregnant with her I was deep into drugs and alcohol and didn’t even know who her father was.
     
    I went into a drug rehab and got clean while I was pregnant, but I knew I couldn’t stay clean so I put her up for adoption. On the night she was born I talked to the couple who was adopting her and found out they were naming her Bryleigh. That’s all I really know except that they were both lawyers and could take care of her a lot better than I could. She is nine years old now and I haven’t seen her since the night she was born. I haven’t bothered to look for her at all.
     
    During the time I was clean I did return to Texas briefly. I came to your Kindergarten recital and watched you perform. I stayed in the back by the doors so Mom and Daddy wouldn’t see me and I left as soon as your class took their bow. On my visit I also saw Elliot. He was three at the time and David and Mary really didn’t want me around him, but I did see him. He is so handsome with his blond hair and big blue eyes. It broke my heart to leave y’all, but I knew I had to. I knew I couldn’t take two innocent children with me on my path of self-destruction.
     
    As for your sister, the family who adopted her knows of you and Elliot and I hope that someday they allow her to meet the two of you. If not I pray you three find each other.
     
    There is one more thing I have to say. I have to tell you that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything I put you through. Most of all I’m sorry I never protected you the way I was supposed to.
     
    All my love, even if you don’t believe it,
     
    Mom 
     
    After she signed it, Diane took the letter and shoved it under her mattress. She wasn’t sure if she should rip them all up or not so she was going to hang on to them until she decided what to do. The only one she would never rip up was the one about Alexander. Karla needed to know that.
     
    Once she had the mattress back in place she laid down, closed her eyes and drifted into a dream filled sleep.
     

Chapter Eight
     
    “Diane?!”
     
    I hear my name being called, but I’m trying to ignore it. I don’t want him to find me. I don’t want him to hurt me again.
     
    “Diane