Half Past Destiny. The Dragon Savior

Jenna sat on the steps of the old stone church. She leaned up against the steps and traced her finger along with the cement of the stairs. She looked towards the street in front of her. Cars drove on the street and people walked by. The town she lived in was called Pleasant Valley but it wasn’t very pleasant for her. She waited on the steps for her foster parents and their children to come out, The Morgs. Today was Jenna’s 17th Birthday but it didn’t matter. Jenna had been in foster care since she was three. Not all her foster parents were bad.

The Morgs were nice enough people but they weren’t her family. They doted on their biological but not her. Birthdays, holidays vacations, she was rarely included. They weren’t mean or vile like some of her previous foster parents. She had clean clothes, food and she went to school. They just didn’t treat her like family.

Jenna’s mother was an alcoholic. Jenna had been placed in care one fateful night when her mother had taken a ride with her drunk. There was a car accident. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but they took her away when the police came into the apartment and saw their living conditions. She had pleaded with her mother many times to get sober and get help, but it never worked. She had been to multiple rehabilitation centers and therapy but nothing stuck.

She looked away from the traffic and at the great big tree, she sat under next to the steps. The wind blew and she remembered all of her previous foster parents.

Jenna was in a group home from 3 to 5. At 5, she was placed with the Millers until she was 10. The Millers were wonderful. Mrs. Miller couldn’t have children of her own. They wanted to adopt Jenna but her mother wouldn’t sign off. That made Jenna so incredibly mad. The Millers had no other children. She was like their biological child. She was included in everything. Vacations, holidays, anything family-related. She even had her own room, and she decorated how she wanted. The millers tried for 4 years to get Jenna’s mother to change her mind, after that year they were placed with another child. They ended up adopting him and Jenna was placed at the Canters. It had broken her heart that they didn’t want to keep her then. That felt like home but they wanted to build a relationship with their son with no other interference which meant Jenna had to go.

She was with the Canters from 10 to 14. They were also nice people but after what happened with the Millers, Jenna didn’t allow herself to get close to them. She had to build up a wall so she wouldn’t get hurt again. When Jenna was 14, Mrs. Canter had gotten sick. She had stage 4 breast cancer and she passed away. So she was placed with the Morgs.

The church doors opened and out walked The Morgs. Evelyn ( Mrs. Morg) was talking to the pastor. “Oh yes, of course. I would love to help organize the bake sale for the fundraiser. We can make it so much fun.” She smiled as she spoke and touched the pastor’s arm. Jenna rolled her eyes. Out here in public, they looked like the perfect family but at home, they were anything but. Mr. Morg (Mark) smiled and nodded in agreement. Out stepped their two children. Max and Melanie. Max and Melanie were 10 years old and twins. They were annoying but they weren’t terrible.

Mrs. Morg looked down at Jenna “ Come along dear. Let's go home and celebrate your birthday.” Jenna smiled up at her and got up, playing the picture of the perfect family. They got to their dodge journey SUV and everyone climbed in.

Mr. Morgs hands were on the steering wheel, his knuckles were white with anger. Jenna knew it was coming. She passed the twins their tablets and headphones. “ How about you guys watch something on youtube while we drive home?” she said smiling. The twins took the tablets and headphones and zoned out. Jenna braced herself.

Mr. Morg looked at his wife. She was sitting in the passenger seat, playing on her phone. “ WHY Evelyn?! Why would you even agree to help right now? You know everything is wrong right now. In our marriage, in our relationship? Why are you trying to ruin my life further?!”

Mrs. Morg had an affair. On the outside, yes, they were the perfect family. Pillars of the community. They helped with local charities, helped the homeless, and even fostered children. They had a perfect reputation. Mr. Morg was running for city council and his wife’s adultery could never be known. There couldn’t be a scandal now.

Evelyn looked at him with disdain on her face. “Well maybe if you would put your family first! ME FIRST, I wouldn’t have been lonely. I would have stayed within our marriage. You don’t even try, Mark. All you care about is your career!! I can't take it anymore. When the election is over, I want a divorce.” She scream.

The car pulled into the driveway and Evelyn got out, slamming the door. Mr. Morg sighed. He turned and looked at Jenna, looking out the window pretending she hadn’t heard any of that. Mark spoke, “ remember, your life is good here. Do not tell anyone any of this. It would suck if we suddenly had to tell her social worker you couldn’t live here anymore.” Jenna nodded. She already knew about all of it. He was right. Her life wasn’t bad here. They weren’t her family but she was content. They lived in a huge house. Almost a mansion. She had her own room and there was a pool. She had 1 more year until she aged out of the system. She could make it.

Jenna tapped the twins and motioned for them to go inside. They all climbed out of the car and walked inside the house. Jenna walked up to her room and closed the door.

She could keep their secrets. It's not like she had ever had control over her life anyway. She had been moved from a different home to a different home so many times. She really just wanted to control her own destiny.