Chapter one. Whose your daddy?

Grace, just plain, ordinary, boring Grace. My life is stupendously boring, no friends and no family. I have nothing to do at this crumbling old orphanage, just sit and wait for another family to turn me down. I can't blame them though, not even I would adopt myself. I'm not pretty, have no talent whatsoever and have the attention span of a toddler on drugs.

It was one of those nights, rain lashing on my windowpane, thunder daring to blow this faulty orphanage away. Yet, I felt safe, I had this distant memory of a night like this. I didn't know why, or what it was but I felt secure.

"In here" I heard a tired whisper from outside my door. I didn't bother getting up; it was probably matron leading a shivering child to the bathroom. I sighed deeply, hands folded behind my head.
"Better not wake here". A low voice now spoke also whispering.
I listened hard,
"Knowing Grace she'll be listening to us speak now, not a good sleeper that one. Not since.." there was an awkward pause "anyway, this is her room"
I knew what Matron was thinking; I hadn't slept properly since the night I had been kidnapped right under the nose of the orphanages security guards. Snatched from my bed, it was a traumatizing situation. The nightmares were endless. I only got away 'cause I wasn't worth much and they were all pretty amateur, scared they were. To scared to lay a finger in my after the had tied me up.

The door creaked open, two dark shadows stood just outside the door, at first I thought I was having a nightmare until I registered properly. Matron; a ghastly women with missing teeth and very little neck was leering at me, this was visible even in the dark. And, an unknown man.

"Get up Grace. Your leaving" Matron spat.
"What?" I asked, clueless.
"This lad here is adopting you. 'right? So grab your belongings and get going."
I sat still, someone was adopting me? I switched on the light, and tried to get a closer look at the unknown man.
"Hurry up lassie, we don't have all day!"

I rolled out of bed with a thud, and collected my little belongings. A silver hair brush entwined with patterns of a winding vine, second hand and torn leather shoes, a music box inherited from some distant relation in God knows where, and a single draw of unwanted clothes.

The man appeared to be nice, he was tall and of average build. He had a welcoming smile, it gave me some comfort.

"Please sir, why are you adopting... me?" I asked my voice trembling from the cold.
"Because I think it is about time you met your dad" He grinned at me "My names Charlie, I'm your father."