Paris Vurton and Anne-Marie Davis, two strangers with the same face but different lives are a product of the luna eclipse that was predicted hundreds of years ago to bring about the reformation of the Kingdom of Berton.
Seventeen years later, Paris...
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The loud barks of neighborhood dogs echoed through the rundown streets, mingling with the harsh clank of metal from nearby workshops. Living on the downside of Breton wasn't something Anne-Marie was proud of, but it was all she could afford. At least she had a roof over her head—something she couldn't say for a few of the kids in the area. Here, survival was the only thing that mattered. Anne-Marie had dreams once—big, bright dreams. But life had a way of dimming them. She had let go of most of those dreams when her parents died, leaving her the sole provider for her family. And she had watched the rest fade when her brother was diagnosed with cancer.
Dreams like going to med school, becoming a doctor, and opening her own hospital—those dreams had no place in her world anymore. It had been two years since she dropped out of high school, a necessary sacrifice to ensure Abel's treatment. She knew she couldn't juggle school and work and still be there for him. Abel was all she had left. Even though he was sick, often in pain, she couldn't abandon him. She couldn't leave him to face the world alone. She was all he had.
"Thank God you're home," Mickey's voice pulled her from her thoughts as she stepped inside their cramped apartment. The older woman's round face broke into a smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "I was beginning to wonder when you'd get back."
Anne-Marie offered a tired smile in return.
"I'm really sorry, Mickey," she said, quickening her pace to meet the small, chubby woman who was throwing on her coat.
Mickey, named after the cartoon mouse for her small stature and lively spirit, was the heart of the neighborhood. She was always ready with a kind word and a helping hand, and without her, Anne-Marie's life would be a lot harder. Mickey had been babysitting Abel while Anne worked, just as she often did.
"I had a lot to do at work today," Anne-Marie explained, guilt creeping into her voice.
"That's fine," Mickey assured her, leaning on the table. "I had the whole day off, and you know how much I enjoy looking after Abel."
"Is he asleep?"
Mickey shook her head.
"He was out for most of the day, but he's awake now." Her eyes flicked to the paper bag in Anne-Marie's hand, and her face brightened. "You brought dinner?"
Anne-Marie sighed softly, her shoulders sagging with the weight of the day. "I figured he might be hungry since he didn't eat much earlier." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the white envelope she had earned earlier, opening it to extract a few bills.
"I made some money today," she said, stretching the notes out to Mickey. "It's not much, but please take it as a thank you for helping me with Abel."
Mickey's face softened as she gently pushed Anne-Marie's hand back.
"You know you don't have to pay me for spending time here, Marie. I enjoy looking after Abel—he's a sweet kid."
