Chapter 1: The Plan.
I was woken by a knock on my bedroom door and sleepily called out "Come in." The door opened and in trooped the boys bearing a tray loaded with a full cooked breakfast.
"Happy Birthday Dear Mary ..." they all chorused. Still a little groggy from sleep I sat up and had the tray placed across my lap.
"How sweet of them," I thought, brushing away a tear as I noticed the single rose decorating the tray. They all had grins a mile wide across their faces and moved to sit down – the identical twins, Peter and Paul, perching on the padded ottoman while Matt and Mark plonked themselves on either side of the bed, almost upsetting the tray.
As I started in on the food, Matt began to talk. "Here's the plan for today," he paused, "Mark and I are taking you shopping for a whole new wardrobe then this afternoon you're going to have a full treatment at the Salle Monique. No expense spared on anything. Tonight we're going to have our own private birthday party for you – those two, he indicated the twins, are will be working all day cleaning the house and organising the catering. Today you belong to us. This is our birthday treat for you, just to thank you for the past five years. How does that sound to you?"
Five years ago our parents' car had been in a collision involving a truck with an over-tired driver at the wheel, leaving the five of us orphaned. At first the Social Services department wanted to take us all into care but we pleaded and fought to stay together as a family. Fortunately for us our social worker supported us and, with an awful lot of help from her, especially at first, I became 'mother' to them all. I was proud of how I had managed as their 'mother'.
Fortunately we had the house, mortgage free, and I think that helped sway the social department. I had to abandon any plans of staying on at school for my qualifications and my social life got neglected but it was all worth it. We'd come through the tough times and eventually thrived: a close, loving family with a mum the same age as her boys.
I was just a couple of months short of my 16th birthday when we lost Mum and Dad. Matthew, then 18, was already at college so it was agreed that he should continue his studies. This he did and was rewarded with a contract writing database applications with an up and coming software company. He was already Project Manager. Mark, a year younger than me, on the other hand, was happiest working with his hands and, after finishing school, started up a small business doing repairs to household electronics equipment. His business was supporting him nicely but he'll never be rich. The twins, Peter and Paul, then aged 13, were both off to college in September.