CHAPTER 1

Kelly Henderson stepped into the airplane going to Nebraska and unlike other times where it was welcoming, she felt rejected this time. This was her first trip alone.

After Ann had broken the news to her, Kelly had felt distraught. She had lost her parents and her sisters who were twins - Katie and Kristy. She couldn't think straight. She had lost four people on the same day, her brother -Kevin- was in a coma in the hospital and the doctors didn't have any idea of when he'll wake up. He was just lying there on the hospital bed not responding to treatment.

Kelly sighed as tears welled up in her eyes. She remembered the day after the accident, she had cried her eyes out and when the mail man delivered the newspaper which she knew would be a torture to read, she read it anyway. The words were written boldly at the front page of the newspaper and as she read on, the words tore her apart more and more.

' POPULAR POLITICIAN AND BUSINESS MOGUL - JORDAN HENDERSON - DIES IN A CAR CRASH ALONG WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO OF HIS CHILDREN. THE ONLY SURVIVOR OF THE CRASH, HIS SON, IS CURRENTLY IN A COMA IN THE WASHINGTON HOSPITAL DISTRICT ' continued on page 3.

It was on the news too and it seemed like that was what everyone was talking about. People dropped by to see them, offering gifts and condolences. Phone calls were coming in too.

Kelly had never experienced so much pain in her life. She willed it all to be a nightmare and that when she woke up it will all be fine. She pinched herself hard and when nothing happened, realisation hit her, her family were dead except for Kevin who was in a coma until God-knows-when.

Although Ann felt really bad, she knew she wasn't feeling as much pain as Kelly, she didn't know what to do, the house was eerily quiet unlike other days and neither of them liked it. Not one bit.

Kelly's aunt, Rosa Rogers - her mother's sister - had called on the phone and said she would be coming to visit and told them about how she was sorry and all. Kelly had heard enough sorrys up to the point that if she should hear another she was going to snap.

They arranged for the funeral as quick as possible. It was difficult for Kelly, Ann too. Even though they weren't related, they were like family to her. She was going to miss the typical mornings at the Henderson's household. She was going to miss her job too but she felt it was time for her to move on, her job at the Henderson's was over.

Kelly had stood beside Rosa wearing a black dress, her hair wasn't brushed and it was sticking out noticeably, her eyes were bloodshot and swollen from all the crying. And when the priest asked her to step forward and throw sand into the graves, she couldn't hold back the tears. She fell to the floor on her knees and wailed, crying and screaming that she wanted to go with them, it took the effort of Rosa and some other men to get her off the ground and to the back of the crowd where they tried to console her.

The day after that, Kelly had gone to see Kevin in the hospital. He looked totally different, definitely not like the smiley, goofy boy she had played with earlier in the morning before they had gone out. He looked pale, thin and just too delicate. His body laid lifelessly on the bed and the machines around him scared her, she wanted it to all be a nightmare but it was reality, her reality, she held his hands, muttered some prayers to God - their mother had always taught them the ways of God - and broke down into a sobbing mess. Ann who was behind her helped her up and tried to console her. Emphasis on Tried.

The doctor had told them that they were transferring Kevin to a hospital in Nebraska so that he'd be closer to them and they could visit whenever.

By the time they got home, Kelly ran up to her room wanting to be alone while Ann went to hers to pack up her stuff. She was so used to the house that she didn't want to leave but she would have had to leave at some point.

Rosa had flown back to Nebraska earlier that morning after her lawyer confirmed that she could take over Karen's business according to Karen's wish. She had written in a document that 'Supposing something happens earlier, her business should be handed over to her sister - Rosa, who was the manager- to handle until her oldest daughter can take over the business'.

Kelly went to her seat in the airplane, beside the window. She was starting over, her life was upside down and the only way to fix the mess which was her life was by starting over. She couldn't possibly continue to live in her huge empty mansion, which held so much memories that'll make her cry everyday, so she was going to be staying with Rosa for now.

She folded her arms on her knees and leaned her head against it letting the tears drip down her face. She sighed as the voice of the air hostess cut throughout the airplane telling them to tighten their seat belts and they'll be moving in 4 minutes.

Kelly did what she was told and forced herself not to cry when she saw a happy family in the row opposite to hers.

Then, the plane took off and slowly she was rocked into sleep, her second one since the past week.

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Kelly awoke with a killer headache just as the airplane landed and continued speeding down the runway. She popped some pain killers she had in her bag into her mouth and  gulped almost half of her bottle of water as she had swallowed them dry.

Wiping her mouth, she looked outside as she followed the many people trying to get out and collect their bags. The chilly breeze of Nebraska hit her and she inwardly told herself to get used to it.

After grabbing her bag, she went to the parking lot and waited for Rosa to come get her. She was scared, terrified to be precise, she didn't know what to do. Her second greatest fear after the first one being saying goodbye to something or someone was the fear of rejection, she didn't know what to expect from these people. She didn't want to suffer rejection in a strange town with all of these bad things that bumped their way into her life. When she noticed Rosa waving at her, she began walking towards her and thanked her sincerely for letting her stay with them for the mean time.

"It's fine." Rosa said. "They were good people."

Were.

Kelly nodded at her and focused her attention on her fingers which were resting on her laps, trying not to cry. And quietly, she admitted to herself that her life was a shitty one.

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A/N: Hiiii people!!! How y'all doing today? You good? Not too good? I understand sweeties!!💕 Have a great day or perhaps night, whatever time it is where you are😘.

~EnnyWrites 💕💕