Taken Away Chapter 3

When she made it down stairs, everyone was at the table waiting for her. She sat down next to Bethany and across from Alyson, who had Olivia next to her. Blake picked up her spoon and was about to begin eating, but Olivia cleared her throat. Blake looked up and saw that no one else was eating.

“We always pray before eating to thank God for providing the food for us,” Olivia said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Blake turned to Alyson, a look of mock shock on her face.

“You never told me you were God,” she said. Bethany snorted and tried to stifle her laughter while Alyson gave her a small smile, but Olivia gave Blake a look that could kill; the middle child was anything but intimidated by the nineteen year old.

“I was just kidding. I’m sorry,” she said to Olivia, however there was a hint of sarcasm in her apology, something that Olivia picked up on.

Everyone at the table then folded their hands together and bowed their heads. Blake followed suit just to show respect for the family, even though she is an atheist.

“Bless us, O Lord! and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen,” they all said together.

Blake felt a little out of place, but pushed that feeling away. She placed her napkin on her lap and began eating her chili.

“So, how was school today?” Alyson asked Bethany after a few minutes of awkward silence.

“Boring and slow,” she stated with a shrug. She didn’t elaborate, so Alyson turned to Olivia.

“How were classes?”

“Same as usual,” the eldest daughter replied in a bored tone. There was another silence.

“Oh, I forgot. Patrick called for the estimate on your car. It’s written on a post it next to the phone,” Alyson said, remembering what the phone call from earlier had been about.

Olivia stood up and went to the counter in the kitchen that had the phone on it and looked at the post it.

“Are you serious?” she growled in audible frustration. Alyson sighed, knowing why she was upset.

“What?” Bethany asked.

“I’m going to be completely broke,” Olivia replied. “Stupid piece of crap car. I have to get rid of it. There’s no way I can afford to pay for this.”

She sat back down in a huff, looking very stressed. Blake felt bad for the older girl, even if she hasn’t treated Blake very well. She was clearly very upset about this.

“What’s wrong with your car?” she asked.

“I need to replace the fuel pump, whatever that means,” Olivia replied, stabbing at her food with a scowl.

“Without a fuel pump, your engine will quickly starve. If the fuel pump is bad, then everything in your car will eventual die. Not all cars have them, particularly older motorcycle models, but when you need one, it’s important to get it replaced right away,” Blake stated. “What kind of car do you have?”

Olivia, after blinking at the younger girl a few times before answering.

“A crappy 1983 Ford Mustang,” she replied.

“Hm...if you want, I can get a few things together and replace it myself,” Blake offered. The whole table was suddenly very quiet and stared at her.

“Where did you learn how to fix cars?” Bethany asked. Blake suddenly felt even more out of place than she did before. She put her hand behind her head and scratched the back of her neck.

“Uh, my dad taught me when I was little. Also, growing up around cars for your whole life, you generally learn a thing or two about them,” she explained.

“How much would it cost?” Olivia asked.

“You wouldn’t have to pay for anything. I can get it—” Blake started, but Olivia’s face became stern and interrupted her.

“How much would it cost?” she repeated firmly. Blake sighed.

“One hundred dollars, one twenty max depending on the prices here.”

The eldest daughter looked at the orange post it note in her hand, her face looked like she was concentrating really hard. Soon, she mimicked Blake and sighed.

“You’ll really do it?” she asked. Blake gave her a small smile.

“No problem.”

“All right. When are you able to?”

“Well, my own cars are coming in the morning, so tomorrow afternoon I can run to an auto shop or whatever and get the supplies I’ll need. Do you have tools here, Alyson?” she asked.

“Yeah, in the garage,” her biological mother answered.

“Great. Then I can have the auto shop bring your car here and I can begin working on it. What time are you done with classes?”

“I won’t be back until four thirty,” Olivia replied.

“I’ll probably be done by five if I start around three,” she answered.

“That would be...great. Thank you,” the older sibling said with the first real smile she’s given Blake since they met.

“No problem,” Blake said with a shrug, showing that it wasn’t a big deal, which it really wasn’t to her. She enjoyed working on cars.

The rest of dinner was pleasant with light chatter and small talk. Blake found out that she would be starting school on Wednesday at Bisbee High School as a junior, which she was actually very excited about. This will be her first time as a student at a public school, something she’s wanted since she was in middle school. When the meal was over, Blake went back up to her room (after Alyson declined her offer to help with the dishes) and fell on her bed and a heavy sigh. It’s been a very long, very emotional day and she was exhausted. Right when she thought about taking a shower and going to bed, her cell phone started ringing.

Blake pulled out her red and white Samsung A 767 Propel phone and answered without even looking to see who it was.

“Hello?” she asked in a tired voice.

“Spill right now! I want to know everything!” commanded a very familiar, very thick British accented voice that made Blake immediately smile and forget about her shower.

“What makes you think I want to tell you anything?” Blake asked, the teasing in her voice very obvious.

“Bitch, you better talk or I swear to every deity there is that I will find a way to that small ass town and kick your ass so hard, you won’t even know your own name,” Blake’s best friend growled.

“Jessica, we both know I could take you in a fight any day,” Blake informed the girl on the other end. “And just chill, all right. I’ll talk.”

“Good, and I would totally win!” Jessica Porter declared. Blake rolled her eyes, even though the other girl couldn’t see it.

“Whatever, Jess,” she sighed. “Well, what do you want to know?”

“What’s your mum like? And your sisters? Is the town really small? What’s the house like?” she fired at Blake.

“Slow down, babe. You’re going way too fast,” Blake laughed, but answered her questions in order. She took about fifteen minutes explaining what her new family was like, their reactions to her, especially Olivia’s initial and immediate dislike to the seventeen year old, along with addressing the rest of her friends’ questions.

“Damn girl,” Jessica said when Blake finished.

“Yeah, I know. I’m pretty sure I’m going to be fine here. They’re nice enough and hopefully fixing Olivia’s car will get me some brownie points with her.”

“I don’t know. Once she finds out you’re a les, she might get a bit shirty with you,” her friend replied.

“I know, but when have I ever truly cared about what people think about me. I’m only trying to get on their good sides because I live with them. Also, I want to make things as easy as I can for Alyson. This has to be really crazy for her,” Blake explained.

“You’re getting soft,” Jessica said in an accusatory tone.

“I am not,” Blake huffed, scowling at nothing.

“You are, too,” the British girl taunted.

“Whatever,” the teen billionaire said, sick of the conversation. “How are the girls?”

“They’re good,” Jessica replied. There was a heavy pause and Blake waited for her to continue. “We miss you,” she finished sadly. Blake sighed again.

“I know, I miss you guys, too.”

There was a silence as the two best friends let their feelings wash over them.

“Look, you just take it easy down there,” Jessica said, breaking the peace. “Find some hottie and show her a good time.”

“Well, I’ll finally be able to go to a public school, so maybe I’ll be able to find someone who isn’t a stuck up bitch who thinks she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Blake said, frowning again at the memories of some girls who’ve tried to get with her.

“There’ll be someone. I mean, who can resist the great Blake Harris?” Jessica asked. Although she was teasing slightly, she was actually quite serious.

“I’ll remember you said that,” Blake replied and both girls laughed. That’s when Blake heard a girl talking in the background on the other end of the phone. “Do you have a girl there?” Blake asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, she just got out of the shower.” Blake could hear the satisfactory smirk in her friend’s voice.

“What the hell are you on the phone with me for? Go have fun,” Blake ordered. Jessica laughed lecherously.

“Oh, don’t you worry about me and my fun. I’ve had plenty of it already,” she said.

“Whatever. I’ll talk to you later,” Blake said.

“Later, girl. Love you,” Jessica said.

“Bye, babe. Love you, too,” the guitarist said, then hung up and tossed her phone aside.

“Was that your boyfriend?” came a voice at the doorway. Blake looked up and saw Alyson standing outside her room.

“Boyfriend?” Blake asked, raising an eyebrow. She resisted the urge to laugh out loud.

“I didn’t mean to listen in. I was about to go to Bethany’s room when I heard the last few seconds of your conversation,” the woman replied, taking a small step inside the bedroom.

“Oh, no, not a boyfriend. My best friend back in Detroit,” Blake answered.

“I see. What’s her name?”

“Jessica Porter.”

“How long have you known her?”

“About three years. We went to Kent Preparatory School in Year Ten and instantly hit if off when we were both sent to the headmistresses’ office on the first day of term,” Blake said with a nostalgic smile.

“Kent? Isn’t that in—”

“England? Yeah, it’s a boarding school I attended for about six months,” the teenager finished.

“You certainly have been around the world,” Alyson said.

“Yeah,” Blake said; her smile slowly disappeared. There was a few seconds of silence and then Alyson cleared her throat.

“Well, I just wanted to say good night to you girls. I work the graveyard shift, so I’ll be in my office from ten tonight until five in the morning. Do you know what time your vehicles will be arriving?” she asked.

“I was told sometime between seven and eight AM.”

“Okay, well, I’ll be up around noon so how about we head to Target at twelve thirty so we can get your school supplies and the things you’ll need for Olivia’s car.”

“Sounds good,” Blake replied.

“And thanks, for helping out Liv. That was very generous,” Alyson said. Blake shrugged.

“It’s no problem.”

Alyson nodded.

“Well, good night, Blake,” she said.

“Good night,” the teenager replied.

Alyson left the room, closing the door on her way out. Blake stared at her ceiling, going over what has happened in her life that’s led to where she was now.

She was arrested for breaking and entering her school she had been currently attending. She was with a few of her friends that often went out on weekends just to make a bit of trouble and get a thrill for breaking the law. They entered the school and trashed the headmistresses office. Normally, Blake doesn’t react to teacher’s comments on her behavior, her lack of propriety, and her intelligence. However, this headmistress had the galls to insult Blake’s deceased parents, something that Blake never stands for. So, she decided, with her friends, to vandalize her office.

However, a woman who lived across the street called the cops when they saw five girls break into the school. Blake, who saw the cops before her friends, pushed them out the window while she distracted the police. Her friends got away while she was arrested. She went to the station, was booked and bailed within a few hours. Her au pair/guardian was...less than pleased to put it mildly. If Blake was still in Detroit, she’d still be grounded since Collette said it would be done when she was no longer angry with Blake. It was settled that as long as Blake paid for the repairs, there would be no charges pressed against her. The school decided to expel her, which was no surprise to the teenager.

However, only a few days later, Collette received a second call from the police station. They asked if she should come in with Blake right away. Collette was even more upset and demanded that Blake tell her what the call was about. The seventeen year old had no idea and was a little afraid of what was they wanted. Nothing had prepared her for what was the truth.

When Blake was twelve years old, she found out from her parents that she was adopted. When she asked about her birth parents, she heard a very interesting story. When she was three years old, in the middle of the night, a woman her adopted mother was friends with in high school appeared at her and her father’s door in France. Her name was Aimée Dupont and she pleaded her old friend to take Blake. She would not leave until Anastasie took the girl, which the woman of the house eventually did after several minutes. She took the small and very skinny girl in her arms and stared at her frightened face, her eyes showed confusion and fear.

“Shh, it’ll be okay, sweetie,” Anastasie whispered in French, trying to soothe the small child in her arms. She looked back up at the frantic woman on her step, only to see that she was gone.

“Aimée?” the woman called out. She was nowhere to be found. “David!” Anastasie called to her husband and shut the door behind her.

The two adults, one French and the other American, called the police. The authorities searched and searched for Aimée, but the search was unfruitful. They could not find the woman anywhere and David and Anastasie were given a choice.

The couple had been married for three years already and had been, without success, trying to have a child. They were planning on seeing a doctor soon to see if there might be something wrong with one of their reproduction systems. Now, however, fate seemed to step in. The police said that, since Dupont had begged Anastasie to take the child, then she had the option in being a foster parents the small girl until they could find out if Dupont was her mother. David and Anastasie stayed up all night discussing what they should decide. In the end, they chose to accept the offer.

After a year of searching for the woman who appeared at the Harris’ door and a year after they welcomed the little girl, who told them her was named Blake, the police gave the Harris’ permission to adopt her, which they did without hesitation.

And so, Blake became a part of their family. One of the most significant events that happened was when they discovered a certain talent Blake had. When she was four and a half years old, six months after her official adoption, David and Anastasie took them to Anastasie’s parents house where Blake would be formally introduced as their granddaughter. After a half an hour, Blake went into the living room without her new parents’ knowledge, sat down at the grand piano and started playing with the skill of a professional pianist. The adults followed the beautiful music and was more than shocked to see that it was a four year old.

The new parents took Blake to be tested and, a few weeks later, was declared a certified musical genius at the age of four. She was given proper lessons by a music instructor and was taught how to play the piano, violin, and flute, which she mastered perfectly. At the age of five, Blake saw a street performer playing his acoustic guitar and wanted to one to play for herself. She was given one for her birthday and an electric one for the anniversary of her adoption, which was decided to be her birthday since she didn’t have a birth certificate. By the time she was ten years old, she had mastered the piano, violin, flute, both electric and acoustic guitar, bass guitar, bass, saxophone, oboe, and was learning the drums; however, the guitar, especially the electric, always held a special place in her heart. It was the one she played with the most enthusiasm and dedication. She’s written over a thousand songs for the guitar, however many are unfinished. How Blake’s genius works is that all she has to do is listen to a song or composition once and she’ll be able to play it on her own and commits it to memory. She has countless songs memorized.

When Blake’s adopted father’s business suddenly boomed overnight, giving them more money than they could ever dream, that’s when Blake’s talent could truly be explored. They had the funds to get her the best instructors, instruments, agents, and publicists. She was famous in the music world before, but now she was gaining even more fame much quicker. She was paid a lot of money to put out records, however, when she was twelve years old, she decided to stop playing music for money. She outright refused, stating that there was too much pressure and she just wanted to relax and be a kid, which was becoming more and more difficult every year. It eventually came to stopping performing entirely, except for her band in Detroit; even then they only did local gigs at dance halls and parties. Blake was still very passionate about her music, but she hated everything that came with the fame of being a musical genius. Now, she only played for herself (again, excluding her band) and for fun, which she enjoyed immensely.

When it comes to music, Blake spared no expenses. She bought the highest quality composing technology, sound and recording system. Her laptop was custom as well as the software she used. When she practiced, she didn’t hold back, no matter where she was. Music was her life and it was one of the very few things she was completely selfish about. She wouldn’t accommodate to anyone’s preference, within reason. For example, she wouldn’t start playing her guitar with the amplifier volume as high as it goes at three in the morning. However, playing her instruments after dinner at six thirty at night is something she was just fine with doing.

Now, a few weeks ago, when the police called her into the station, it wasn’t for any crime that she committed. Blake, who was proud to say that she’s never one to be stunned speechless, could no longer say that after that night. It turns out, her whole life was a lie. Aimée, the woman who Blake thought was her biological mother, turned out to be anything but. She was actually a nanny for Alyson Christenson, a mother of two girls at the time. When Alyson and her husband (who died in the Iraq War in 2004) took their eldest daughter, Olivia, to her ballet camp in Wyoming by plane, they left their fourteen month old daughter, Blake, in the care of their nanny. However, they made a mistake that would haunt them for the rest of their lives. Aimée kidnapped Blake and took a plane to Brazil, then disappeared to God knows where. They spent years searching for her (in this time, Alyson had another daughter), however, turned up with nothing. It was as if Aimée and Blake fell off the face of the Earth. Blake and her family would never know where she went. Two years later, showed up at the Harris’ door, which was how Blake came to be in the care of her adopted parents. They would never find out what made Aimée give Blake away, but she was glad it happened.

The police informed the Blake and Collette they found this out because, when Blake was born, her biological father, a successful military man, had all of his family’s fingerprints scanned into every police record in the United States in case anything were to happen to them. So, when Blake was arrested and fingerprinted, her prints matched up with the ones in the records from all those years ago. She was given a picture of her biological family and the call was made to the detective that was put on the Blake Christenson missing person case, who in turned, informed the Christenson’s that their long lost daughter was alive and healthy. Blake found out that Alyson and her husband, after five years of searching, decided there was nothing they could do and knew that Blake couldn’t be alive. They had a funeral for her, burying an empty casket for closure, and moved on with their lives.

Then, suddenly, after so many years, they find out she’s alive and well. So, Blake came to live here.

I’m seventeen, I only have one year until I’m eighteen anyways. Besides, I was kicked out of my old school and this gives me a chance to be a normal kid. And...I want to know what this family is like, Blake thought after reviewing her life.

When she found out about her new family, at first, she was angry that they wanted her back. She loved Detroit, she loved Collette, and her friends were there. It was her home and she didn’t want to be taken away from it; however, after a long talk with Collette, who was, while very sad, all for Blake’s departure to Bisbee to live with her biological family. She made Blake feel guilty for her anger towards the Christenson’s. Her words resonated through her mind at the memory.

“This family lost their daughter, their sister. If someone told you that you’re parents were actually alive, wouldn’t you want them back, even if they had a whole other life somewhere?” her au pair asked.

Blake felt a deep and heavy sadness at her question. She answer was obvious. Blake was not a selfish being—in fact, she actually considers herself one of the most selfless people compared to the high society types she grew up around—but she would demand her parents return to her in a heartbeat, even if they were happy without her with their other life.

So, she sympathized with the Christenson’s and left for their home, leaving a sad, but proud Collette behind her. Blake promised herself that she would not be her normal rebellious self with this new family because her parents taught her better than that. These people she was now living with had felt years of sadness and pain, she would not add to that by acting out if she could help it.

The seventeen year old took a deep breath and decided to go to bed. She was exhausted from the rollercoaster of emotions she went through and she hadn’t slept well for a week, too nervous about meeting her family. She changed into her pajama’s, or rather, what her opinion of sleepwear was—a black sports bra and a pair of red boxers. She brushed her teeth and fell onto her new bed. It wasn’t as comfortable nor as large as her one back in Detroit, but she still went to sleep within minutes to hitting the pillow.

Author's Note:
Whew! Yes, finally, another chapter on one of my stories :D yay! I know this chapter doesn't have too much going on, but I really wanted to get to explaining how and why Blake came to be where she was. It makes sense to me, but I can see if it gets confusing for anyone else. Any questions on Blake's life, just ask and I'll answer them as quickly and as best as I can. Hope everyone is good and sorry for such a long wait! Peace out!