The Hybrid Daughter

Prologue

Life is unpredictable, it has a way of throwing a person curve balls when they least expect it. I thought my life was perfect, it was just my mother and I for a number of years. I never imagined life could turn and twist the way it has over the last decade. I remember it like it was yesterday, the day that I met him. I was twelve years old; I was sitting at home; mother had just given me some mixture that she created. She loved to invent new "drinks" as she calls them. They looked ghastly and tasted horrid. This was her homemade medicine for my condition. I did not realize so young what exactly what my condition was. Everything about it to my human eyes were so complicated, doctors could not explain why I suddenly had developed a high fever, or how I suddenly lost the use of my legs.

You see one day when I was seven years old, I came down sick with a fever. Shortly after, something happened, I do not remember what. Mother says the fever spread all over my body and I lost ability in my legs. She cared for me for years, it was just her and I. I loved the attention she gave me; however, I could not help but wonder why I did not have a father? I would inquire, and she would either change the subject or walk away from me. Some days she would suddenly become aggressive, and snarl at me.

I grew saddened believing, that I hurt my mother, and it felt like she was rejecting me. I still remember like it was yesterday. My mother left early that morning for work. At that time, she had a small bakery cart that she stationed outside of a series of local stores. Mr. Briney had once owned the store she usually stationed her cart in front of. She previously had a relationship with him. He owned a candle-making store, this was before he relocated to Wales. Mother would bring home the candles for me, I loved their smell.

About a year later after Mr. Briney moved away, my mother came home with a completely different man. He was very handsome, he was tall I would say about six foot, three inches. He had dark wavy hair, greyish hazel eyes. He was muscular fit but, trim like he was a professional boxer. With broad shoulders. I never mentioned this but as a young girl, I found him quite a catch.

We all had dinner together, and she introduced him to me as "Hunter Eldridge" I was sure I had heard of him; he was successful in America with stores devoted to selling books. I loved to read so; I became interested in meeting him if I would ever be able to leave the house. I was overjoyed when my mother announced that she was going to be having a relationship with him. She said there was something about him that called to her soul, and believed it was true love.

He started to visit me as often as mother would allow him to, and I loved interacting with him. Mother never let me leave the house in my crippled state. I attended school through a private tutor, I had no idea how my mother was able to afford such feats of splendor considering we were not very wealthy. I will forever, be grateful to Hunter. One day I overhead him talking to my mother. He was inquiring about my condition and how it happened. I was shocked to find that my mother was trying to avoid the subject. She has never done that with anyone else. She allowing it. He would not let her say no to refusing it, he insisted he wanted to help. He arrived the next day to our house with a small bottle of liquid. It was reddish color yet, it tasted kind of sweet. I do not know what concoction he administered to me but, it worked. I was cured within a week, and I could finally have a normal life! My mother though, I am not sure why looked would speak about everything that it entailed. I sometimes could not understand how she knew so much yet doctors were puzzled. A started to assume she was lying and making me a charity case for pity to gain attention.

Hunter assumed that it was too painful for her to talk about, to our shock, he offered to provide me with his own medicine. My mother did not say a word but, she did not dubious about like she resented me. It really hurt, I thought she would be happy that I could finally be normal again.

Being normal again meant that I could finally spend time with my best friend. Her name is Barbara, she was my only friend that associated with me even after I was crippled. We had attended school together and were like sisters until my untimely and mysterious demise. I was so happy to associate with her again like a normal girl.