Just As Unique I (eBook)

Pearl and Family. The Point of View of the 7th Child...

Dr. Myrjo K. Anglade (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
156 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-9908733-1-5 (ISBN)

Infos

A Family and Parenting novel based on true stories. While on a business trip, Pearl remembers the tears, the laughs of her childhood, her parents' perfect marriage, and her ninth siblings who followed in their footsteps with amazing children; Pearl, in her mid-thirties, prays for such a life.

Dr. Myrjo K. Anglade, a psychologist and author, writes about parenting, family narratives, and Christian fiction. She lives with her husband, children, and extended family. Passionate about crafting, volunteering, and family activities, she integrates Biblical values and real-life experiences into her work. Follow her on social media as AlieKay MotherDaughter or visit her website at drmyrjokanglade.com

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"e;Just As Unique I"e; follows Pearl Blanchard, a former model and successful Christian fashion entrepreneur. Despite her outward success, Pearl feels an inexplicable emptiness. As she reflects on her life, she recalls her privileged childhood as the eldest of three, which was forever changed by a tragic car accident that killed her uncle. Resiliently in their faith, the Blanchard family welcomed seven nieces and nephews into their home, transforming it into a sanctuary of love and support. Pearl's life became intertwined with her new siblings, leading to trials, joyous moments, and valuable lessons. Amidst these reflections, Pearl contemplates her parents' perfect marriage and her siblings' early marriages. Now in her mid-thirties, Pearl has never been in love and wonders, "e;What has gone wrong? Will I ever find true love?"e;

Textauszug

Chapter I:
The Family

It was an especially cold January day in New York, and it felt like winter was just hitting its stride. The cold air hit Pearl in the face as she exited the taxi. Her almond eyes squinted. Her high-rise nose scrunched. Her full lips pursed. Pearl quickly huddled against the freezing wind and tucked her nose inside her heavy winter coat. She pushed one hand deep into her pocket, relieved that she had decided to wear her heavy beige coat on top of her black skinny jeans and boots. Holding her carry-on and handbag with her other hand, Pearl hurried into the airport and relaxed in the warmth. Her Canadian and Haitian-German features beautifully arranged themselves on her diamond face, perfectly contoured by her shoulder-length curly hair. As she read the flashing plasma screens of departure times on the wall, her phone rang. Pearl reached in her handbag and pulled out the device.

“Good morning, Dad,” Pearl said in German.

“Hey, Pearly. Are you at the airport?” Alexander’s familiar and husky voice replied.

He was the godliest leader, provider, and protector anyone could have ever asked of from a father.

“Yes,” Pearl walked toward her airline’s security gates in the departure hall.

“How long will you spend in Los Angeles?” he asked worriedly, his voice deeper and slower than before.

“The modeling convention is the whole week, Dad. I told you before. What happened?”

Pearl heard someone ranting in the background. Immediately she recognized the voice as her mother, Grace. Her mom was a homemaker, whom people often labeled as ‘Pearl’s identical eldest twin sister.’ She was never afraid of speaking her mind.

“I’m going to let you talk to your mom.” Her dad’s tone sounded a little alarmed.

“Okay. But what is it about?”

“Just speak to your mother,” her father said, passing the phone over.

“Pearl-Esther Blanchard.” Pearl winced when she heard her full name. This wasn’t going to go well. “This weekend is your sister’s bachelorette party. As the maid of honor, shouldn’t you be here?”

Pearl took a deep breath before speaking again. “Mom, at the beginning of this month, when I was in Canada, I explained the situation to Elizabeth and the whole family. Including you. Elizabeth said it was okay that I wouldn’t be able to make it to the bachelorette party.”

“Are you kidding me? Elizabeth’s future brother-in-law, the best man, and other in-laws will be present. It will be a great occasion to bond together as a family. Can’t you reschedule the convention?” Her mother let out a concerned sigh.

Calmly, Pearl explained, “Mom, I’ve had this modeling convention scheduled since last year. So, no. I cannot reschedule it.”

As she located her airline, Pearl added in a rush, “Mom, I’m reaching the security line. I’ll call you after, ’kay?”

“Call me as soon as possible,”

Pearl shoved her cell phone into her handbag and walked through the security check-in line. There were only seven people in front of her, and the procedure went fast. While heading toward Gate 5C, through the large windows, Pearl admired the large flakes falling from the heavens, as if the angels were having a pillow fight. The shiny snow covered everything, except the long trail for the planes to fly away. Nevertheless, the platform seemed to transform into an enchanted land full of wonder and undiscovered mysteries.

The plasma screen showed the plane was on time and would depart in about two hours. Pearl took a seat next to the window and pulled her cell phone out of her handbag. The call to her father went to voicemail. She left a message, “It’s me, Dad. Bye.” Then she called her mother. Again, the call went to voicemail. She sent a text in French:

I called but it went to voicemail. My flight is at 11:05 am. If we don’t speak before I leave, I will call you when I reach Los Angeles. Love you.

Pearl was interrupted by a little girl’s persistent laughter on the opposite side of her gate. The child was being tossed into the air like a ball and falling back down into the arms of a middle-aged gentleman. Pearl admired the man’s love for his daughter.

“William, put her down, please. She might fall and hurt herself,” said a lady in a wheelchair.

“No. No, Daddy. Don’t put me down. I want to fly like a bird!”

“Sorry, sweetie, but Mommy is right,” answered the man, staring at the disappointed little face.

“No, Daddy. No!” she cried, stomping her feet.

“Annabelle, get a hold of yourself,” said the woman in the wheelchair.

Annabelle cried as the surrounding passengers stared. For the next few minutes, Pearl watched as the little girl’s father worked to calm her down. He hugged her, kissed her, poked her, tickled her, and finally made the little girl giggle. The tears soon turned into laughter and the little girl was in her dad’s arms for a hug.

Pearl felt her grin broaden with every passing moment. Pearl’s father, Alexander, was almost the spitting image of William three decades ago. As a Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, her father used every little moment he had to bond with her. He rode bikes with her, ran next to her while she drove her Power Wheels car, danced with her under the rain, and praised her often. Everything she did was special in his eyes. Every night, after family prayer and a bedtime story, he laid his index finger on her nose and said, “You are my greatest accomplishment.”

A joyful “Yay!” from Annabelle brought Pearl back to reality. The little girl was hopping on one foot in front of her mother and making big gestures to explain her game. Her mother wrapped an arm around her little body and pulled her close, just as Grace used to do for Pearl.

Every cherished moment with her mother, Grace, was unforgettable. When Grace was unemployed, every Tuesday and Thursday morning was spent with Pearl at “Irma Agence Mannequins” a modeling agency. The afternoons were spent taking swimming lessons and making crafts. Cereal boxes got a new life by becoming doll beds and boats.

Being the first and only grandchild in her family for four years had its advantages. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays she was homeschooled by both of her grandmothers. Her grandfather on her mother’s side bought her all the toys she could ever want. Her birthday parties were celebrated in lavish ways.

After four years, everything changed. Pearl’s smile faded as her father became extremely sick. For a long time, doctors were unable to figure out what was wrong with him.

He went from being an active and virile man to becoming a prisoner within his own home. He hid from anything bright. He was always sleeping, and he often complained of severe headaches.

On her fifth birthday, her father was in the hospital, undergoing surgery to remove the excess fluid in his brain due to hydrocephalus. The days Grace used to spend with Pearl turned into weeks at the hospital with Alexander. Home schooling with Pearl’s grandparents became an everyday activity, even when her parents came back home. Pearl was afraid of the hospital as her Nana often said out loud about her father’s dad: “He went to the hospital, and he never came back home.”

A few weeks after her father’s surgery, her mother gave birth to Pearl’s little brother, Gabriel. Pearl didn’t welcome the boy with open arms. She was no longer the golden child, and it felt like everything precious was being stolen from her, one after the other.

Half a year later, her father was permitted to go back to work on a full-time basis. He had fully recovered, and Pearl thought things would go back to normal. But within five months and a half, her mother ended up on life support due to complications with an unexpected third pregnancy, and she almost lost her life. Miraculously, she gave birth to a premature but healthy baby girl named Elizabeth. However, her mother had to remain in the hospital a little longer.

For a second time, Pearl’s life came crashing down. As everyone was always busy with her brother and the new baby, Pearl often hid in her bedroom. She believed she was the only one who suffered like this. She was the only one who could understand how it felt to get everything stolen from her. She was the only one who had to wonder every day if her father would come through her bedroom door or if it would be her grandparents bearing more bad news. Curled up in a ball, she could only cry in her loneliness and fear for her mother. But before long, a comforting hand was laid on her back. Her father picked her up and cuddled her tight. Her voice shook saying, “I’m scared, Daddy…”

Her father whispered, “Everything is going to be ok. I promise.”

And her mother returned home. Pearl hoped for a better life.

Yet barely five months after Elizabeth’s birth, her mother’s twin brother, Gregory, and his second wife were involved in a horrific car accident. They both died instantly, leaving behind seven orphans who lived in the United States at the time. The eldest was Abigail, followed by her triplet brothers, David, Jacob, and Elijah, and then her twin sisters, Rebecca, and Rachel. All six were mothered by the first late wife. The youngest, Deborah, was the only child the second wife had brought into the marriage.

Pearl overheard her parents talking in her father’s office the...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 21.1.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-13: 979-8-9908733-1-5 / 9798990873315