The Outline:
Julia's mother is dying of cancer. She decides to stop chemotherapy so she can spend time with her daughter. Fiona is Julia's mother. She decides to take her daughter and go to America. She flies them both to Indiana, US. Fiona tells her own mother what she intends to do. She also tells Julia that they are flying to Indiana, USA. Julia hates the idea of leaving the only home she has ever known. Till her mother tells her she was born in America. Fiona also tells her daughter that there is a family who is going to be her new guardians when she dies. This news upsets Julia. SHe finds it hard to understand why she can't stay with her grandmother in Canning Town, England. London had been Julia's home since she could remember. She guessed her mother took her from America to England when she was a baby or toddler.
They land in Indianapolis International Airport. Moira Carpenter meets them at the gate. She has a Silver Dodge Grand Caravan. The minivan is about three years old, but it treated like it's brand spanking new. Julia takes an instant dislike to Moira. She isn't liking she has to accept the fact her mother is dying. This is hard for her as she never knew her father. When Abe tells her he overheard his parents and Fiona talking about Julia's father living near them. This shocks her as her grandmother told her he was dead and not to ask about him. Now she beings thinking maybe she can find him and meet up with him. She had so many questions about why he never was in touch with her or Fiona. She believes maybe her grandmother was the cause of her never having her father in her life.
Slowly Julia gets used to the fact her mother was dying. She also learned that Moira and her family love her to pieces. This is happening slowly at Julia's pace. They also enroll her in grade school. it's where three of the four boys go to school. She then protects Jacob from bullies at school. Getting used to having four brothers when just before her mum dies gets adopted by Moira and Daniel Carpenter. They become her new family. They are firm, but fair parents. Julia finds them a good influence on her negative moods.
After the funeral, Julia finds that The Carpenters are very caring, loving to her. She fights their love at first. After a few months, she accepts their love and begins to call Moira and Daniel, mum and dad. She also relies on the boys to be her friends s well as being her new brothers. She was used to being an only child, now she had four brothers. She had her own room. The Carpenters brought her a laptop and some toys and clothes. She had minimal clothing from England. Now she excepts that she is American. Julia asks Moira if she can find her birth father and meet him. She learns her father is gay and living with a man. Her father was shocked that she was back in the US and doesn't want to know her. He had adopted two children with his partner. They are a family unit. He wants nothing to do with her.
Excerpt:
In the end, it didn’t actually matter? It was only a matter of time. Julia knew deep down she only had a very short time left with her mum. She only had a short time to spend precious time with her mum. Julia watched as her mum slept as they flew all the way from England to America. The flight was making even Julia sleepy. She turned to her book resting on her lap. She had her right palm resting on the book cover. Julia knew it was just a matter of time before she loses her mum forever. It was something she didn’t want to even think about at this point. She had to try thinking positive thoughts. Like the good memories of when she was little or when she her mum and Nana Lily would go to the park or the zoo. Just the thoughts made her become a tad happier.
Just as Julia was about to read her book. The one she carried everywhere she went. She just loved Liz Rettig books. Especially the Kelly Ann diaries. She had most of them. She was reading Rocky Romance one. It was the second time she’d read it. But she loves the book. Julia opened the book to the beginning. Just as a stewardess tapped her on the shoulder with a smile. “Hello, Miss. Would you like something to eat and a drink?” the stewardess asked her.
Julia rubbed her chin to think. “Yes please, I’m wanting something vegetarian please and a Pepsi.” She told the lady.
“We got vegetarian curry or salad with cheese slices. Which one would you like? We don’t do Pepsi, we do have a cola though. Generic one. Or orange or apple juice or you can have chocolate or plain milk. The choice is yours.” the stewardess told her. Julia smiled at the thought of all those choices.
“I think I’ll have chocolate milk, please. With the curry. I like vegetable curry.” Julia told her. Thinking her mum might also be hungry.
“Does your mother want anything?” Julia was unsure but thought she would.
“Maybe, but she is sleeping right now. She doesn’t like spicy food. What do you have? She might want a coffee though.” Julia said as her mum opened her eyes to see who Julia was speaking with.
