"As long as you're still alive, you always have the chance to start again." -Emily Acker

I'm sitting in my third class of the day which is English. Which also happens to be my second favorite subject. As soon as I'm about to pull my book out to read the intercom comes on. "Isabella Romano, you're needed in the front office immediately. I repeat Isabella Romano, you're needed in the front office immediately." Everyone in the class turns their heads my way as I slowly get up from my desk. As I walk out of the classroom people are whispering to each other.

As I slowly walk down the hallway to the front office, I contemplate in my head what I did wrong. I walk into the front office to be greeted by the sorrowful look of the secretary. "Go ahead sweetie, Mr. Carter is waiting for you." the secretary, Mrs. Chesser, says with a look of pity in her eyes. Now I'm really curious as to why I was called down here. I open the principal office door. I open the door only to see a nice-looking lady, with blond hair and brown eyes, standing in the corner with a smile plastered on her face. I look towards the principal.

"Y-you w-wanted to see m-m-me sir." I stutter nervously.

"Yes, Isabella I have some bad news for you, please sit down." Mr. Carter says with a look of pity and worry very evident in his eyes. He pauses a second before continuing. "I'm so very sorry to have to tell you this but." He makes a quick glance towards the woman in the room before continuing. "Unfortunately, your foster parent's car was found in a wreck in a ditch. In the car was your foster mother's body. There is evidence that your foster father was also in the car."

I felt my breath hitch as well as my eyes widen. Tears threatened to fall. I didn't know how to feel. Happy? Sad? Angry? Sure, I wanted them to disappear, but I didn't want them to die. They were awful people, but they didn't deserve death. I honestly don't know how to feel a part of me is upset that they died. But the other half is jumping for joy. For that I won't have to smell their awful breath. I won't have to stay in the cold basement of their home anymore. I won't have to step foot inside the punishment room. I don't have to hear their awful words. Or their disgusting hands on my body anymore. I don't know how I feel. I was lost in thought when all of a sudden, the woman spoke.

"Hi, Isabella, I know this must be hard for you. But my name is Kacy, I will be your new social worker." She gave me a kind smile and I tried my best to return it. She looked at me for permission to continue speaking. I simply nodded my head at her, and she took that as her sign to continue. "We have gone through your records, and we have tracked down your birth parent. We gave them a call and they seemed overjoyed to be able to have you back. From what they told me you were kidnapped when you were only 15 months old (a year and three months)." As the words left her mouth, I willed myself not to cry. Why are they just discovering this now, after 12 years! I could have had a happy childhood instead of the crappy one I have.

I was still trying to keep my composure when Kacy continued. "Your family lives in New York and has arranged for you to fly home. They will have a driver pick you up in the airport to take you home." Woah. We live in California, that would be at least a five-hour flight.

Kacy decided that she would drive me to the house so that I could get my things. I went inside the house that I have lived in for nearly 2 years now. The stench of alcohol still lingers in the house. I look at the kitchen to see that the breakfast I made this morning still sat there. I walked down to the basement where all my things are laid out in the corner. I don't have much, so this won't take long. I decided to change into more comfortable clothes. I put on a black leggings and an old worn-out gray hoodie that I have had for a while. After I change, I put my 2 pairs of jeans, my other pair of leggings, and my sweatpants that I sleep in into my duffel bag. Along with my 3 t-shirts, 2 long sleeve shirts, and my 2 other pairs of hoodies. Also, some concealer so I can cover my bruises. I come across my locket and decide to put it on. I walk over to my old worn-out mattress and grab what sits on it. The only friend I've ever had, my stuffed bunny. I've had it since forever and I can't sleep without it. I know it's stupid. I'm almost 14 and I can't even sleep without a stuffed animal. But it has been with me through everything.

I walk out to the car where Kacy is, and we drive in silence to the airport. I look out the window just watching the world go by right in front of my eyes. Once we reached the airport Kacy had to go she said I could call her if I ever needed anything. The flight attendants escorted me to the first-class seat where I eventually drifted off to sleep with my bunny, Miss Snuggles, in hand.

Hours Earlier

Today was Family Day, and I was quite excited about it. Family day was something that only lasts one day every 2 to 3 months. We all take the day off of work or school and just spend time together as a family. I make sure that no one from the office calls my phone and I have a blissful day with my family. We started doing this after my principessa was taken from us. In order to enjoy the time, we have with our family members and never take it for granted. (Principessa-princess)

My entire family was sitting in the living room just talking about everything that came to mind. It was amazing we all went to the movie theater, and we walked down to the beach earlier. We swam a little while we were there too. I loved it when we did family days. It made me a little sad that the whole family wasn't here though. I truly miss my principessa, along with my wife but at the very least I know my wife is in a better place. My fourth oldest son, Mateo, was currently telling everyone that we should start doing family hugs. "Honestly guys you have to admit family hugs would be amazing! It is good for the soul to hug. I also think we should make it a tradition to start doing family hugs on every family day we have." Mateo said very cheerfully. I honestly don't know how he ended up being the care bear of the family. I guess he gets it from Abbi, because he most certainly doesn't get it from me.

"Mateo, as you're my son I love you, but honestly you're the only one in the family who is a hugger." I say trying to reason with my son. "But da-" my son was interrupted by the ringing of a phone, my phone. Everyone turns their head to me as I take out my phone to see who it is. "Who is it dad?" my son Alessandro asks. "I don't know, but whoever it is, is about to be killed. For interrupting family day." I replied back to him clearly aggravated.

SW=Social Worker A=Antonio

A: What do you want? I'm busy.

SW: H-hello is t-this Mr. R-R-Romano.

A: Yes, now what I don't have all day.

SW: Y-your daughter Isabella R-Romano I see here that you put out a m-missing person report 12 years ago.

I felt my anger rise as I heard my Principessa's name. Why the hell are they calling about her? All it's doing is rubbing salt in the wound. (Principessa-princess)

A: Yes, that's true. Although may I ask why in the hell are you calling on my day off.

SW: I'm truly s-sorry about that sir, but um... your daughter's foster parents that she was with have passed away d-due to unfortunate c-c-circumstances. And we have found that y-you reported her m-missing. So, we were wondering if you would like custody or for her to be placed back in the foster system.

My breath hitched and my heart started beating rapidly. I had assumed after 5 years that the fucker who took my little girl had killed her. But to learn she had been alive this entire time. I felt tears of joy gather in my eyes and they soon started falling. As that happened my entire family looked at me with worry, concern, and disbelief. As I had never cried in front of them before.

SW: Umm...Mr. Romano, sir, are you still there?

A: I'm here and yes, I will take custody. Where is she?

SW: Her current place of residence is in California and seeing as you live in New York a plane would be most appreciated.

A: Yes of course, I will have a plane ticket set up right away. I will send a driver to go get her once she lands. Bye

SW: Yes thank you sir. Have a wonderful day off, goodbye.

I hang up the phone and turn to the faces of my very confused family. "Who was that?" Ricardo asks. I turn to my sons and my lips tug upwards in a smile. All of my children gasp, as if the world is ending.

"OH MY GOD dad is possessed!" my youngest son, Ilias screamed.

"Am I dreaming! Somebody pinch me." Mateo yelled. After saying pinch me Ricardo, my fifth oldest son, complied and pinched him. "Ouch! You idiot I didn't mean literally." Mateo said while smacking his brother in the back of the head, with a playful glare on his face.

"Would you all calm down and let the man talk." Leonardo said, trying to break up the two before a physical fight broke out.

"They found her" are the only words I can manage to say. Even though it comes out so quiet that I'm surprised they heard me. I know they did hear me though as a look of confusion spread across all of their faces. I was trying to find the words to say to them to be able to explain but, I just couldn't. For the call that I had waited for, for the past 12 years came. At that thought more tears fell from my eyes.

As more tears fell from my eyes, the more confused the looks on my son's faces got. They just stood there observing me as if trying to see what I meant. And then I saw the look of realization in Elijah's eyes, the look of concern, worry, and confusion that once swam in his was now replaced with joy and happiness. He ran his fingers through his hair mumbling incoherent words. His brothers then looked at him more confused than before. They all looked between Elijah and me for answers. It was like that for what felt like hours- although it was only minutes- before Elijah finally spoke up.

Elijah whispered something which caused all of his brothers to look at him. My head was still wrapping around the idea of finally having her home to be able to pay attention. However, I did finally snap out of my thoughts and looked at Elijah and saw we both had smiles on our faces. "Elijah what is it, what's happening" Theodore practically yelled getting impatient. Elijah spoke again this time so everyone in the room could hear him. "Isabella. They found Isabella and she's coming home. The mafia princess is finally coming home." Elijah said with his voice shaky and tears starting to leak from his eyes.