Olivia Twist
…a quest for the glass half-full
by
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Mattie’s House.
Today is the first day I’m writing in this journal. The only other handwriting in here says: To my Sweet Baby Mine… Merry Christmas - 1991. Love, always. Mom.
Love always…
I never thought much about those words when Mom would say things like … “I’ll always love you”… “love always”… “for always and forever” and stuff like that. I mean, they felt wonderful and I loved hearing them because I know that she meant each and every word with all of her heart and soul. I just never dreamed that I would have to see what they really meant to me so soon. Is it really an “I’ll always love” you now that she’s gone?
Is “for always and forever” that important now that I’ll never see her again?
I was just eleven years old on Friday and now I feel like I’m eight hundred and eleven.
Every thing was so normal on Thursday. I never even knew she was sick. I don’t think Mom did either. I know she used to say she had indigestion a lot, but, she blamed it on her love of all kinds of good food. And she was such a great cook! She was. WAS!!!! I HATE having to use that word!!!!
Mom walked me to school on Thursday, we had a great talk and it was snowing and we made snow angels in Mrs. Tenikman’s front lawn. We hugged each other goodbye, she told me she loved me, and I told her I loved her. I remember Mom telling me she was going straight home to make me my special triple layer chocolate mousse cake and put it right in the fridge so it would be perfect for my birthday.
Nothing was perfect for my birthday.
At
Quickly I ran to Mattie and threw my arms around her. She embraced me and I could hear her start to cry. I pulled away from her slightly and looked into her eyes.
“What happened to my Mom?!”
“Oh, Libby,” she sighed.
“What happened to Mommy?!!! TELL ME!!!!” My voice was so loud and so unlike me, and seemed to echo back into my head as if someone else was doing the talking.
Mattie looked into my eyes, tears filling her own and said to me the words I will never forget if I live to be a thousand years old. “Your Mom went to heaven, Libby. She had a heart attack. She…she died about an hour ago.”
I could feel my legs give out and Mattie and the school nurse grabbed for me so I wouldn’t hurt myself.
“NO! This isn’t true!!! This is a ba
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About the Book
"Olivia Twist" is a story of a young girl abandoned by both birth parents, left to be raised in the loving care of her paternal grandmother. Their relationship is a glorious one: happy, loving, kind, and caring until her "Mom" dies the day before the child''s 11th birthday.
She is then forced to move in with her biological father and his already established "second family."
Trials and tribulations abound and, three years later, the young girl decides to emancipate herself from her ugly homelife.
It''s a story about the system - what it does and doesn''t do for our children - it''s a Cinderella story that a Disney film will never show you.
It''s also about a child who learns to empower herself because she knows that there IS a better life out there, and, it''s a heartbreaker and an eye-opener to watch her continuing and tenacious search to find it.
About the Author
Judith Kristen is the author of the popular young adult book, ‘The Purple Hat Gang.’ It reached the number one spot in five teen categories within three months of its release! Her third young adult book is entitled ‘The Summer of ‘59’ and is due to be released in 2006.
Ms. Kristen is currently touring Philadelphia Schools, giving writing workshops and speeches to the students. She is received warmly and treasures all of the thank you letters and stories that the children have sent to her. Her collection now holds over 2,000 letters of appreciation - a genuine show of affection for Ms. Kristen as well as for her story of five friends who wear ‘Purple Hats.’
Judith is a popular speaker among older students and adults as well. She has spoken to The National Beta Club in
Ms. Kristen is also happy to be known as Mrs. Judith West. Her husband Andrew is a loving and dedicated champion for his wife’s work and charitable causes. The West Family lives happily ever after with their four cats and a big sheepdog - splitting their time between a comfy Cape Cod home in Southern New Jersey and a beautiful farmhouse in the mountains of upstate Pennsylvania where a Purple Hat always adorns the entryway.