Life Designed (Life Plan Series Book 1), Eliza Taye [great novels .TXT] 📗

“We’ve also made a little feast for everyone today in your honor, Opal,” came a voice from behind her.

Opal twisted against the crushing embraces to see another girl about two years older than her hanging out the back door. The girl’s raven black hair was pulled back into a single braid and her sage irises shone with happiness as well. “Thank you, Leena.”

Leena had only started volunteering at the shelter a year ago. She’d made a Life Plan to become a teacher and when she discovered there was a shelter in the Undecided sector where orphaned children resided, she’d volunteered to help teach them. Whenever she had time off from her studies, she was here helping Mrs. Shaffer and the other volunteers with the kids.

“Are you ready to eat, guys?” asked Leena, grinning down at the children.

“Yay!” They screamed, almost knocking over Opal, Leena, and Mrs. Shaffer on their way to the kitchen.

“Wow, now there’s a stampede,” stated Leena. Turning to Opal, she asked, “Are you nervous?”

“About Declaration Day?”

Leena nodded.

“In some respects, yes. I know that I’ve done my best on my Life Plan and I should receive the pre-approval results today, but there’s still always the element of uncertainty. How did you deal with it?”

“Well, I’d only outlined the broadest sections of my Life Plan since I wasn’t too sure of the finer details, so I was worried that I’d be rejected. I had an anxiety attack before we even went on stage. My mom and older sister helped calm me down, but I still fretted over being rejected. Yet, looking at these kids, I sometimes wonder if we put too much pressure on the whole system. I mean, it’s horrible to not know what’s going to happen in your life, but these children seem to be okay. They still find a way to be happy despite their circumstances. I’ve even seen some adults here that are happier than adults from where we live. So, don’t worry, you’ll be fine. I’m sure of it. You’re way more prepared than I was at this stage.” Leena slung a skinny arm around Opal’s shoulders and led her inside.

Opal knew Leena was right. She needed to stop worrying, but she couldn’t. Garrett was still stuck in her mind. What about him? He was nowhere near ready. What would happen to him on Declaration Day if he couldn’t make up his mind?

The children were already gathered around the table, waiting to eat. Those whose feet couldn’t touch the floor wildly swung them back and forth in anticipation. When the food was placed in front of them, they ate heartily, talking and laughing as they did so. After eating, they played games with Leena, Opal, and Mrs. Shaffer until it was time for them to go to bed.

The two moons hung high in the sky, approaching ever closer to one another. Once they overlapped and gave the appearance of one, the next day would begin.

Opal looked from the moons outside and to little Danny lying in the bed next to the window. “Goodnight, Danny.” Opal leaned down and kissed the boy on the forehead.

“Goodnight, Opal,” sleepily responded Danny, his eyes fluttering closed. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, kiddo.” Opal gently rubbed his stomach as he drifted off to sleep.

Standing and softly closing the door, she went to the next room to check on Annie and Minnie. Both were already fast asleep, and Leena was tiptoeing out of their room as not to wake them. Once in the hallway, the two girls acknowledged each other with a head nod and silently tiptoed downstairs.

Of the fifteen children who stayed at the shelter full time, none ever went to bed without being personally put down by someone. Mrs. Shaffer thought it was important to make each child feel that they were loved.

At the kitchen table, Mrs. Shaffer sat alone drinking tea. She was the only volunteer that spent most of her time at the shelter. Her husband had died five years prior and neither of them had opted to have any kids, so the shelter was all she had. Like other Decideds, she’d found out after the age of 17 that she did want kids, but it was too late to change her Life Plan. Instead, the parentless became children to the childless woman who’d desired them.

“Oh, hi, girls,” greeted Mrs. Shaffer as she watched them enter the kitchen. “Are they all asleep?”

“Yes, they are all snug in their beds.” Leena plopped down into one of the chairs and then leaned back so the front two chair legs lifted off the ground.

“Really, Leena, you should stop doing that. One of these days you’re going to tip over and break your neck.”

Leena rolled her eyes but smiled at Mrs. Shaffer as the chair legs returned to the ground with a soft thud. “No, I won’t. I’m always careful.”

Mrs. Shaffer cradled the steaming teacup in her hands, staring down into the liquid. “Sometimes, I think about these children and wonder what happened to their families. It’s so rare that we know where they came from and how their parents died.”

Opal sat in one of the empty chairs not harboring a booster seat and rested her arm on the table. “I know what you mean. I often think of Minnie and Annie’s parents myself.”

“Ah, yes, those two sweet little girls. Their parents must be dead. Who wouldn’t want those kind little darlings?”

“I don’t know, but the more time I spend here with the Undecided, the more I understand how uncertain their lives are.” Leena poured herself some tea from the teapot resting on an oven mitt as she spoke. “Sometimes I envy them. They never know what’s coming next. It can be an adventure.”

“Oh no, dear. There is nothing to envy about their