PROLOGUE

New york City, Manhattan, 1997.

Meredith clutched her tummy wondering when the baby was due.

"This darned thing," she cussed silently. "I'm so sorry." she whispered, seconds later. "You're not darned. I'm just so tired. Can you come out already??" She pleaded with tear stained eyes.

Meredith felt disgusted at her naivety, for buying the fantasies Ian sold her. Only to be left pregnant and alone at eighteen.

To crown it all, she did not discover she was pregnant until it was too late. By the time she knew, Ian was long gone, and her family despised her.

How could they tell their devoted congregation who believed in them so much they diligently brought their first fruits and tithes, that the daughter of the pastor was pregnant, and the father of the child had disappeared? Her mother, a no nonsense deacon who was self righteous and hated the sin of the flesh with a burning passion, had taken a very long and disgusting look at her, the day she found out. Disappointed and angry, she insisted Meredith removed the baby.

How could she have though? The poor girl was scared to her bones. Not only was she about six months gone already, her mother had insisted she would be taken to a private hospital, to handle it. Which she knew was translation for, 'you've spoiled the holy name of this family and no one can know. That's why you'll be taken to a quack, where no one is bound to find out about your shame'

This alone had Meredith gripped with fear and trepidation. When all efforts by the deacon proved abortive, she had no other option to join her husband's decision in disowning Meredith. The day Meredith was asked to leave the house, her mother said, "You still have time to remove that bastard in you, or you're dead to us, forever."

Meredith, defeated and afraid, picked the little clothes she was permitted to take, with the little money her cousin had slipped into her hands, and left without a plan. After roaming the Streets of New York begging for food and shelter, she finally managed to secure a room. She ended up at the second floor of a 7ft tall tenement building at the lower east side.

In order to survive with her pregnancy, she got a job as a bookkeeper. The people in the neighborhood were nice enough, but she wasn't fooling herself. She could see the judgemental looks everytime she stepped out. Everyone wanted to know how a young girl like her ended up disgraced and shamed. The question of why a girl so young was pregnant and alone, was just at the tip of the mouth of almost everyone she encountered.

Day by day, resentment grew. Not just for Ian for abandoning her, or for her parents that did same. It was for life in general and it's cruelty. It was for the baby growing in her tummy.

She knew she would never love this child. Every time it kicked in her belly, it reminded her of how Ian had kicked at her heart so bad, she became a broken mess. One day, she decided that it was best to give the baby up for adoption. If she kept the child, they would both be stuck in extreme poverty forever.

She decided to be patient, and count the days before her freedom.

On the 12th day of February 1999, Meredith left for the bookstore like she did each morning. Despite how heavy her pregnancy was, she knew she needed to work and earn. It was the only way out of her current predicament. It also pulled her mind away from the suicidal thoughts she harboured.

She was recommending a book to a customer, when her water broke. Immediately, an ambulance was called by a passerbys who heard the alarm raised. She was rushed to the only hospital around. After three hours of intense labour, she successfully pushed out her baby.

When Meredith had rested well enough, the doctor handed her baby girl to her. A tear dropped down Meredith's eyes when she saw her daughter. "Of course you are a red head just like your father," She muttered. "You see why I can't keep you?" Meredith rocked her slowly. "You already remind me too much of him and I have not even held you for ten minutes." She stared in amazement at how little her daughter was, and how precious it felt to hold her.

"My beautiful Red," She whispered, fighting the hint of tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Yes, you're Red" She said audibly.

Meredith heard the doctor cough and knew it was time. With sadness, and fear, she handed the baby over to the doctor. He knew what to do. Doctor Maxwell, had helped her arrange a home for her daughter. The very first time she came for an antenatal class, she had begged him to find a family that would love her daughter. All his efforts to persuade her from handing her daughter over to a stranger came to naught. Her mind was made up already. However, before he left, she handed him a book.

"I bought this from the bookstore. It's the only thing I can give her as a gift. I hope her new parents do not mind giving her my parting gift. I would love for her to read this book when she's older. They also do not have to worry about me ever coming to find her. I am never going to see her again, so can they do me a favour?"

She asked expectantly.

"Go on." Doctor Maxwell nodded politely. He knew she was not exactly in a position to ask for favors, but he would relay all she asked to the new parents. Granting her favor would be solely their decision though.

"Can she be named Red? It suits her perfectly." Meredith concluded as the tears dropped down freely now. Doctor Maxwell, nodded and left. He felt so much pity for the young girl. Life had dealt her a terrible hand, and he did understand why she had taken this decision. He truly hoped she would find peace.

That night, Meredith packed all her belongings, and the little money she was able to save from her job, hailed a cab and left her old life behind.