3 Chapter 3 - Before LOVE there was Ravdolf

I met Devvy Love at an orphanage. That's right. We are both orphans.(Her name wasn't Devvy Love when we first met. Her real name was Devvy Ravdolf. She changed her last name to Love when she became a singer."Love" was her mother's maiden name.)

But Devvy was already there when I was adopted by the people at orphanage. Since we were around the same age and she had already experienced with the housing and stuff, she was asked to show me the ropes.

At first she was reluctant to accept me as her mentee but she was in no position to defy the order. On my first day with her, I realized that she was a difficult child to socialize. Always saying mean stuff, treating other kids like garbage, impulsive and isolated. As the situation happened we were stucked for month and we grew fond of each other and became best friends.

Only after 2 years of becoming friends with her, Devvy had opened up to me about her childhood trauma, feelings and her dreams. And so did I.

She said she decided to be friends with me on the very first day of our encounter. But she was just testing my endurance, patience on her stubborness, her acidic personality. She said

"You know Endy, I have this instinct somewhere in my heart that when I meet a person, I would know whether or not that person would be fit for me, get me, care for me for a lifetime."

As she watered on her potted cactus flowers, she continued.

"And that instinct kicked in the moment I saw you. That's why I chose you. I can be who I am when I am with you. I feel safe with you. Feels like I can tell you anything about my life".

And she did.

She explained that she was not really an orphan. She had a family. Her parents and her little brother. Her father was a horrible person. He would drink all day and gamble all of his wife's hard-earned money and worst of all, he would physically abuse his children and wife when things didn't go his way.

On one particular night, he was beating the kids. Her mother couldn't take it anymore and defended the kids. But things got way out of hands, a struggle happened and her mother killed her father.

It was an accident. A pure self-defense. However panicked and scared widow had taken her kids and run out of the house immediately with nothing but their own alive-bodies.

Her brother was too young at that time but Devvy was old enough to understand the situation. She had witnessed her mother stabbing her father with her own eyes.

Days after days, the widow had wandered streets with her two children for survival. She had to work for day and night tirelessly. But a simple, normal and slightly-educated woman's earning wasn't enough to provide for the family of three. They ate hand-to-mouth just barely. They had no shelter, no weather-protective clothing and worst of all, no one to come to their rescue.

Not so long after, little brother had fallen into sickness due to malnutrition. Days were hell for them. As being a first-born and considerative daughter, young Devvy decided to take on a more responsible role in order to take load off of her mother's shoulders. She worked at a local diner as a waitress where she met Mrs.Yvone Belchtov, a Head Administrative of the Youth’s Rehabilitation Center and Orphanage (The Hope).

During her frequent visit to the dinner, Mrs.Yvone took a notice in Devvy.She saw Devvy's values and offered her a chance. Her words were

"You are special. Why are you wasting your time here waiting tables? Why don't you come with me to The Hope. I could teach you about life. I can guide you to the life you'd want."

Devvy's replies were

"Come with you? I just met you. How could I trust someone I just met? Plus why on earth would you assume that I am special? I am just a waitress. I can't even wash a dish properly."

Yvonne shook her head, smiled and said.

"A waitress? That's what you do. Not who you are. You can change that if you want to. I see a fire in your eyes. A sparkle that just needs ignition. Tell me young lady, what do you wanna be I am assuming you don't want to be a BORING waitress for the rest of your life?"

Devvy replied without a pause to her words.

"I want to be a singer and I WILL be."

"See. You have a wildfire in you. OK .I can help you with that. We have an education program for kids like you back at the orphanage .We will provide you a proper education, food, shelter and clothes. In return you have to do some chores for the place. Help us when you grow up. I mean financially. Donate us. Help kids like you back when you become a grown-up successful woman."

"And what's in it for you?"Devvy boldly asked.

Yvonne laughed out loud and said.

"Ambitious and fierce. You keep impressing me Miss. Let me answer your question…. I get nothing out of it. You see there are still people like us who help people just out of good-will. We just want to contribute to a society and help kids like you cultivate hope and belief in your heart."

Devvy shot a daring comment again,

"How can I trust you? Your words, they are just like that…WORDS. How do I know you are a real-deal and not some middle-aged SCAM woman?"

Mrs.Yvonne calmly answered.

"You see. That's where we start. I have nothing to prove to you other than my words. That's what we teach kids at the center as a foundation: how to TRUST again. I don't know the whole story but I know you've been through a lot. I can see the pain in your eyes. You can take my words for them or you can leave them. I will be here tomorrow around this time. Hopefully, by that time, you can see what's in front of you. An opportunity”

She looked at slightly-taken-back Devvy and said

“Goodbye young lady. See u tomorrow."

Then she paused her story-telling and said.

"You see that's when my instinct hit me. A huge part of me screamed to go with that lady instantly but I couldn't. There is something holding me back."

"Your mother and brother?" I added.

"Yes. I couldn't just leave them Endy. I know going off would make my mother less burdenful but I just couldn’t. At least not when my brother was sick."

Then she continued her story. That night she discussed with her mother about what Yvonne said to her at the diner. But her mother was totally against the idea. She said

"Absolutely not. I still have my arms and legs. You are my daughter. I will carry you, feed you and provide you until my last breath. I promise days will get better. We will be able to stand up again. So don't ever talk to that shady lady again."

Devvy felt encouraged by her mother's words but the reality they are living in wasn't too convincing for her to believe anymore. The next day when she met Yvonne at the diner she said

"I will go with you."

"Yes. I knew you would make a smart decision."

Devvy interrupted her words.

"But on one condition."

"Okay…. What is it?"

"Only when my little brother gets better .I just want to make sure that."

Mrs.Yvonne thought for a minute and then said

"OK.I understand. Leaving a family behind is tough. But you will see that they will be better off without you for the time being. You can always go back to them in like 7 or 8 years later. Time flies so fast and by then you will probably be famous, successful and rich. You can find them again. In fact let me help you with this."

Mrs.Yvonne reached into her bag and took out a roll of 100's.

"Here take this. With this you can help your family."

Devvy refused to take the money.

"No, Mrs.Belchtov. I can't take your money. I just want TIME.I am just telling you to wait till my brother gets better. That's all."

"Nonsense. Take this. This is not HOPE's funds. This is my money. Think of it as an investment. You can pay me back once you're successful." she said it with a smile.

With her now-watery eyes, Devvy earnestly hugged her.

"Thank you. Thank you. You are a god-sent. How could I ever repay your kindness...?"

She cried loudly.

Yvonne pated her back and said.

"Yes you can. You can pay me back by becoming a singer, my child. Work hard from now on. Think of your mother and brother when you want to give up. Think of it like a journey. That's right. You are on a journey and your family is waiting for you to come back. And one day you will. You will go back to them but with joys, smile, fame and money."

With tears, Devvy replied.

"I will Mrs.Yvonne. I will work hard. I will work until my arms and legs come off. I will sing until my lungs come out of my chest and make a lot of money and make my mother and brother proud and happy."

After that, Devvy waited for about three weeks until her brother's illness was cured. Then she left her family with a letter and money she got from Mrs.Yvonne. The money was enough for them to start a small business and live on.

In the letter, she apologized to her mother for not listening to her words and told her that she wouldn't expect her to understand what she did but she asked for her forgiveness and one day she would return home and they can live happily ever after.

And then Devvy set off her journey with Mrs.Yvonne. By the time she was taken in at HOPE, she was already 12.She started living her new life obeying rules by the Sisters at the center and never once defied them. But she never interacted with other kids until I came along.

Her story ended there but she continued.