fuonlyknew

As I began to head upstairs to my bedroom, my adopted father
abruptly asked, “Where have you been?” I responded with, “What
do you mean? I called you at 3:15 p.m. and told you I had a game this
evening.” He said, “No, you did not. I did not talk to you
today!”

I stood there, frozen, thinking, you’re crazy as hell. Mr. O’Neal proceeded to
tell me what my future was going to be, and I didn’t agree with anything he
said. “You will not participate in sports; you will come directly home
from school, cook dinner, clean the house, etc.” As he yelled, I began
plotting my next move. When I tuned in, he said, “You will have no outside
interaction with anyone.” I recall thinking, This is my last day in this
hellhole. It didn’t matter where I ended up, I knew anything had to be better
than this. I wasn’t living at all. His home felt like prison, and I was ready
to be free. This wasn’t about me trying to sneak around and see boys. It was
about a robbed childhood. I didn’t have many answers, but I knew living with
Mr. O’Neal was suffocating. He wasn’t equipped to be an adoptive parent. The
system failed. Providing a roof wasn’t enough.

This story is written to inspire individuals. To move when you don’t have all
the answers about what lies ahead, but you know if you stay where you are, you
will die. To trust your gut and to not copy anyone’s life, you are an original.
It just so happens this story is about a little girl’s journey from an
orphanage to a failed adoption to charting her path forward. Whether you
experienced foster care or adoption or neither, this story will encourage you
to keep believing that good will find you.

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads

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I stood there, frozen, thinking, you’re crazy as hell. Mr. O’Neal proceeded to tell me what my future was going to be, and I didn’t agree with anything he said. “You will not participate in sports; you will come directly home from school, cook dinner, clean the house, etc.” As he yelled, I began plotting my next move. When I tuned in, he said, “You will have no outside interaction with anyone.” I recall thinking, This is my last day in this hellhole. It didn’t matter where I ended up, I knew anything had to be better than this. I wasn’t living at all. His home felt like prison, and I was ready to be free. This wasn’t about me trying to sneak around and see boys. It was about a robbed childhood. I didn’t have many answers, but I knew living with Mr. O’Neal was suffocating. He wasn’t equipped to be an adoptive parent. The system failed. Providing a roof wasn’t enough.

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When Monica was born, the doctors said, “If she makes
it overnight, she will survive.” Monica spent approximately nine years in
foster care and then ran away from her adoptive family. She strives to empower
women to actively address whatever is holding them back from leading fulfilled
lives. You get one life. Live it. Monica completed her undergraduate studies at
Niagara University and has a masters degree in health administration from
Central Michigan University and a masters in human resources development from
Villanova University. She completed Emory University’s executive coaching
program and coaches women who are unfulfilled in their careers. Monica loves
trying vegan recipes, animals, exercising, and reading James Patterson novels.
She has three furry friends.

Website * Facebook *Instagram * Goodreads

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