Brought over on a cargo ship then loaded unto flat railroad trailers and brought to the Midwest. It was so big it reminded Genevie of the home she was forced to leave and the family she couldn't remember any longer except her mother. She could smell her mother perfume and the outline of her face.
For the longest time Genevie had nightmares of her old home. She was so young nothing made any sense to her. in the new library on the middle shelf the nuns put the only book that came with her. They told her the book was about her family but it wouldn't make sense until she got older.
One time when she was almost five she climbed up and took the book. She was looking at the cover when Sister Maria caught her. She let her look at the family crest on the front then she told her when she turned sixteen everything would make more sense.
The cover had some kind of a symbol on it. It frightened her so she didn't touch it any more. She told Sister Marie it scared her. Sister Marie assured her there was nothing to be afraid of.
The next year the nuns built a orphanage in town for children who had no parents. A lot of young children came to it home. None of them even knew about Genevie or her big huge home. Sister Marie and Sister Francis taught Genevie at her home. She was excellent student but missed not being able to play with other children. For the longest time she didn't even know there were other children around.
One summer night close to the fourth of July Sister Marie brought her to town to watch the fireworks and eat watermelon with the children at the orphanage. All the way home she kept asking her about the other children. After that every so often she was taken to the park and was allowed to play with the other children from the orphanage.
Sister Marie explained to her that she had a immune deficiency disease and couldn't be around the other children all the time. She could come down sick. Genevie asked Sister Marie is that why I have to have that needle with a hose in my arm every week.
Sister Marie replied yes silly to make you into a super woman when you grow up. Genevie wanted to know exactly what was being given to her. Sister Marie explained it was a lot of vitamins and electrolytes Genevie told her sometimes it left a icky taste in her mouth. After that Sister Marie would give her mints to suck on while getting the treatment. Genevie asked her what the treatment was called. Sister Marie said it was called a vitamin IV drip.