Gender/Pro-nouns: Female, She/Her
Date of Birth: February 10th, 1988
Place of Birth: New York City, New York
Length of Residence: 7 years
A name elicited by the greek gods and one that drew adornment from her mother, Andromeda was one that was rare for an American household of stature; One her father was highly against. That the nature of her mother’s personal life strayed from a name the slipped from lips with elegance and grace. That hearing it, you would know whom she was and all they stood for. But no, Andi’ had the meaning of defender of men. It was a name that raised brows and question. Her father would shake his head, telling the tale of how her mother adored the name. Perhaps it was a mechanism her father used for not being judged for his wife’s haphazard naming but he adored the woman far too much to ever argue with her. Just like how he began to realize how fitting the name was for her. There were often moments Andromeda felt herself falling into an absence of affection in her spritely and pig-tailed youth. When she was a mere child she could see the love and compassion her parents shared, so much that it blossomed in their doe-eyes hues when they were longing for one another. There were heartfelt sighs and eloping kisses, tv cuddles and heart-breaking dismisses. It was a roller coaster of a love. Wild and crazy; something Andi grew to adore, knowing one day she wanted to be that madly and hopelessly in love. The pair was a power couple on fire when they were at an event or merely just at home, tottering around, however, women envied her for finding such a man and men drooled over her mother like soppy puppies.
But being born to a ballet dancer along with a father of a brain surgeon was challenging from the word go, to say the least. Perhaps the brunette was seen as lucky in this lavish lifestyle or that her elder brother faced the higher dose of pressure but no, with a brother who in many years would leave home to join the army, she felt the need to help people like he did. Andromeda and her brother, Theodore differed immensely, where Andi wanted to learn and understand; her brother wanted to have fun and go out and have fun, he was a mischievous minx who purposed caused problems. Who would’ve thought it would all change so much.
In her youth pigtail bunches and scraped knees were the only quiver for the American delight – Well, that was when she was a child. She’d been a boisterous and energy was most definitely more than a six-letter word. The bundle of joy would happily chatter away to anyone who would give her the time – until her mother told her that wasn’t acceptable. She was a girl with many friends, buckets of them. But they weren’t friends with Andi because of whom the bubbly girl was, no it was because she had money and a house in LA and flat in New York. Because they would get invited to go with them so the girl didn’t get bored. But on the playground she would hear the spiteful comments before spinning around to gleam the biggest smile in her direction, she was smart and it didn’t take long to realise she was being used.
Whilst life was difficult having an absent mother but it never made the woman any less loving - perhaps even more so. She knew it was hard for her family with her not being around for work and traveling with different companies. She tried as hard as she could, her father opposed her–– working late hours into the nights saving lives. Only to come home, craving a bottle of scotch and his lonesome. Raised by nannies and housekeepers. It wasn’t an awful childhood.
Theodore, the older sibling. The better sibling. The sibling with a fitting name but only due to the fact it was one their father had chosen out of sensibility and being the new male of the house, their father took greater pride in Theodore; stating that he knew he would do great things; whereas he merely pressured Andromeda. Telling her she had to do brilliant things in order to not disgrace the family name. It was what drove the dynamic duo apart, her anger flaring that he was so precious to their father but all he could do was rant and yell at her to uphold their name; that’s all she had to do. Her mother being an overachiever, it was yet another trait passed onto her daughter and she had her father’s brains. She was logical and caring–– maybe she was making up for what her parents lacked. Her father tried to push her into his type of work. Helping people and saving lives. Andromeda wasn’t sure it was something that the girl desired. Deciding on combing her father’s greatest accomplishment with a love of her own; Veterinary School–– That Is what she would pursue after high school.
During a class at high school, she was pulled out, “Andromenda Maddox. We’re so sorry for your loss.” It took all of five seconds for the girl to collapse, tears flooding her. Her father had never been around anyways but their last conversation had been a screaming match over her love for ‘something that couldn’t even talk’. To be another hopeless idiot who couldn’t find work; that’s what her father had said. It was a heartache that never ceased. It was like the words had gotten stuck, there was no possible way. Her parent’s fate had been sealed by the hands of some idiot too preoccupied with their phone. She would never get to tell them how she loved either of them–– or apologize. It wasn’t long before the young female found herself in the system. Her brother was deemed old enough to pursue life as an adult. Yet with that, he left Andromenda behind with the words, “I don’t know how to raise you.“ She was angry at the world, at the lack of love. Being tossed around the system and viewed by parents; like a monkey in the Zoo.
June was an unexpected surprise. Someone so full of love and patience from the word go. She remembered it as if no time had passed. The female had just turned fourteen when once of her carers mentioned an older Australian lady–– with a dog and older son, she didn’t find herself hopeful. Their first meeting was tumultuous, with Andi’s smarmy behaviour, she knew June wouldn’t come back. But then she did– a second time. Then third and fourth. Until she signed the papers. She was so different from everything she knew. June spent Saturday mornings sat on the patio painting canvas.’ She read books about history and was open with her emotions, she would cradle Andi when she had nightmares and whisper soothing whispers of how proud she was.
Andromeda had found a home and the guilt that intertwined– June pushed her to get her degree, to follow her passion for helping small furry; or not so furry friend. The trio even travelled to Australia, wanting to show her the beauty of travel. How you could uproot yourself and disappear off to somewhere new? What a wondrous notion it was. Which is exactly what she did, taking off to London after a job offer, Andromeda wasn’t running away. She was turning a new page in her journal. Inhaling a different kind of air.
