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One thing Derek and Marie insisted on was that we all ate together. Every evening, we had to sit around and pretend to play happy foster family. Except tonight, Penny’s seat was empty. She had joined the spelling bee team at school, and they had an away meet.
Although I was pleased for Penny since it was the first thing she had shown interest in since arriving here, I now officially hated Tuesdays.
“What time is Penny due back, Marie?” Amy said in her sickly-sweet voice, the one she saved just for the foster momster, as Ben, the new kid, called her.
I shot Amy a warning glare and laughed into my glass when she yelped. Gabriel winked at me, and I knew he had probably stomped on her foot under the table.
“She’ll be back before lights out,” Marie said. “Now, eat your vegetables.”
Since Lucas aged out, I had moved into his seat at the table, which meant I sat farthest away from Derek and Marie. Looking at them across the table was gross enough without sitting within spraying distance like poor Ben. He looked ready to puke as Derek sprayed another mouthful of Marie’s disgusting pot roast all over him.
“Blake, is your homework all done?”
“Yes, sir,” I said, biting the inside of my cheek. He wasn’t asking because he was interested, so I braced myself for his next words.
“Good. You’re on cleanup duties.”
“What?” The words were out before I could stop them. “It’s not my night. It’s Amy’s.”
“Amy helped me with something earlier.” He gave her a creepy smile. “Don’t argue with me, boy, or you’ll be washing pots all week.”
Gabriel caught my eye and shook his head discreetly.It’s not worth it. I understood his silent message, but I didn’t want to hear it. Not tonight of all nights.
“Fine, but the new kid helps.”
Ben’s eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it when I shot him a look. “I’ll help,” he mumbled.
“Fine.” Derek jabbed his fork toward me, and I wanted nothing more than to snatch it from him and stab it in his disgusting leery eyes. “Just get it done and take out the trash while you’re at it.”
* * *
“Is it always like this?” Ben handed me the last of the pots, and I dipped them into the water and rinsed off the suds.
“We get Sundays off.”
Actually, Derek and Marie left us to fend for ourselves while they gorged themselves at the Golden Corral, but he didn’t need to know that yet. Besides, it was the one day of the week we could be kids.
“My last placement was this really nice family. They took me to ballgames on the weekend. I liked them,” he said. “I don’t like Marie. She smells. They both do, but it’s her eyes. They scare me.”
“They’re just skin and bone, kid. Keep your head down and stay out of trouble. Who knows, maybe you’ll be out of here quicker than you think.”
Ben was a sweet kid. Only eleven with a face full of freckles and blond curly hair. He looked like the type of kid a family might want. Although adoption was rare for kids our age, it could happen.
For kids like Ben, not for me.
I’d given up on that dream a long time ago.
Just as we cleaned away the last of the cutlery, the front door opened, and footsteps sounded in the hallway.
“That you, Penny?” Derek’s gruff voice called out from the living room.
“Yes, sir.”
Just hearing her familiar voice improved my mood, and I hurried to wipe the counters.
“Straight upstairs, young lady,” he ordered. “It’s almost time for lights out.”
I hovered near the door. Penny would have to walk right past us. I had my hand buried deep in the pocket of my jeans. Her footsteps grew louder, and I turned to Ben and said, “Go take out the trash. I’ll wait here.”
