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“I have a daughter around your age. Her name is River,” he says and holds open the front door for me. I unlock my barely drivable car.
“My bags are in the back,” I tell him, and he reaches in literally grabbing all of them with one load.
“Two trips are for pussies.”
I cover my face with my hands and laugh because that was so unexpected. But I truly needed that.
He laughs with me, and I smile at his back. The fear I had of him is diminishing just a tiny bit. I follow him eager to get into my new place and start my new life.
As long as he doesn’t find me, one of my foster brothers.
Lyle was weirdly obsessed with me. He was one of my foster brothers in my last home before I aged out and just gave me very weird vibes.
We had to share a bedroom, which isn’t allowed, and some nights I would wake to find him staring at me.
That was a step up though; a lot of the times the foster families would have beds brought in just for inspection and then we were all shoved into one room, all piled up on the floor lying against each other, which was amazing during the winter because it was so cold.
I don’t remember much before foster care, but I do remember bits and pieces about my parents.
I remember my mom singing and rocking me to sleep.
I remember my dad pushing me on the swing.
But a drunk driver took them from me. I had one aunt, but she couldn’t take me in, so that left me to be placed in the system.
I went into foster care.
The homes blurred together; everything blurred together after that. It felt like it happened so slow at times, and others it seemed like a nightmare. I just know I was so unhappy and filled with grief. My whole life was uprooted.
Foster care was hell. I had parents that should be in prison for the rest of their lives for the things I suffered by their hands and the things I have witnessed happening to others.
This is a new beginning, a new life, a new me.
My first thought when I wake the very next morning is that I’m warm. I bring the blankets higher under my chin, not bothering opening my eyes.
Marie said that I could take the day off to get settled and I planned on taking advantage of that, but the smell of breakfast wafting up the stairs is slowly killing me.
I groan and turn over on my back looking to the ceiling. Through the walls you can hear the slight chatter of people enjoying their breakfast.
Not able to resist it anymore I slide out of bed and get dressed, making sure to braid my hair down my back.
The stairs creak on the way down. I unlock the door at the bottom of the stairs and slowly push the door open.
The first thing I see is Dante lugging a huge box that looks like it’s filled with canned goods.
He sets it down and smiles at me. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?” he asks me and I nod. “The best night's sleep I’ve had in a while.”
“Do you need me to take you anywhere since your car is broke down?”
“I think that I’m okay. I’m just glad to be out of my car. It was a long drive down.” He laughs. “I have driven that long haul before, and it is not for the weak.”
He pulls out a barstool. “Come, sit your butt down and I will get you some breakfast.” His tone is gruff, but instead of scaring me, it makes me smile.
The door swings open and Marie walks in grinning widely when she sees me. “I have spent the whole morning trying to get my son to come over to meet you.”
My eyes widen at that. “Why?” I ask her.
She grins wickedly like she has a huge secret. Dante chuckles at me and hands me a plate filled to the brim with food. “Because you are the one he has been waiting for.”
