A Forever Family | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: A Forever Family | Previous Challenge Entry
By Christine Dunn
01/27/16
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Mrs Wells has a funny smile on her face that I've never seen before.

"Guess what?" she asks.

I take another bite of my cookie and some crumbs fall on the floor.

"We have found a family for you. A family to be yours forever!"

I bite my lip and stare at her. I have been with a lot of families but haven't stayed with any of them too long. I want to say, "Why can I not stay here with Rachel? She is my bestest ever foster carer." But I don't think I get to choose. Rachel nods and looks happy too like it's time for me to go.

"They are a lovely mom and dad who have been wanting a daughter like you for a long time," Mrs. Wells is saying.

I drop my cookie on my plate. But I already have a mom. Don't I? Well I think she was my mom but she didn't know how to look after me and I haven't seen her for a long time. Sometimes she fed me. Sometimes she didn't. Sometimes she played with me. Other times she went away for days and I didn't know where she was. Is this new mom going to be the same? I bite my lip harder this time. And I never had a dad before but I guess he might be like Jake, mom's boyfriend. I freeze and can't hear what else Mrs. Wells is saying.

The doorbell rings and I wonder if it is too late to hide. Before I can dive under the table Rachel brings my new mom and dad into the kitchen. They look like their hearts are going bump, bump, bump as fast as mine is. They have smiling faces and they wear cosy sweaters. My new mom, Dawn sits beside me and tries to talk to me about my dolls. I want to say something back but I'm afraid. What if she doesn't like me? What if she is only being nice in front of Rachel? At last I ask her in a whisper about my new house. Yes I will have a bed and a beautiful pink bedroom. Yes, there is lots of food to eat, even chocolate chip cookies. Adam, my new dad tells me they have a cat called Stripey. It all sounds good. I wonder how long I will stay at this house.

"Nooo!" I scream, as Dawn and Adam try to put my shoes on. I have been with this family for three sleeps and I have been really bad for them. I have shouted and said all the words Rachel told me not to say. I have broken some toys they gave me. Maybe soon they will send me away. Maybe they will see I'm not the daughter they wanted after all. They look sad but they are still nice to me. They just say, "That's okay for now," when I won't do something. They try to hug me. I squirm away. It feels very strange.

I have been here for a long time now and I can't believe Dawn and Adam still like me. They look at me like nobody else ever has. I think it might be what happens when someone loves you. I hope I'm right. When I eat food from the bin, they don't shout. They just show me the fruit bowl and tell me there is lots of food that I can eat at any time. When I get angry and scared in school and start throwing stuff, they explain to my teacher about my behavior. They say prayers with me before I go to bed and when I wake up in the night because I have bad dreams. They are the best mom and dad ever.

One bedtime, when Dawn says, "I love you," I hear myself saying, "I love you too." My new mom smiles and has tears in her eyes. I feel a funny, fuzzy feeling inside. I like us being a forever family.

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