Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Oh, he’s fine. This is about you and Nathan.” She made an eeep sound toward the end, and I looked at the phone. What was going on with her? She didn’t fucking make those sounds. “There’s a pair of siblings, sweetie. They need a home, and an out-of-state solution is definitely on the table.”
Holy—
I fumbled with my phone, almost dropping it, as shock tore through me.
The way she’d said that—
My heart started pounding. “Wh-what?” My ears were suddenly ringing so loudly that I wasn’t sure I’d heard her right.
“I met them briefly the other week when they arrived at the group home,” Ma went on urgently. “It’s Colleen’s case—she opened up about them today. We had lunch together. Oh, Ash, you and Nathan would be perfect for them. They’ve been so neglected. Abusive background, parents are alcoholics—you know the story. We never freaking run out of them. And Dylan—that’s the boy’s name. He’s about to turn six. He’s done his best to protect his baby sister from much of the violence, so he’s guarded and doesn’t trust anyone.”
I swallowed hard. My eyes stung, and I turned toward the living room. Nate was watching me with confusion and curiosity written all over him.
“And Hallie, the baby girl, she just turned four—she’s shy and doesn’t say much, which is understandable, of course.”
Right. Of course.
I rubbed at my forehead and screwed my eyes shut, needing my brain to fucking get with the program.
A voice in the back of my mind was catching up. A voice that belonged to a guy who’d grown up around these stories. He knew the drill. We’d apply to become their foster parents, we’d go through with interviews and paperwork, we’d hope for the best, we’d create a safe environment for the children to grow up in, and one day, if everything went well, they’d want to stay permanently.
Dylan and Hallie.
I swallowed again and locked eyes with Nate.
Ma was still rambling, and it was time to cut her off.
“We’ll be at your work first thing in the morning, Ma,” I said, clearing my throat. “I’m guessing the group home and not your office?”
“Yes! Ohh, I’m keeping all my fingers and toes crossed, my baby boy,” she gushed tearfully. “You know I’m always keeping an eye out.”
A smile broke free, and I scrubbed a hand over my mouth. “I know, Ma. See you tomorrow—when I can form a proper sentence.”
Hopefully.
She laughed. “Trust me, I get it. See you tomorrow. Love you both!”
“Love you.” I pocketed my phone, and a big breath gusted out of me.
“Are you gonna tell me what that was about?” Nate wondered.
I exhaled a laugh, not sure where to begin.
Actually, I did know. “I hope you don’t have any sessions you can’t cancel tomorrow,” I said. “Ma wants us in Philly to meet a boy and a girl who need a home.”
His mouth popped open, and he dropped his chopsticks.
Don’t get your hopes up, keep it cool.
But Ma would never call if she didn’t have a reason to be hopeful. She knows the hell we’ve gone through.
In the ten years Nate and I had been together, we’d been actively trying to become parents for about five. With some breaks here and there. Which was both an eternity and no time at all. Each case dragged on for months and months, and it was the worst waiting game on earth. But we felt each and every one of those months, while we tried to lead everyday lives.
“Could this really be happening?” Nate rose to his feet, his voice shaky.
“I don’t know, but it’s impossible not to hope,” I said. “Ma sounded hopeful.”
“Oh God.” He hurried toward me, and the first two steps kicked me into motion too, so we met halfway, and I crushed him in a hug. “Tell me everything.”
We obviously didn’t sleep that night, and we had to get on the road by two AM anyway.
Right outside the city, we hit up a twenty-four-hour drive-thru, and then we were good on cheeseburgers, coffee, and soda.
I drove the first shift while Nate went through the email Ma had sent shortly before midnight. It was everything she knew about the children, so we could be prepared with the basics.
The children had ultimately been placed in the system when their mother had died from liver failure and the dad had been violent at the hospital, raising suspicion with the nurses. Turned out, the dad had two warrants out for his arrest already.
“Maybe you should talk to the kids first,” I said, biting into my burger. “You’re the professional.”
“I see precisely two children because their guardians are my patients already, and they join each session with the kids,” he pointed out. “You are every bit as qualified for this as I am, baby.”
I wasn’t sure about that. I could be a bull in a china shop. Nathan had endless patience, and he was diplomatic and calm and…just perfect.