I hate coming to this place. But, I do it for Jayla. I stepped up to the front door and gave it three solid knocks. I glanced at Bobby as he sat in his car, drumming his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. I knew he was fighting really, really hard not to take the keys from the ignition and come up here with me. He hated me coming to see my birth parents even more than I did. I couldn't very well blame him. My parents were bigger screw ups than I was. Hey, two negatives make a positive in math, right?

The door swung open and Jared smiled down at me. "Sam, we're glad you came."

"Well, I couldn't very well ignore what you guys told me about Jayla now could I?" I said as he stood back to let me in.

Jared hadn't done so bad for himself in the last few years. He had a good size house in a nice neighborhood. And he wasn't exactly poor either. I should know. He sent me a hundred bucks for my birthday. He was still a ho though. Every time I visited, he was with some new woman attached to his arm.

Jared and I walked into the kitchen, where Denise was sitting at the kitchen table. She stopped stuffing her face with the plate of spaghetti in front her when I walked into the room.

"Hi, sweetheart," she greeted me with a wide grin on her face as she came over to give me a hug.

I was shocked as I wrapped my arms around her body. She was so freaking skinny. I'd swear she was anorexic if I didn't know better. Denise's life wasn't as great as Jared's. Her drug addiction had only gotten worse since her and Jared spilt six years back. One thing after another went downhill for her. First she was fired from her job. Then she lost her house when she couldn't pay the bills. Now, she was living on the streets, doing whatever she could to get her precious drugs. Though I'd rather cut my tongue out than admit it to her, I was worried about Denise. She may have been a terrible mother. But, she was still my mother.

As I sat down at the table, I watched Jared and Denise share a look. They weren't one of those couples who still bickered after divorce. Though, they had severed all ties to each other except for Jayla and me. That's the only reason Denise was even in the house at the moment. Every so often, she came to beg Jared for money or a place to stay. But, he usually just told her to keep away from him or gave her a plate of food and enough money to last her a week. God, am I happy that I didn't still live with them.

"Okay, what's this about Jayla running off now?" I asked, shaking my head when Jared offered me a Pepsi.

"You know that every month I stop in to see how Jayla is doing with her foster parents?" I nodded at Jared. "Well, when I went this month, they say she ran away and they can't find her."

"And, Jared says she's been getting a little wild as well. You know, smoking, drinking, and partying to all hours of the night. She's even failing half her subjects in school," Denise added.

I sighed, putting my face in my hands and grinding my teeth. "I'm gonna kill her. I told that girl to cool her fast ass down. Now look what she's doing. When I find her, then she'll need to run away."

"How are you going to find her?" Denise asked, grabbing a glass to pour herself some wine.

Jared pried the wine bottle from her hands and handed her a glass of water instead. "Yeah, you know that girl can make herself scarce when she wants to."

"I know she can. She takes after me. Yet, she's dumber than I was at her age," I laughed, knowing it wouldn't be that hard to hunt down my little sister. I wasn't kidding when I said she wasn't that smart when it came to covering her tracks.

Denise worked on eating as much spaghetti as she could as Jared took over the conversation with me.

"I don't know what we're going to do with her, Sam. She's always doing something to get herself kicked out of a new home." Jared groaned, rubbing circles on his temples.

"Maybe Sam could take her for awhile," Denise mumbled past a mouthful of spaghetti.

Jared and I both looked at her with our right eyebrows raised in curiosity and question. Denise swallowed and shrugged.

"What? It's not a bad idea," Denise said, pointing her fork at me. "You're the only one Jayla listens to."

"You actually think they'll let me keep Jayla?" I wondered, trying to imagine what it'd be like living with my sister again.

"You are eighteen now," Jared said and I could see he was totally agreeing with Denise.

I didn't know about this idea. I mean, I loved my sister. But, Jayla was a little badass. It wasn't that hard to see why she was booted from so many different homes. The girl just did not want to try and get along with people. She insisted on making everything harder for everyone just so she could get her way. I wasn't calling her selfish. Okay, maybe I was. Then again, Jared and Denise were right. I was pretty much the only, and I mean only, person Jayla took orders from. I guess it was because she respected me and, at the same time, feared me. And maybe that's what she needed. I wished now more than ever I had Mom's help on this one. She could get through to Jayla. Hell, she got through to me.

"Fine," I huffed, throwing my hands up in surrender. "I'll take her. But, I can't guarantee she'll be leaving my house in one piece."

"Just don't kill her, baby. Thanks all we can ask for," Denise laughed lightly and I couldn't help but smirked.

I heard a horn honk loudly and grumbled as Jared stood to peer out the window.

"Which brother is that again?" he asked, his eyes growing in size at some kind of gesture Bobby must have sent his way.

"That's my oldest, Bobby," I informed him, pushing back the chair and getting to my feet.

"Those boys really look out for you, don't they?" Denise asked, smiling warmly.

I smiled back, nodded my head. "Yeah, they do."

The horn came again, honking over and over.

"Jesus!" I growled, balling my fists. I get it, Bobby!

"You better go. I think he's serious," Denise laughed, wiping her mouth with a napkin as she stood.

I headed for the front door, my parents behind me. Jared opened the front door as I zipped up my leather jacket and blow at my hair that kept falling in my face.

"It was good to see you again, baby," Denise said rather sadly as she squeezed me in a tight hug goodbye.

"Yeah, you to," I said, actually meaning it this time around.

"Come see us again, won't you?" Jared asked and I could almost hear the guilt in his voice.

I was mad at the man for missing so many years of my life. But, he was trying to make up for it now. So, I couldn't hate him forever.

"I'll back before you know it," I told him with a soft smile.

I surprised him and myself when I wrapped my arms around his body and hugged him. I hadn't truly ever hugged him since I was two.

"Bye, kiddo," he whispered and kissed my forehead.

"I'll call you guys once I find Jayla," I promised on my way out.

Bobby gave me the weirdest look when I got back in the car. It was a look I'd seen him give to Jack a few times. It was the kind of look that said 'What the hell is wrong with you?'.

"What?" I chuckled, buckling my seatbelt.

He shook his head with a dramatic sigh as he started the car. "It's happening."

"What's happening?" I scoffed, just barely controlling the urge I had to roll my eyes.

"You're turning into a chick and going soft on me," Bobby said as if he had been let down.

That 'going soft' comment went right out the window, along with Bobby's watch, when I punched him in the arm and cursed at him.

(In later chapters: Jack returns home ten times as distant than he was when he left, Bobby and Angel may be in trouble with the law more than they think, Jerry might propose to Camille and put a bun in that oven, and Sam finds Jayla in a disturbing situation. I have more chapters ready. If you review, I'll send them your way. Review your hearts out!)