Disclaimer: You think I own this? Hahahaha!

A.N: I know almost nothing about the court system or how lawyers actually work, so I am going to write this Hollywood style… because that's the only exposure to it that I have had. I am sorry if how I write this is inaccurate. The same can be said for my knowledge of the foster care system. Also, I have no clue how airports work beyond movie versions.

Also, I know several kids that are either in the foster care system or adopted. They are some of the happiest children I know. I fully support the foster care system as long as the children are happy, healthy, and cared for.

I did not like the third movie (no music by Queen? Who decided that?) so the sections involving Eden Hall will be shorter than the other two sections.

Chapter 29: A Phone Call and the Truth

A few nights before the game, I called Portman. I had been calling him once a week or so since the start of the school year, telling him about the team and Coach Orion and listening to him talk about Kyra and how boring it was at his school. We didn't get to talk much that night, I could hear people yelling in the background and Portman humming to his little sister before someone knocked on the door. I don't know who it was, but they were apparently important because he had to hang up before he could tell me about what Kyra had done that week. I hope whoever it is, they have good news.

He needs some good news because he has been taking care of Kyra basically by himself for over five months. He's even been taking her to hockey practice with him. One of the team moms there has been watching her while he's at school and practice. He told the team that his parents had to work during the day and the woman had volunteered to babysit for free as long as his parents provided everything she needed. Portman would drop Kyra off at the woman's house before school and the woman would bring her to practice afterwards. On the days with no practice, the woman would pick both her son and Portman up from school and take them home. Portman always walked home after he picked up Kyra because he didn't want the woman to meet his parents. He knew that it would happen eventually, but he was trying to put it off for as long as possible. He told me all of this during our phone calls. I'm actually amazed that he let Kyra out of his sight during the school day. He's very protective of her. It scared him that she was so tiny when she was born. He didn't want to admit it, but he did eventually. The fact she had to stay in the hospital for so long didn't help any. Our conversations always end with him trying to figure out how to move to Minnesota without being forced to leave her behind. I don't have any answers for him, but I wish I did.