Once they were in the car and on their way back to the Hart residence Alexis got up her courage and turned to Reba.
"So I guess you're gonna drop me off at social services," she sighed.
"What?" Reba exlaimed.
"Well," Alexis explained herself, "you don't seem like the type to just drop me off in the street."
"You'll have to stay with us until we figure this all out," Reba replied. "I'm not going to let you end up on the streets."
It fell silent in the car for the rest of the ride home. When they pulled into the driveway, Alexis turned to Reba.
"I think I'm going to go upstairs for a bit," Alexis said.
"Ok," Reba replied, "I'll be downstairs if you need me."
They walked inside and to their surprise Van was sitting on the couch. Alexis continued upstairs.
"Van," Reba said, "what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Denver?"
"Game got cancelled this week so I'm still here," he explained. "How did things go with my parents?"
"Not well," Reba replied, "as you can see," she added, motioning to the stairs.
"Man," Van sighed, "my parents can be such idiots sometimes."
"Van," Reba said, "I need you to write me a list of the relatives that you know and their phone numbers, I don't want her to end up in social services or on the street."
"Sure thing Mrs. H," he replied, "thanks so much for doing this but my dad is an only child and my mom just has one sister and my grandparents... well you've met my parents."
A few minutes later Van had found his grandparent's and his aunt's phone numbers.
"Here Mrs. H," he said walking into the kitchen and handing her the list with the phone numbers.
"Thanks Van," Reba replied, taking the list and picking up the phone.
Van decided to go upstairs and talk to Alexis. After all she was his sister. He knocked on the bedroom door.
"Go away," Alexis shouted through the door.
"Its me, Van," he replied. "Let me come in."
"Fine," Alexis replied.
Van came in and sat down on the bed beside his sister.
"I kinda know what you're going through," he said quietly.
"I thought they would be happy that I would be around more," Alexis told her big brother, tears forming in her eyes.
"Don't cry now," Van tried to comfort her.
"I used to make up stories when I was at school," Alexis vented, "I would tell myself that they just couldn't keep me at home. I remember that I would come up with so many different reasons as to why they couldn't possibly keep me at home but deep down inside I always knew that they just didn't want me."
Van just listened to his little sister, his heart breaking. He felt so bad that his parents had kept him at home and worshipped the ground that he walked on until he got Cheyanne pregnant. They had adored him while his sister was in an emotionless school, barely knowing that her family existed.
By this time Alexis' tears flowed freely. Van was uncomfortable but he did what he knew he needed to do for his sister. He pulled her into a hug.
After a few minutes Van returned downstairs to the kitchen to find Reba sitting at the table, phone in hand.
She looked at Van and said, "you were right, I had no luck."
"What's going to happen?" Van blurted out, he was worried.
"She's family,"
Reba told him, "she'll stay here."
"Are you
serious?" Van exclaimed.
"Of course," Reba replied, "you're the only family that she's got."
"You're the greatest Mrs. H," Van smiled.
"I'm just doing the right thing," she said. "I'm going to go upstairs and let Alexis know."
On her way up the stairs Reba thought about how her kids had two parents that loved them so much and how Alexis was left with none. She remembered asking God why he let Kyra choose to move in with her father. Now she realized that it was to make room for Alexis in her home. This girl needed one "parent" who loved her. Reba walked into Kyra's old room. Alexis was sitting on the window seat, staring outside. Reba sat down beside her. Alexis turned and looked at Reba with big green eyes. She held Reba's gaze for a second before burying her face in her knees and bursting into tears.
"It's ok sweetie," Reba comforted her, rubbing her back. "You're going to live here with us."
Alexis lifted up her head and look at Reba with teary eyes.
"Really?" she mumbled.
"Of course," Reba replied. "You're family. Besides, I see how much love my children have and I know that all children need that, all children deserve that."
With that comment Alexis flung herself at Reba, hugging her tightly.