Thanks to Justice237 for reviewing.
There are some new polyvore edits in this story's collection. Some for the rooms, one for all the blankets the kids now have gotten each. And some new characters. Two for two characters turning up in this chapter and who the rest are you'll have to wait and see. There is also an edit with all the new blankets the children have each of.
"Hey." The morning after Minnie's birthday I actually did wake up before she and the others have left. "Shouldn't you be going to school?" She shook her head slightly. "Are you ill?"
"No. School's been cancelled today because of all the snow."
"Snow?" I sat up and looked out the window, sure as it was said- snow was falling down outside. "Oh. You mean that kind of snow."
The wet, frozen, white and cold kind of snow? Smartass Kenny!
During most snowy days earlier at Sunshine I would stay in bed until lunch time and not move an inch more than I had to. Now, with a growing baby pressing towards my bladder twenty four seven- especially in the mornings. I didn't exactly get a break only because it was snowing and had to rush to the bathroom as quick as possible.
It didn't take me more than a split second away from the bed to feel the cold. So on my way outside I grabbed the blanket that laid by the foot on my bed and laid it on the edge of the bathtub in the bathroom. As soon as it was possible I then pulled the blanket tight around me before I left the bathroom. The first one I met coming out from my room wrapped in my Harry Potter blanket, was Mo coming down the hallway wrapped in his Harry Potter blankets.
"Well then." I pulled my blanket tighter around me. "I guess today is a get-wrapped-in-a-blanket-and-stay-inside- kind-of-day. Or what do you say Mo?" Mo nodded agreeing. "Do you think anyone will mind if we show up for breakfast wrapped in blankets?"
Obviously they wouldn't, because when I and Mo sat down by the table I could spot Xavier, Michael and Belle also wrapped in each blanket too.
"I and Yazzy's blankets looks the same." Michael was just about to leave. "They say 'good at naps' I am very good at taking naps. I think I'll go have one now." He yawned, put his dishes in the sink and left the kitchen- I didn't doubt for a second he actually would go to sleep in a matter of a few minutes.
A day usually couldn't pass by in the dumping ground without anyone and everyone fighting. Lively children running around and their voices and laughter mixed with sounds of vacuum cleaners and God knows what else.
But maybe there was something about the cold. Or the snow put everyone in some kind of mood. Of course nobody could go outside (well, one could but it wasn't recommended) so everybody should have been annoying everyone. But barely a sound was heard in the house all day. May-Li went home, Mike came, Duke came later. That was pretty much all movement. Some kids laid in the living room watching Disney channel, most of the kids laid in their beds in their rooms doing whatever they felt like- silently. And if I were to guess, I would have thought many of them spent most of the time between breakfast and lunch sleeping.
I know I did!
At lunch there were several people around the table yawning as much as they chewed. And I wouldn't have guessed something was about to happen all day. Or all weekend. But then at lunch, Duke seemed to have something exciting to tell us all about. But of course, there was that usual talk about every-day things too. And Michael seemed the only one who gathered the energy to say something at first- maybe because he slept the whole forenoon.
"I usually have snickers ice cream for desert on Fridays and Saturdays. That's why we've always got those in the freezer even though Trenton is allergic to them. But I don't really feel like eating ice cream today. It's really, really cold outside. Today is more of a hot cocoa day. Can we maybe have hot cocoa later? Please Duke. You can make hot cocoa can you?"
"If I can." Duke pretended to be hurt by the questioned. "I can make the best hot coca. But first there is something I have to tell you about…" Duke looked around and caught everybody's attention. A couple of friends of mine are coming over today. They don't have any children of their own so they were planning to foster someone. They were supposed to visit while you guys were at school. Now there's no school. Yeah? And then Michael. If it goes well then we can have hot cocoa tonight? Is that a good deal?"
"Yay." Michael put his hands in the air. "I'll make sure it goes well then."
He got a start with getting up and taking the dishes to the sink. Then started going around the table and took the dishes from them who had finished their feel and prepared to do the dishes.
"What should we do more then? Except for dishes?" Kim asked in her usual, snorting tone. "Dress in our nicest clothes and make sure we do all kinds of chores there are whenever these people come around?"
"To start with you can talk in a nicer tone than that one." Duke tried, Kim only rolled her eyes. "And don't roll your eyes at anything they say. Don't act rudely at all, none of you. Just be yourselves and I think it will all be fine."
Kim looked as if there were few things that impressed her less than the fact that today someone might find their forever home. And then turned back to her food. The rest of the children around us were discussing how one would try best for a pair like this to notice them.
"I remember this thing I and Johnny used to do." Tee said. "Whenever there was someone here- for fostering. Despite it already been decided who they were fostering. We would put up tea and cookies on a tray and then Johnny would carry the tray and I the kettle with tea and we would go into the room they were and act like you know- perfect children. Johnny always hoped it would make someone want to foster us."
"And you?"
"What did you say?" Tee turned to Trenton who had asked. "What do you mean?"
"You said Johnny always hoped it would make someone want to foster you. I asked you about what you thought about it?"
Tee just smiled and looked as if she was searching for the right answer. I raised an eyebrow- I would have to ask Johnny about this the next time we met. Then just as Tee breathed in and opened her mouth to answer there was a ring on the doorbell.
"Kids." Mike and Duke stood up and Mike started giving the orders that were needed for the moment. "I trust you to do the dishes and everything. Trenton, you're in charge for a second. Duke will be right back. Then go and go on with whatever you were doing before lunch or whatever you want."
Trenton too had finished his meal and went to the sink to do the dishes. He took my dishes before I had the time to do anything and I couldn't help but wonder whatever would happen before this day was over. I knew that while I liked it here on the dumping ground. Several of the kids that had just been around this table, were longing to find a forever home. Maybe one of them would get their chance today.
Mike POV
"Hey. Come inside. Don't stand outside in the cold." I hurried to the hallway and let the couple in. "You must be the McDonald's. Duke's told me and the children about you. I am Mike Milligan." I shook hands with the woman Duke showed into the office at first. Then the man.
"Jessica. Well. Jess."
"Mike Milligan."
"Jacob- Jake."
"You managed to get here in the middle of this blizzard." I gestured towards the window and tried to start off a light kind of conversation before anything else. "Would you like something to drink? Something warm? Tea? Coffee?"
"I'm good thank you." Jake answered with a polite nod getting his jacket off. "You?" Jess shook her head. "Well thanks anyway." He looked towards the hallway seeming to hear something. "No school today? Because of all the snow?"
"Correct. And correct." I showed them further into the quiet room. "Now. We do know you do already know Duke. But you'll start off talking with me. I get that it can be a bit nervous and scary. But if you do know one of the care workers it is for safety rules from the social services that you talk to somebody else first. Come with me." Duke sent his two friends each warm smile and went into the kitchen, and I showed the couple into the quiet room. "Well." I sat down and gestured for them to sit down on the opposite side of the table. "Can you tell me a bit about yourselves and why you want to do this and maybe we can sort out which kid will suit you the best. Any wishes about age? Our youngest here is Emma- Belle at five, and the oldest is Trenton at fifteen so there's a bit of a range."
"I don't really think age matters as long as we find something… someone of course. That just… like. Someone we get along with and just kind of click." '
"Click." Jess agreed. "Yeah. Just click."
"Just click? Well. You'll meet the kids in a minute. They're having lunch right now. And I wouldn't be surprised if one or more of them do…" As on a given signal the door opened without a knock and just like Tee and Johnny had what felt like a million years ago. Now Floss, Harry and Michael all three stood in the door. Floss with a kettle with tea, Harry with two cups and Michael with a plate with cookies.
"We were wondering if you'd like some tea." Floss said with a big, glued-on smile. "We also have cookies. We chose ginger tea and chocolate chip cookies to take in here. Those are the best kinds."
Without waiting for an answer the three hurried over to the table. Harry put the cups down in front of Jess and Jake with each bang. Then stepped away for Floss to come and pour up tea. Which she did a bit too fast so more ended up outside the cups than actually in them while Michael took a step forward and more or less shoved the plate of cookies into Jess's lap.
"Have one. They're good. I'm Michael J. Caboose."
"And I'm Floss Guppy."
"And I'm Harry Jones."
"Michael Caboose, Floss Guppy and Harry Jones." I finally got the chance to interrupt them. "It's nice of you to bring cookies and tea and everything. But I think it would be for the best if you can just leave us alone and let us talk. We'll be out in a minute and maybe you can talk more then."
The smiles on the kids' faces were still just kind of glued on when they kept smiling at the two in front of them all. And then turned and left the room, leaving the tea and the biscuits on the table along with the stains over half the table from spilling tea.
"Remember." I said once the door was closed behind Harry, and suppressed a moan. "Tea and biscuits are great. But as you can probably figure here. They're trying to seem as "Good" as possible so someone would want to foster them. And there's someone who does that every once in a while. Believe me- Michael, Floss and Harry are good kids. But you can't let it control which kid you do or do not foster be controlled by who can seem the best and best-behaved. Okay? I'll go get some paper sheets so you can wipe that off. You didn't burn yourselves did you?"
"We're fine." Jake did his best with whipping off his pants with his sleeve where the hot water had dripped from the table. "Thank you." I soon came back with a bunch of napkins. "I can understand there's someone who does this. This place has got to be… a special way to live. And I do get most the children wants to find a forever home where they can find one."
I nodded agreeing. God, how many times hadn't I seen this? Every time somebody knew came to foster!
"Are there anyone else involved in your decision to foster? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Parents? Anything? Anyone? Anything else we should take into consideration before we let you meet the kids?"
"Well. Both I and Jess are only children. But our parents are all four longing to have a grandchild and of course they're involved in this whole deal to. And whoever is with us they'll love and take care of. And most certainly spoil her or him with all of what they've got." Jake gave a short laugh. "Most definitely. Well, they live only a bit outside town so we do meet them a bit now and then. But the living in the same house are us two and our three dogs."
"Your three dogs. Jake's a bit obsessed with pugs. And collects on all kinds of things with pictures or looking like pugs or with pictures of pugs." Jake went bright red. "And we have three pugs. All very kind and well cared for."
"And a child will of course be just as well cared for."
"You mean they'll end up spoiled and fat lying on the living room mat all day?"
"Something like that."
"Guys." I decided to interrupt them, leaned forward in a try of some kind of relaxed move. "I get a feeling that after all you two have been through you are quite nervous." They both went bright red and looked to each other. "Which is perfectly understandable and I get it. You've come a long way and are taking a huge decision to take a whole new person become one of the most important pieces in your lives. But… it will be a lot better if you just… just stop trying so hard. Take each deep breath, relax. And then just act like you would as if we were talking about the weather. Which by the way is terrible today. Now… pugs you say?"
"Yes." Jake answered and took another deep breath. "Sorry, you're right. But I think we're lucky I'm not naming a child. I named all dogs. And there's our brand new puppy Miss Big. Four year old Wrinkles and then old Elvis Pugsley."
"Elvis Pugsley." I couldn't help but laugh. "And Wrinkles- that must suit a pug. And besides you too. Duke already told me he's known you for years. I trust his judgement and he wouldn't have invited you here today if he didn't know this was something you could do. So now when we know Duke believes in you. I do too. Now… Anything else you'd like to tell me about?"
Jake and Jess hesitated again. I hoped I had helped towards their nervousity a bit and they seemed more relaxed this time around. I didn't want to say anything in case they'd feel pressure and feel even more nervous. So it took a while in silence before Jake finally said something more.
"I'm a bit so to speak- in between jobs. I… Well. I'm working to… I try to make healthy options of popular junk food. You know- turkey burgers with fries made of carrot. A pizza that I make myself from scratch with chicken and smoothies instead of yoghurt and things. And well… I'm hoping to someday some time start my own restaurant and make a living out of that. And you? Jess?"
"I'm a doctor. Orthopedic…"
"MIIIIIIIIIIKE."
Just as Jess had said about half of what she would a blood freezing scream for me echoed through the house and I heard stomping footsteps coming towards the quiet room.
"Orthopedic ward."
I did know the way the children's voices would sound in different situations. I knew the ways they sounded when they were angry beyond beliefs over some stupid fight. I knew the way they sounded when they just simply wanted my attention.
And I did know this way. Actually, this one was the worst. Because it made something clench in my chest. It meant something had happened- something bad.
"Mike." The door to the quiet room flew open and Xavier came running in. "Jeremy fell, he slipped in the garden. He's really hurt." I started following the boy when he ran back towards the door. "I think he broke something."
Suddenly Jess made her way past me and hurried right after Xavier. But it wasn't until I came outside and saw her kneel by Jeremy who sat tightly holding his hurt foot and whimpering in pain. That I remembered what she had said about her job. And that orthopedic ward meant the ward for everything including bones and skeleton.
And there was another thing. Just one random but still it was kind of fun I realized when I made my way carefully down the hill towards Jeremy. But wasn't it just kind of random how Jeremy, and both the two of the McDonald's who had kneeled by him and was talking quietly to each other. Well… they did all have names starting with the same letter.
I shook my head and returned to reality, here and now. Then kneeled too by Jeremy and Jess who had carefully made him let go off his foot to check something.
"Yep." She said at last. "Most definitely broken. We'll have to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible."
Well. Everybody got time off school because of the weather. Most of the children just stays in bed or watch TV. Then a couple that Duke knows came by to foster someone. Then obviously some of the kids went outside despite the weather, and Jeremy has now most likely got a broken foot- ouch!
Jess and Jake are portrayed by Rachel Bilson and Chad Michael Murray.
Random fact
It always kind of fascinated me some guys get the day off if it's just the tiniest bit of snowing. (One of my first friends of here said there is loads of snow when it covers the ground and everything you see is white.) Let's just say we don't. And then let's say that if we got time off when there was snow we wouldn't get to go anywhere from by the end of October until the beginning of May. A LOT of snow is when it is about a meter thick or so. A lot of snowing is when it falls like at least a couple of decimeters in a day.