When I got back to my place, I ran inside and shut the door. This was not happening. No way.
I had only been here a week or so and they found me?
This wasn't good.
When I got my breathing under control and my heart to calm down; I hung up my bag and got something to eat. I grabbed an apple from the fridge and then sat down at the table.
What was I going to do?
My thoughts broke as the doorbell rang. I furrowed my eyebrows.
Who could that be?
I sung the door open and found Bex.
"Bex?" I said surprised.
"Belly!" the little girl shouted.
Bex was 5 years old with brown hair and green eyes. I met her a couple of years ago when I was living with Phil in the summer. I learned that she was up for adoption ever since she was a baby and then entered in the foster care system after a few years later.
We met at the hospital. She was in there for some minor cuts and bruises, while I was there to see Phil after a baseball injury.
Bex was adorable. We instantly clicked. She came home with me for a while and it was the most amazing experience. She was an amazing little girl with a lot of ambition and passion. I tried to adopt her, but the system said it wouldn't be likely I would be able to.
Towards the end of the summer she was taken away from me. I begged the system to let me keep her, but they wouldn't let me. They said had found a better suited home for her.
That was probably another heart wrenching moment. She was crying and holding on to me for life as the foster care woman tried to pull her off of me.
The woman and Bex finally compromised that if her family agreed, we would get to update each other on our whereabouts and visit each other.
"I missed you." I cooed as I hugged her.
"We missed you too." She laughed as I picked her up in my arms.
"We?" I said in a happy and light tone. Bex was probably the only one who could get me to cheer up when everything was going wrong and the world was tumbling down on me.
"Yea! Beary and I!" she laughed, pulling bear between us.
I looked down at the decent size teddy bear. My smile turned into a full blown grin. It was the bear I gave her when she first moved it.
It was skinny and grey. The face kind of looked like a koala bear, but it was skinny and had a small head. His stomach was a little bigger than his body and he was nice and soft.
My attention turned to the foster mother of Bex. I must say, they really did place her with a good home.
"Hi Lila." I smiled happily.
Lila was the foster mother, and a really sweet and kind one. She always respected our relationship and was always so polite and relaxed to be around. She chose to stay at home mother to Bex while her husband, Carter, went to work as doctor.
When I first met them, they said always wanted a little kid from the system since she could never have children. I felt sorry for her, but she brushed it off.
She told that it was better this way anyways because she couldn't change a diaper to save her life. I laughed pretty hard and I knew Bex was in a safe and happy home.
"Hi Bella, sorry if we were interrupting. Bex just couldn't stand not seeing you any longer." She smiled at us.
"Is that right?" I said mischievously, looking down at Bex who was talking to her bear. When she noticed I was looking at her with a smile she looked at me and nodded with that cute little grin on her face.
I squeezed her side, smiling brighter as she let out a squeal and giggle. Her sides contracted harder as I continued to tickle her in my lap.
"Yes! Yes!" she laughed with a smile on her face.
Soon, I stopped and she kissed my cheek; then went back to her bear, talking like nothing happened.
I stared at her in amazement. She was growing up so fast.
As Lila and I talked, Bex talked to her bear on my lap.
I got to catch up with a lot with Lila.
Apparently they were in the process of moving into Forks for a while. The hospital here is short handed on doctors, so they moved for the better pay and life.
"So when are you moving then?" I asked.
"In a month or so. Carter is finishing his rounds and patients in Nevada and then we are moving here." She sighed.
I felt bad. Lila was the kind of girl who liked to live in nice warm or hot weather; and Forks, its not that type of weather.
"Well…its not that bad." I shrugged. She looked at me like 'Come on, who are you kidding?'
"Well, we have a nice diner here and some nice shops just a ways up."
She laughed, both of us knowing that wasn't really helping.
Lila and Bex finally agreed to stay for dinner after hours of talking them into it,
We began walking to the kitchen, Bex holding my hand and bear when she stopped at the doorway of the kitchen and looked at Lila.
"Mommy, what about Joey?" she asked.
I gave her a raised eyebrow and watched her face go from relaxed to alarmed.
"Oh no! The dog!" she cried and then rushed out to her car.
I looked at Bex in surprise and she just shrugged and tugged me into the kitchen.
"You got a dog?" I asked her face to face as I sat her on the kitchen counter.
"Yea, mommy and daddy got me one a couple of days ago. I named him Buster." She smiled.
"Look! There he is!" she pointed out the window to the golden retriever puppy. He looked all cute and cuddly and especially innocent, but he was sort of chubby too.
Lila walked into the house with relief washed over her face.
"Oh thank heavens. He's ok. Right buddy?" Lila asked Buster in a sweet voice.
"Can I set him down?" she asked me, crouched on the floor with the chubby pup in her hands.
I nodded and smiled. "Yea, go right ahead."
After that, Bex got off the counter and went to go play with Buster while Lila and I ordered the food and waited.
They stayed for a little while after dinner was over, but soon had to go when it started going.
Lila grabbed Buster in her arms while waiting for Bex to finish putting her coat on.
"Bye Belly." She said with a bowed head.
I kneeled down and put a finger under her chin.
"Hey hey. Turn that frown upside down missy. No need to be sad. It was an awesome day. I got to spend some time with you and your mom. And I also got to meet Buster. We will see each other soon ok?" I said softly.
She looked at me and nodded. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she hugged me.
"Ok. I guess. Are you coming out tomorrow?" she asked hopeful.
I gave her a laugh and sadly shook my head. "no. I have work, but maybe one day, if its ok with your mommy, I will take a day off of work and come spend it with you. Does that sound good?"
She nodded happily and I took her to the car.
After she was all buckled in tight, I kissed her forehead and flashed her a smile.
"Love you." I whispered. I backed away from the car as Lila opened the driver's door and got in.
"Love you more." She teased giggling like crazy.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head.
"No way baby cakes." I said positively sure.
Lila looked back at us with a smile. The car was now running and Buster was in his box ready to go home.
"Are you sure?" she wondered.
"I'm absolutely positively sure." I confirmed. She gave me one last smile before I backed away and shut the door.
When Bex, Lila, and Buster left, I went back inside and rubbed my eyes.
It was going to be a long night.
I got right down to work; sorting out my lesson plans and planning a project for the photography class.
Letting out a huff, I threw my pen down on the table and looked at the time.
It was just past midnight.
"Ughhh." I groaned while rubbing my hands over my face.
I packed up my things as nice as I could and then dragged myself up to bed.