Chapter 22

Andy: I sat up in bed and turned my lamp on. It was 3.45 am. Jodi was laying beside me, sleeping at last. She's had a rough time this past month. She has to go and see her counsellor 3 times a week. Her foster parents Jayne and Darren are having a baby so Jodi has to move out tonight and go to some new foster home. They told her last night and I think it just got to her. She kinda lost it with them and trashed her room. They phoned the police and they had to restrain her. They took her to her counsellors office with her social worker. They explained things to her but she said she didn't take notice of what they were saying. She wasn't meant to be moving out until closer to Jayne's due date, but because of how she reacted they wanted her out straight away. They couldn't find an emergency foster home so I said she could stay at mine for the night, and she did.

She has to get up soon, she has detention all day. School hasn't been great for her lately either. Most of the school know about her going to counselling and everyone's talking about it. She's been missing a lot of lessons and she got suspended for a few days the other week because Principal Vernon caught her with dope again. I'm quite worried about her. But, we only have one week of school left until the summer, so I'm hoping that will be better.

Jodi: Andy dropped me off at school for my detention. When I walked into the library, Vernon was stood at the front, waiting. The two kids that made me give them a cigarette before were sat near each other towards the front of one side. I sat at the back of the other side. Vernon left.

"Why you kids here? Been asking for dope again?" I asked.

"No. We had some. Smoked it." The more confident of the two boys replied.

"Oh wow. That make you feel big did it?"

"I don't see what your problem is. You smoke dope and yet you tell us not to and when we do you take the piss outta us! What's the difference, Bender?"

"Well aren't you a cocky little prick. You see the difference is, you get to go home every night to a nice little family. I bet you have a big ol' meal cooked for you when you get home each day. A nice family chat until bedtime. I mean, look at your clothes. You're loaded. You can get anything you want. Yet you want to throw all that away by doing drugs?" Neither of them answered, they both looked embarrassed. They looked away from me so I got up and sat in a different part of the library.

Finally the end of detention came. I grabbed my bag and left. Andy was waiting for me outside. I got into the car with him and he asked me if I was ready. I nodded. We had to go and get my stuff from Jayne and Darren's. My social worker wanted to take me but I said no. So we came to an agreement that Andy would take me. When I got there Bear came running towards me. He made me smile but my happiness soon went when I looked up. The two policemen who restrained me last night were stood next to Darren. Jayne wasn't around. I went upstairs and packed my stuff. I took two bags down to the car and then went back. I came down with the last bag and Bear on his leash. I looked at Darren. "Be safe" he said. I nodded and walked out of the door.

John: So today's the day. They've finally let me become Jodi's legal guardian. I've been appealing for ages for this to happen but finally they agreed that Jodi should be with her family. I'll be fostering her until all the final details get sorted. Jodi doesn't know yet. I stood in our house and looked around. We had all been sorting things out like crazy today while Jodi was in detention. I hope she doesn't mind living here again after everything that happened. But it looks totally different now. There isn't much furniture here yet, but we can get that sorted. Jodi wasn't meant to be moving in so soon, her social worker told me a few days ago about her foster parents having a baby. They told me Jodi would move out of there in a couple of months so I had time to get things ready for her. I guess they didn't expect her to react the way she did.

I didn't even plan to have this house, I thought it would go up for sale. But I was wrong, since I'm 18 and mom and dad had bought the house, it automatically goes into my name.

Jodi: Andy was driving me to my social workers office. I was sat in the front with Bear, I wasn't really paying attention to where we were going. Andy stopped the car and looked at me. I looked outside. We were parked outside my house. My home. "What are we doing here?" I asked him, confused.

"Um your social worker said you might have left some things here so you should um pick them up before going to see her." Andy looked nervous, shifty almost.

"I haven't got a key."

"It should be open."

This was weird. Why's he acting so strangely? I held Bear's leash and walked towards the house, Andy was following me. Cautiously, I opened the door.

"SURPRISE!"

Claire, Brian and Allison stood in the lounge, with John in front of them, smiling. I turned around, Andy was grinning at me. There was a big banner stuck to the ceiling saying 'Welcome home Jodi'. I gave John a huge hug and he explained everything to me. I couldn't believe it. After everything that's gone wrong in my life lately, something was finally going right for me. This was brilliant. John was going to sleep in the master bedroom, I was going to have his old room because it's bigger and we would still have a spare room. This summer's going to be amazing.