Heart Picked Chapter 5
The weekend came and went. It was typical family life if Bobby and Athena were being honest with themselves. Evan was slowly opening up to them more but was dealing with more nightmares. He wasn't talking all day yet, but he would say good morning, good night, and a few other things throughout the day. In public he was completely silent, watching strangers with curious yet terrified eyes. As much as it hurt their hearts to hold him through the sobs and the fear, they knew it was a sign that he was trusting them, and their home and their arms were his safe place. It was okay though; they were helping the children navigate the scariest times of their lives so far.
Maddie was dealing with it as well as a teenager can do in these scenarios. Athena had been her shoulder to cry on and they had been talking about what she had been through whilst doing their arts and crafts together. Bobby couldn't really deal with the girly stuff, but he always listened to whatever Maddie had to say when they were cooking together. It was like over the weekend their little family unit had become solid. It was as if they had been a family this whole time, not just for almost two weeks. There were only 7 days before their routines change as school and work comes back into play. Athena had talked to Elaine to put her on school hours while Evan adjusts to it all.
They had a conversation with Maddie about school before the meeting on Monday to see what her thoughts are. She was old enough where her voice and her opinion count. Not that Evan's didn't because they one hundred percent do, it is just harder to get his right now. They were going to advocate for him being allowed to transition into it if he found it too hard. Elaine was being very accommodating towards their situation. They know it will only be temporary then the 6 year old will be going full time and hopefully Michael will be involved by that stage and picking them up from school or even the bus stop. They are going at the children's pace though.
Monday went better than they could have hoped. Both the school board and DCFS were on board with the plans. Maddie would go to high school as normal with the offer of support like the school counsellor if she needed. Evan was academically on target for his age so he could start 1st grade like he should have months ago. The teachers would know about the selective mutism and Athena and Bobby could be on hand to pick him up if he was struggling. The chief of the fire house Bobby was in cleared it that Evan could hang around for a little while if he had nowhere else and no one else to pick him up. Bobby was actually looking forward for him to see the fire house for the first time.
Now it is Tuesday and Michael was coming over for the first time in a while to meet the children. They had tried their best to prepare them for what was coming. Athena had shown them photos of Michael she had from when they were married. They had set up a phone call just so that they could hear his voice, so he wasn't so much of a stranger to them when he came round. It would be the best thing if this worked out, but she wasn't going to make anyone rush into it. Everyone was on the same page at least. It will be good for them to get to know more people and to have more family that love and care about them. Margret and Philip had kept them very isolated.
Evan had been a little bit clingier to Bobby than normal this morning. He had the worst night since he had arrived. He had multiple nightmares and ended up in Bobby and Athena's bed. It was like Evan had become his little shadow following Bobby wherever he went. He did allow Athena to give him some comfort though and Maddie too. Right now though Evan was in Bobby's arms, and he was rocking him on the porch swing. The kid was exhausted but scared of the nightmares coming back. He eventually fell asleep, and Bobby was a little relieved. "Maybe we should postpone Michael coming over," Athena says, concerned for her son's wellbeing.
"No Evan's looking forward to meeting him. The thing is if we continue with this Michael might be the one at home when he is struggling and Evan is going to need to feel like he can trust him," Bobby says. Bobby had made a very good point though Michael had all but offered to be a third parent in this scenario. He wanted kids of his own but wasn't ready just yet. It is very difficult to become a parent when you are a gay man in Los Angeles in the 90's that is for sure. He was also going to be cautious to not overstep any boundaries they were going to set. He would be a fun uncle for the children. He was leaving all the parenting choices up to Bobby and Athena, though he would be helping with the homework and all the fun afterschool activities.
"That's true, we also told Evan he could spend time in his room if he needed to," Athena says. They had started preparing him on Saturday for it, just with the photos and letting them know who Michael is. Then they told him about how the back yard and his room were going to be his safe spaces and he didn't need to let them know that he was going there if he felt overwhelmed. They did all they could to make sure he was comfortable, and he knew the choices he had were his to make. The rest was all up to the sleeping youngster. He also had a two week check up on his broken arm and it was healing as well as they had hoped. Only another month in the cast and it was going to be gone.
"We did, I think he will be just fine honey. He's got the best support around him, and nobody is going to make him to anything he isn't comfortable with," Bobby says. Right now the youngster in question is fast asleep in his arms. It was almost like he hadn't had such a rough night with how peaceful he looked. As much as it hurt to hear Evan actually scream and cry out during his nightmares they knew he needed to release some of his emotions. It was the first time he had actually said what had happened and it wasn't good. They couldn't tell if it was him recounting the last beating or one from an earlier time but hearing him shouting "I promise to be good." broke their hearts.
He was also begging not to be hurt again. They had made a note of what he had said during his nightmares to bring it up with their social case worker during her next check in. They had phoned her the day after the zoo trip to make her aware of both the nightmares and the start of him talking. She agreed with the selective mutism, though it felt weird to say it out loud. Nothing was selective about it for Evan, his brain was in overdrive trying to protect him from the abuse he went through as talking had made it worse for him in the past. For now he was getting so rest and they weren't about to disturb it. Michael was going to be coming at around 2 pm so it gave them some time.
The house was already clean, so Athena didn't need to spend her time cleaning. She could make a grilled cheese sandwich for everyone in a little while. She did decide to sit with Bobby and Evan and just enjoy the moment. Bobby wrapped one arm around her, and she put her hand on Evan's back to reassure him everything is okay. He was still sleeping which was good. He needed the rest as they both wanted Michael to see the cute energetic young boy that they had first met and fell in love with. Everybody deserves to know how cute and charming Evan is. Maddie came to join them after a little while. She knew about the nightmares Evan had had last night and was glad that the younger one was getting some sleep.
She was tempted to ask them if they wanted to go and lie down for a bit, and she'd take care of her brother. She knows that they would be hesitant because they want her to be a typical teen and not have to take care of her brother like he was her own son as that was kind of what was forced upon her from the age of about 9 years old. There was a brief period where everything went well when Daniel was in remission. Then he went into relapse and then it had become terminal. It was like the world had stopped and nothing was important to the parents. It has all changed with Bobby and Athena in the picture, they genuinely love and care for them.
She knew that mom's friend Michael was coming over after lunch, maybe they will let him keep an eye on them so they could get some rest. They will just have to see how the afternoon goes. They could be just fine until bedtime, but they can't guarantee that Evan isn't going to have another night of nightmares. It doesn't matter to Bobby or Athena though as they will look after Evan and Maddie regardless of if they have nightmares or not. It is part of how they are dealing with their trauma in their subconscious. It wasn't like they had asked for any of this. She did get them both another cup of coffee though. Bobby was kind of stuck with Evan for the moment.
Well, if you were to ask Bobby he wouldn't say that he was stuck. He was happy to provide some level of comfort and support to the young child. They're only little once so he was going to give him as much love possible. It was lucky that Maddie wasn't at the embarrassed by them yet. That time would come, they were sure of it. For now they are just going to take the moments when they can because they never know when it all changes. They have a lot of trauma to deal with and there was part of them that were worried that the charges were going to be dropped and they were going to be returned to their biological parents. It was more Evan's fears than Maddie's, but she was still worried.
It again came down to the children's level of understanding. Maddie knows more about the laws and consequences that come with everything that happened with the DCFS investigation so far. She had done a little bit of research on it while they were waiting for Bobby and Athena to finish with their meeting. Evan only knew that the social worker took them from the people who were hurting him and gave them to the people who he calls momma and dada. It varied between that and mommy and daddy. He was just worried that the same people that took him from his first mommy and daddy would do the same to Bobby and Athena even though they love him and look after him and Maddie.
"How do you feel about starting school next week sweetheart?" Athena asks. They had told Maddie the outcome yesterday but were waiting to see if they could have some guidance on how to explain it to Evan. They would be visiting their new schools later on this week where that would be how Evan finds out. They were getting a plan in place for them both to have the support they need but they also needed to start school as soon as they could to minimize the disruption. It is currently the middle of the school year which was going to be rough for them to start but there was no way they could wait until August when it was currently February. There was time for them to get used to school before the summer holidays in May.
"I'm okay, I've not been to school since we moved to Hershey, but it would be nice to go back and make some friends," Maddie replies. It was something Athena and Bobby knew because they had discussed it during the meeting yesterday. They had managed to get hold of the records from Pennsylvania, so they have a good idea of where she was at academically before she was pulled from school. It seems like she did some schooling herself during it, she definitely taught Evan how to read and write. He was on target for his age as well, when they had the meeting they had the children in another room doing some example work. Same for Maddie so she was definitely teaching herself.
It was just before lunch when Evan woke up from his nap. He was with Maddie and Athena, which allowed Bobby to make some grilled cheese sandwiches for their lunch. It wasn't long before Evan was back as Bobby's shadow though. It was started to get concerning for Bobby but only if there was something he wasn't able to tell them. It might have something to do with his nightmares last night, but he couldn't tell them what he dreamed about even though they heard him cry out when he was asleep. Bobby is not going to push the subject though; he doesn't want to make things worse. The last thing they wanted was for Evan to close up again.
Lunch was over with, and it was now about two hours before Michael came over. Evan's anxiety was getting worse so Bobby had him back outside on the porch swing as it was one of the few ways they could calm him down a little. Athena was trying to stay calm because she knew the children could feel her anxiety and feed off it. Michael seemed to sense it and phoned her. "Hey Michael," she says when she answers it. She noticed Evan seemed a little curious from where he had hidden himself into Bobby's chest. Those nightmares must have really shaken him up.
"Hey 'Thena, are you still nervous?" He asks.
"Yeah only a little bit, Evan had a really bad night and he's barely left Bobby's side all day," She replies.
"He'll be alright, he has the best parents looking after him. I will let him come to me on his terms anyway. Kid has been through a lot in his little life," Michael replies.
It did make Athena feel a little better about it. Evan could just about hear his voice on the other end of the line and seemed to relax. He couldn't say what his nightmare was about, and they couldn't assume his little brain was making up things about the meeting. They couldn't exactly ask him about it. They had asked after the first nightmare of the night if he wanted to talk about it and all the youngster did was shook his head and cried a little more. The second time they didn't ask and just held him through his sobs and encouraged him to let it all out. It was the same for the third and fourth time too. "He has, I think since you won't be a total stranger to him then it should be fine," Athena says.
The conversation ended quite soon after that as Michael wanted to get ready and get a couple of gifts for everyone even though Athena said it wasn't necessary. Athena looked to Bobby who had Evan's favorite Lion and Tiger stuffed animals and was making up a silly story on the spot. It did work well in keeping Evan distracted from his own anxieties. He even got Evan to make a few little cute roar noises as the silliest scene played out. "And then there was a big scary lion eating Zebra chasing them through the forest," Bobby says, and earned himself a giggle and a tiny scream from Evan as he pretended that the Lion he was holding was being chased as Bobby described.
It was times like this which cemented in Athena's mind that being a dad was what was natural for Bobby. He was made to be a dad as well as a firefighter. Athena took a photo of it; you couldn't really see the cast with the oversized hoodie they had put over the youngster which made her feel a little bit better about considering to add it to their scrapbook. She had looked over the plethora of photos she had taken so far. You could see the progression of the last of the abuse healing on the youngest member of their little family. The only thing was the bulky cast but that would be gone in about 4 weeks' time. Then Athena was going to take so many photos of the kid and he could have his own memory box.
The social worker had brough Maddie's to them at the meeting on Monday and told them there was none for Evan but there were some photos of Daniel. They don't intend on keeping any of the information from Evan as he grows so they have a memorial box for the brother that was lost. There were a few baby photos of Evan at least so they had those. It was before everything went wrong. Athena was looking at them last night, the tiny bundle of hope with the bright blue eyes, the curly blond hair, and that birthmark over his left eye. She couldn't help but see the innocence in those infant eyes, unaware of the pure horror he was about to endure as he grew.
Nobody could have predicted what went down or what went wrong. There would always be a part of Athena who wished she could have had the children 6 years ago, but the thing was nobody knew anything was wrong back then. Daniel was terminally ill yes, but that didn't necessarily mean that they were abusing and neglecting the other two children in their family. The rest was history. Evan was on the smaller and lighter side for a child his age even with the cast. He was sitting on Bobby's lap as the silly story with the lion, tiger and lion eating zebra continued. "Roar" Evan says as Bobby used a hand to pretend the zebra was coming for the lion.
Bobby used it as an opportunity to tickle Evan for the first time. Listening to the laughter and being aware of when Evan wanted to stop so they could maximize the fun. Athena was there with the camcorder recording everything. She wanted all the happy memories saved so they had something to look back on. Something they could all look back on during the toughest moments of all of this and to know there was a light at the end of the tunnel and they could reach it. They can't predict how the road ahead will look as they go through the next few days, weeks, and months. All they can do is make sure that they are there for the children no matter what.
Bobby stopped tickling Evan after a while and they both calmed down. Evan was happier now and was playing with Maddie in the back yard while Bobby makes himself another drink and to make sure there was some coffee ready for Michael. He was due to come over in an hour. At least they felt reassured that Evan's mood had picked up and he was less anxious than he was not even an hour ago. He also seemed to be more awake now that he had a nap and some food. It was a relief to both the parents that he was doing okay now, they were so worried about him with the lack of sleep they had had the night before. It was just more proof that he is a strong kid.
Michael was over and Evan had gone all shy now. Michael was in the dining room drinking his coffee with Bobby and Athena and he could tell the youngest was watching him with cautious fear filled eyes. Maddie was in her room when Michael arrived, and Evan had been happily playing with a soccer ball in the back yard. When he noticed Michael, even though he wasn't a complete stranger, Evan stopped playing and was watching from the distance. He was too afraid to walk past him to get to his bedroom. Bobby was watching the thing go down as he wants Evan to do this on his own terms. There wasn't going to be any rushing him to make a move towards Michael if he wasn't ready.
"Hey Evan, I bet it is weird seeing me here in person huh?" Michael says. He could see Evan from where he was sitting and was trying to make himself as welcoming to the youngster as possible. If he could get a little wave from Evan by the end of his visit this afternoon then it was a win for the adults. They made Evan aware that they would be going back to work when he was going to school for the first time and that on some days Michael would be around after school until they could get home. That way when that time comes it is not going to be as much of a shock to his system. On Thursday he was going to see his new school for the first time, and it would be then they know how his reaction would be.
Athena was nervous but the elementary school they want to place Evan in has really good reviews and they said they would make the teachers aware of everything going on that they need to know in order to give Evan the best chance possible. Getting to know him will help as well. Currently Evan was looking at Athena and Michael like he wanted to go over to them. It helped that Bobby had some cookies baking in the oven and the smell was wafting over towards him. It was Bobby's grandma's recipe or something Evan was sure he had heard. He also noticed his dad seemed to bake whenever he was anxious. It had only been a week and a half but there had been plenty of things for them all to be anxious about.
Curiosity eventually got the better of him, especially when Maddie had left her room and was sitting at the table talking to Michael and getting along with him. The cookies were now on a plate in the middle of the table cool enough to eat. He slowly made his way to Bobby's side, the clinginess from the morning returning slightly. "Hey Evan, would you like a cookie?" Bobby asks. He scooped Evan onto his lap and brought the plate of cookies within arms reach of the child. He took a cookie and thanked his dad by whispering before taking a bite. Bobby grinned as he watched Evan's reaction to his homemade cookies. It was definitely something that Bobby was going to add to his regular baking rotation, he could even teach the youngster how to make them himself when he was a little older.
That was something Bobby was looking forward to with the mentions of the future, he has two budding young chefs that are willing to help him in the kitchen whenever he needed them to. They regularly help making dinners together every other night. When Evan's cast comes off Bobby was going to let him do more things independently, like chopping the vegetables under supervision. He was enjoying the hand over hand for now though because he was helping. Bobby could tell that he wanted to help people and to fix things. He also seemed to be warming up to Michael which was good. They all knew he needed time and space before he could make his moves.
They are not expecting Evan to talk to him straight away. It was really good that he managed to whisper to Bobby with a stranger in the room. The talking will come with time, just like it has done for them so far. Bobby and Athena would make sure he knew how proud they were of him later. They don't want to overload him on the praise as he often didn't know how to react. He had never been praised by parental figures in his life until they came along, and they were taking any advice they got on board. "Bobby makes the best cookies doesn't he?" Michael asks and Evan eagerly nods in reply. Michael didn't know if he should be referring to Bobby as dad.
Evan and Maddie do call Athena and Bobby mom and dad but that was nothing that the parent's themselves had ever encouraged. Nothing had been confirmed yet, the meeting on Monday did seem to lean towards them being a long term placement for the children while the court case moved forwards. They were gathering all of the evidence they could and that would include school. Evan's never been around children his own age until recently, but he did know how to share and play nicely with others. It impressed Bobby when they went to the park at how nicely Evan played and how he waited patiently for his turn on the slide, swings, and other play things.
Maddie has been a great role model for him. You could tell that she had been teaching him everything he knows so far. The way she was with Michael was also helping him out a lot. Bobby and Athena went to the backyard leaving Michael and the children alone in the kitchen for a moment. Evan was nervous, but he could see where they were going, and it made him more relaxed. This was Michael's chance to get the friendship going with the children before he starts being their babysitter. The first week of school Athena would be there with Michael so they get used to the idea. It was all planned out between the three adults, and they were going to be going off the cues from the children as well.
After a while Evan and Michael were playing with Lego in the living room with Maddie. Athena and Bobby were always just one room away, which helped ease any remaining anxieties. Having them hear and see Michael before meeting them definitely helped with the progress they had made. He wasn't as much of a stranger, and he was friendly and welcoming. He let the children take the lead as they had built a house for the favored stuffed animals to live in. Evan wasn't ready to talk yet but he was definitely trying his best to communicate with Michael with Maddie's help. Michael did know some sign language, but it was harder in practice with a small child with bundles of energy who could sign quicker than he could currently keep up with.
He definitely saw the Buckley charm radiating through the children. He saw the cuteness just as Athena had been telling him. He could feel himself falling for the charms and there was no reason not to. He could see that the youngster was tired, having Athena make him aware of the nightmares the child had dealt with the night before. It was okay though as he seemed to have boundless energy as he had run from the living room into his bedroom to get the Zebra stuffed animal he had found after the zoo trip. It made Bobby smile as he watched Maddie explain the silly little story he had come up with for the child a few hours ago. "Bobby's a good storyteller. Maybe if the LAFD wasn't for him he could write children's stories. What do you think?" Michael says and he got an eager nod from Evan.
"I think mom and dad could make amazing children's stories. I love listening to them read to Evan every night," Maddie said. There had been one night when Evan had asked for Maddie to read to him, but for the most part it had been Bobby and Athena taking turns reading his bedtime stories. It was only in the last day or so when Bobby had been coming up with his own. Evan didn't fall asleep to those ones as he had the ones on his bookshelves as he was hooked on every word and wanted to know what was coming next as Bobby made it up on the spot. He was very good at thinking on his feet, so he wasn't umming and ahhing his way through.
Michael decided to give it a go with making a story for the lion eating zebra, the lion, and the tiger. He settled for something a long the lines of the three little pigs, which wasn't a story Evan was aware of yet. They had two big cats instead of three little pigs and two Lego houses instead of the three houses made of different materials. Evan was amazed by the role playing they were doing. He was starting to wonder if all of Athena's friends were like this. He was loving every second of it and was getting more comfortable. Athena was completely relaxed by now as everything was going well and dare she say better than they had planned this far.
There was a point where Evan had gotten too overwhelmed and overstimulated, so he went to take some time in his bedroom. This was where Maddie showed Michael her crochet so far and they talked about some of the activities she would like to do when he was over for the after school times. He wanted their input as he had never done this before, so he wasn't sure what to do. Once Maddie had some friends they would be more than welcome to come over after school, but he would be on hand for homework help and whatever they needed. Evan being younger meant that he needed different things to begin with and the selective mutism unfortunately meant it would be harder for him to make friends in school, but they know he would.
It would just take him some more time than most to do it. Bobby did check on Evan briefly when Michael was talking to Maddie about arts and crafts they could do together. The youngest was laying on the bedroom floor with a book of animal facts Bobby had gotten him after their zoo trip. Bobby wasn't sure if he could read it at first, but the kid soon proved him wrong and could read above his grade level. It was something Evan couldn't get enough of at the moment. He loved getting all of the knowledge and animal facts he could. It was his way of calming himself down so Bobby left him to it. He will come out of his room when he is ready.
Their patience paid off as Evan eventually left his room whilst Bobby was getting dinner prepared. Michael was talking to Athena outside in more detail about how the next part was going to work. "Hey kiddo, learn any exciting facts?" Bobby asks when he sees his little shadow appear next to him. Evan nodded before looking around the room to see where everyone else was. He could see Michael and Athena outside chatting away and he knew he saw his sister in her room. Bobby picked him up and put him onto his little helper stool and helped him wash his hands. He was happy to have Evan help him with the vegetables, he was getting better at it.
"Did you know that tigers can run at sixty five kilometers an hour when they are at their full speed?" Evan asks. It was the longest sentence that he had ever spoken to them, and Bobby was full of pride. This was the moment he had been waiting for ever since that first day when they watched that tiger documentary together. Evan is definitely a smart kid, and he has a lot of facts stored in his brain. Now he has a father figure ready and willing to listen to every word he has to say. Bobby looked to the back yard and knew that Athena and Michael had heard Evan speak.
He wasn't going to make a big deal of it though. Evan was fully focused on him and the carrots they were chopping for his famous lasagna. "I didn't know that. At least I know now I can't out run a Tiger if I see one that's hungry," Bobby replies. He didn't plan on out running a tiger any time soon. If you knew Robert Nash then you would know he doesn't run from things. Evan doesn't need to know that yet. He could probably picture his foster father running away screaming with a hungry tiger chasing him. It made him giggle even though the possibilities of Bobby running into a tiger randomly were low. He should be pretty safe from the big cats Evan was sure of it.
"A tiger's roar can be heard as far as three kilometers away" Evan says next. That was pretty impressive. Bobby wonders what else Evan knows about tigers both from their zoo trip the other day and what he had read in his book. Bobby doesn't want him to stop talking either whilst they cook. It had been a good way to learn more about his interests. When he goes to Walmart tomorrow he was going to make sure that he bought a bucket of zoo animals for Evan to play with. He only had the three stuffed animals so far that were zoo themed. The rest of the stuffed toys he had were teddy bears, dogs, cats, and dinosaurs. They really tried to prepare for any age group.
"Woah, they are pretty noisy then. I'd definitely not miss that roar if I ever heard it," Bobby says. He did know some of these facts from the documentary that they had watched but he knew that it was important to Evan that he was listened to and felt like he could talk about anything that he felt was important. Bobby couldn't remember all of the facts, so it was nice to know what Evan had learned and remembered from the different sources. Athena was smiling from the back yard as she listened to him talking. They didn't want to interrupt the conversation as they didn't want Evan to stop talking. It was a relief that he still felt comfortable with them to talk.
"They have fake eyes on the back of their ears too. It makes their prey think that they are always being watched," Evan says. Bobby grinned, this one he also knew because he knew the specific term that is used for it. He was going to have to brush up on his animal facts to keep up with Evan, so they had something to talk about for ages. He didn't need to have something to talk about as he would let Evan take the lead, but he wanted to help the kid learn some facts too. He also knew that tigers hun alone and at night time. They could easily eat over 120 hamburgers worth of meat in one go because they were very big cats as they were the largest, strongest, and heaviest of all of the big cats, which included lions.
"Oh yeah I heard about that. I think they are called Ocelli," Bobby says, and Evan nods. It was likely that he had seen the word in his book, but he couldn't quite read it just, yet which was fine. He is only six years old after all he is not expected to be able to read every single word he saw perfectly. The fact that he could read some of these facts fluently was incredible to Bobby. It was definitely a testament to how well Maddie had looked after and raised him to this point. He could imagine a slightly older Evan reading fiction novels like Lord Of The Rings and getting absorbed into the world that was created. When he hyper fixates on something he can focus on things easier than he would otherwise.
They get everything prepared for dinner. The lasagna was cooking in the oven, and they were getting to work on the salad to go with it. Athena eventually walked through the kitchen as she needed the bathroom. Evan was still happily chatting up a storm with Bobby about any animal fact that had come to mind. It was the most they had ever heard him speak and they were loving it. It was such a complete change from how he was in the morning, but he still didn't want to be too far away from Bobby during the whole afternoon. It was like they had finally found his on switch for talking. When Evan was encouraged to play whilst dinner was cooking he did stop talking for a while.
He wasn't aware Michael had heard him speak, but he wasn't ready for it yet. It was the first day that he had met Athena's close friend in person, and it was a lot for him to take in. He did take Michael up on his offer to kick the soccer ball around for a while. It was something they could do together as well as eventually go to the park and other activities. "And Evan scores a goal!" Michael cheers as Evan manages to kick the soccer ball past him for the first time. He did earn the signature Buckley grin from the child as they celebrated his first ever goal. He had only been kicking the ball about for fun before. He didn't really know what to do with it at first.
Maddie had taught him how to ride a bike and a skateboard, but they never had a soccer ball to play with. He was enjoying it as Michael upped the dramatics and fell about the yard as Evan got more confident with kicking the ball around. Bobby and Athena were watching with pride. Then it was dinner time and Bobby called them into the dining room for the long awaited lasagna. It was a good meal all round, Evan was quiet, but he had sat next to Michael while he ate, which was a big step. They were getting along really well at this point which was hopefully going to lead to a smooth transition into Michael being at the home with them whilst Athena and Bobby work.
The next thing that is going to be a huge change is getting Evan into the classroom. With how Evan had reacted this morning there was a real worry that he might have developed separation anxiety towards Bobby and Athena by now. They'd just have to reassure him that at the end of the day they would be there for him. Either that or Michael or Maddie pick him up from school. They didn't want to put that pressure on Maddie unless they absolutely had to though. She still has that right to have a normal teenager life and not have to resort to being a third parent in Evan's life. If she wanted to pick him up after school and then meet up with Athena or Bobby or Michael then that would be fine.
This would be decided when the time comes. There is no point rushing it when they aren't even officially enrolled in the schools chosen yesterday. The paperwork wouldn't have gone through yet, though it is due to start on Monday. Evan was going to have the taster day Thursday and then they could work with him to prepare him for school life. "Bobby if firefighting doesn't work out for you then you need to open up a restaurant or something this food is good," Michael says, and has Evan's full support and agreement. Bobby was a good chef for sure and could probably run a very successful restaurant if given the opportunity. He is happy having it as hobby.
"I don't think I could do it as a job. I like doing it as a hobby and cooking for my friends and family is more than enough for me. I do appreciate the compliment though," Bobby says. That was a fair point though. If it was something you really enjoyed as a hobby then it would become difficult and perhaps wouldn't be as enjoyable if he were doing it as his full time employment and his main source of contributing to the household. Maybe a bakery in the future if he is forced into retirement for any reason but he would have to seriously think about it. Not something he could think or act on overnight. It would also take a lot of money saved up and planning.
Michael insisted that he do the dishes once they had all finished their meals. He said it was the least he could do after Bobby cooked such a delicious meal and everything was going well so far. Evan was also starting to get tired, which meant he was staying as close to Bobby as he could. It had been a long day for the youngster even if it didn't seem like he did much. The nightmares he has had overnight meant he didn't get as much sleep as a six year old needs. It would all be fine tonight Bobby hopped, but they would always support him no matter what. Maddie was having a shower and Evan didn't need a bath tonight, but the routine will still be there.
Once Michael leaves Evan will sit in the living room with Athena drinking his milk and eating his cookie, then he will go with Bobby and get his teeth brushed and then have a bedtime story. They had decided to alternate who had the evening cuddle time whilst he drank some milk to make it similar to story time, so he had as much time with each parent as possible. This is all whilst they have the day off work, or they are home in time for Evan's bedtime. It could all change when they go back to work full time on 12 or even 24 hour shifts. He seemed to adapt to change quiet well so far. He also has his big sister by his side which is always good.
Michael left at around 6 pm, which was perfect timing for the bedtime routine to start for Evan. Maddie was in her room reading. Athena got the milk and cookie sorted. It was another way to ensure that Evan had enough calcium to support his healing arm as well as general growth. He wasn't a fussy child, so he ate plenty of dairy during his week, but with the broken arm it was something that he needed a little bit more of. He was enjoying the cuddle time with Athena whilst she was telling him how proud she was of him. "Do you have any lion facts you know?" she asks him, and he nods. He had been reading his animal fact book several times a day since he got it.
"The fastest a lion can run is eighty one kilometers per hour," Evan says. They are definitely fast and there was certainly no chance Athena would want to even try to out run one if she ever came across one. Athena could definitely get used to this, having conversations with Evan before he goes to bed. It is a good way of finding out how his day has been and how he feels about certain things. He definitely likes Michael, and the friendship is quickly growing between them. "A grown up male lion's roar can be heard up to eight kilometers away," Evan adds. His knowledge certainly impressed Athena, she didn't know if it was from the book or the exhibits at the zoo, but either way it was pretty good memory recall.
"Woah, they are noisy, and they are fast. I have no chance of surviving if I ever see an angry one in the wild," Athena says. It was very unlikely that they would ever see a wild lion or a wild tiger any time soon. The only chance would be if they were called to the zoo and one of them had escaped their enclosure or something. They were grateful that they were currently in their house with their foster children. Once he had finished his milk and cookie he went to the kitchen to wash his glass out without being asked to which Athena thanked him for. Then he went to brush his teeth, hug his older sister goodnight, and join Bobby in his bedroom for the bedtime story.
I'm really enjoying writing this so far. Thank you for all of your comments and Kudo, it means the world to me.
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