Chapter 28
28
Karen called the office before she left Roscoe’s place and talked to the receptionist. Once she had the rest of today’s and tomorrow’s patients rescheduled, she knelt in front of Marty and Zannie. “Are you guys ready to go to my house?”
“Yes,” Zannie said, nodding with enthusiasm.
Marty tilted his head and asked, “What about our clothes? Can we go get them?”
Karen twisted her head around to Mark, silently asking a question with wide eyes.
“I’ll go get them for you,” Mark said, not wanting the kids to go back into the nasty home they’d been living in. “I know which room is yours, and I’ll get what you need. Then we can buy new things to replace a few items you’ve probably outgrown.”
He stepped closer, his touch gentle as he placed a reassuring hand on Karen’s shoulder. His voice dropped into a low murmur, only for her. “But those clothes will need a good wash.”
Karen met his gaze, a soft smile curving her lips, her eyes glimmering with warmth. “I have a washing machine and plenty of detergent, honey. I think I can handle it.”
Mark held her gaze, a tender amusement dancing in his expression. “Why do I get the feeling there’s very little you can’t handle?”
With another squeeze of her shoulder, he left Roscoe’s house. Karen stood and said, “Kids, go with Ms. Berkley, and let me talk to Roscoe for a moment.”
They followed her directions without hesitation, and she sat before the older man as soon as they were out of earshot. Placing her hand on his resting on the arm of the chair, she said. “I’m concerned about you. This has been a difficult day, but you must know that your decision to keep the kids here and then call me has probably saved them.”
His wrinkles deepened. “Are you sure, Ms. Karen?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I know this has been hard on you. I will have Selma stop by this afternoon to take your blood pressure. Call me if you need anything. If I can’t come, I can get someone over here immediately.”
Brad stepped into the room. “Mark is bringing out the kids’ clothes. But I just wanted to let you know, Mr. Jefferson, that if you see any activity next door, do not do anything. Just call 911, and we’ll let our dispatcher know to get ahold of us.”
Roscoe’s brows lifted. “You think those no-good neighbors might come back?”
“If they do, you call us,” Brad reiterated.
Karen watched as Roscoe’s jaw set, and he squared his thin shoulders. “I can do that.”
Smiling, she patted his hand again and stood. “I’ll see you soon.” Walking out with Brad, she spied Lisa and Mark getting the kids buckled into the back seat of her small SUV.
After hugging Lisa goodbye, she walked to the driver's door, where Mark was waiting. “Mark, I don’t even know what to say about all of this?—”
“You don’t have to say anything, Karen. Like I said, we roll with life and teach our children how to do the same.”
She glanced at Marty and Zannie in her back seat, both smiling as they appeared to be excited about their new adventure.
“I think those two have already learned how to roll with the punches life has thrown at them,” she said quietly.
Mark’s expression softened as he looked at her, his voice filled with quiet admiration. “Then it’s a good thing you came into their lives. Because I can’t think of anyone better to give them the stability they need right now.”
She looked into his eyes, oddly struck by the understanding and complete ease that she felt radiating off him. She could’ve done this on her own but knowing that he agreed and was supportive opened the world for her.
Before she pondered how much she wished she could kiss him right now, he said, “Brad is going to finish with forensics to process the house. I’m going to follow you back to your place and make sure you have what you need to get the kids settled.” He glanced at his watch. “If your girls are like Benji, they probably have a couple of hours before they get home. I’ll tell my dad to get Benji off the bus as always, but I’ll also tell him what’s happening.”
“Thank you,” she said. “You’re being amazing about all of this.”
He scoffed. “Me? I think you’re the amazing one.”
Her gaze dropped to his mouth. “Is it terrible that I really wish I could kiss you right now?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “No, it’s not terrible because I was thinking the same thing.” He reached out and squeezed her hand, then said, “Since they’re not in booster seats, I’ll see you at your house.”
Then he let her go, and she climbed behind the steering wheel. Twisting around, she grinned at the kids. “Everybody buckled?”
“Yes!” came their combined shouts.
“All right. Hang tight, and we’ll be at my house soon.”
Zannie chattered most of the way, but Marty was quiet. Karen continued to glance at him in the rearview mirror, and while he didn’t appear distressed, he simply seemed contemplative. Her heart ached for him. She now wished she had gone into the home just to see what they had been dealing with. Maybe Mark will also show me the photographs.
Pulling into her neighborhood, she noticed both kids were wide-eyed as they looked out the window. Her house wasn’t large, but when she’d bought it, she was only looking for a place in a good neighborhood that had enough room for just her and the girls. Seeing it through Marty and Zannie’s eyes, she was sure it was bigger and nicer than anything they’d ever lived in. “We’re here,” she said as she parked in the driveway.
Mark drove into her driveway and stopped just behind her. Smiling, she unbuckled Zannie as Marty was already unbuckled. Zannie was vibrating with energy as the four of them walked through the door. They stepped into the living room, and the kids’ eyes grew bigger. Mark set the bags of clothes and school supplies he’d taken from their house on the steps leading to the house.
Karen looked at them, but he leaned in and whispered, “Not sure about any possible bugs until they’re washed.”
Her eyes widened, then she turned and, with a bright smile, said, “Let’s all go into the kitchen to chat while we have a snack.”
The four sat at the table as soon as she plated cookies and apple slices. The kids dug into the snacks with gusto, and Karen’s heart ached again. Finally, Zannie asked, “When can we meet your girls?”
Karen looked at Mark, who smiled and nodded his encouragement. “My girls, Laura and Olivia, will be home after school is out.”
“Do they go to our school?” Marty asked.
She shook her head. “No, Laura is in ninth grade at the high school, and Olivia is in seventh grade at the middle school.”
“But my son, Benji, is in fifth grade at the same school you attend,” Mark added.
Marty’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yes. I hope you’ll get to meet him soon.”
Karen took a big breath and said, “Let me explain how this will work, okay?” With the kids’ attention now on her, she said, “The house has four bedrooms, but one of them is used for storage and is really small?—”
“That’s okay,” Marty jumped in. “Zannie and I can stay in that one. We don’t take up a lot of room, and I’ll make sure that she doesn’t get in anyone’s way.”
Karen recognized what many foster children experience… if they make themselves small enough, they won’t have to leave. She shook her head and smiled gently. “Sweetie, you and Zannie won’t have to share a room. I think it’s important that you have your own space, Marty. I know living in a house with a bunch of girls might mean that sometimes you want to have your own room. Now, Zannie, if you don’t mind a top bunk, Olivia has a bunk bed with a larger bed on the bottom for her, and a twin bed on the top. It’s what my girls shared at one time, but Laura has her own room now.” She didn’t add that after Jeffrey died, the girls couldn’t stand being apart, so she’d bought them a bunk bed.
Karen waited to check the kids' reactions. Zannie, in what seemed to be her natural personality, just bounced in her seat and grinned. Marty’s eyes showed interest, but his lips pressed together, and Karen wondered how many times he’d been promised something that never materialized.
“For tonight, we’ll have to improvise. I’ll take tomorrow off work, and while you are in school, I’ll get beds in for you two.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Mark said.
Her gaze jumped to his. “Um…”
“I’ll make some calls. Plenty of good people in the AL want to help and will have things they can donate, including getting them here and set up.”
“Oh, well,” she muttered, then smiled back at the kids. “Looks like everything will get sorted.”
Mark stood and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll make some calls now.”
Blinking, she watched as he pulled his phone from his pocket and walked out of the room. His pants fit perfectly, his blue shirt was tailored, and his jacket gave him an air of professionalism. He also looked like a model who’d just stepped off the front of a men’s fashion magazine.
“He’s nice,” Zannie said, followed by little girl giggling.
Karen swung her head around to see the broad smiles on both their faces. Hmm, it seems that Marty does approve of Mark stepping in to help. For a little boy who probably didn’t have many, if any, good male role models, she was sure Mark was a knight to Marty.
Hours later, Karen looked at the progress in her upstairs hallway. The AL and Auxiliary had come through almost immediately—with gifts of gently used furniture, labor, and some clothes.
An oak twin bed and mattress were now set up in the smaller bedroom. The plastic storage tubs that had been in there were moved to the garage and stacked neatly… along with the promise from Mark that when the holidays rolled around again, he would help her get what she needed from them. A matching oak chest of drawers was on the opposite wall, and a small bookcase with a lamp on top served as a nightstand. A navy comforter covered the bed, and a few books and toys were placed in the bookcase. A navy curtain hung on the window. The walls were bare until she could find out more about what Marty liked.
In Olivia’s much larger room, another chest of drawers had been added. Light pink and rose already covered the bed.
Glancing at the time, she hurried down the stairs. She had already profusely thanked everyone who had come with their gifts. Now, she needed to get to the school to pick up the girls, glad it was a practice day for both of them, giving her more time to get the house set up. She needed time alone with Laura and Olivia to explain what was happening.
She and Jeffrey had fostered a few children for a short time, but after he died, she had not felt the urge to do so even though she had kept up her certifications and registered in the county when she moved. She told Lisa that she wasn’t available until she was more settled, and with all the girls’ activities, that time hadn’t presented itself. But, now, she couldn’t imagine Marty and Zannie going anywhere else until their mother was located.
Mark had taken the kids to the library and to get ice cream while all the work happened at her house. She was glad, wanting the time to get their rooms ready and talk to Laura and Olivia first.
It didn’t take long to drive to the school, and her gaze quickly landed on the girls sitting on a wall near the parking lot. Oh God… a boy is sitting beside Laura. The young man wasn’t too close, but close enough that there’s no way it was not intentional. Knowing she didn’t have time to deal with a blossoming romance for a fourteen-year-old, she plastered on her best mom smile and parked near them. Olivia jumped up and raced toward the vehicle. Laura ducked her head as she looked at the boy, said something, then followed her sister.
The girls climbed into the back seat. “Mom!” Olivia shouted even though Karen was just a few feet away. “I got an A on my math test. And we got our English papers back, and I got an A on that, too!”
Karen couldn’t help but grin at her youngest’s enthusiasm, but then her gaze shifted to Laura, and she noticed how she stared out the window with her hand lifted in a little wave. Karen then glanced at the boy and sighed. His star-struck-lovesick expression was pinned on Laura as he waved in return. Oh God. I need a break from all the crazy being thrown at me!
As she drove home, she knew she needed more time than just a few miles to explain what was happening. Pulling into a nearby dollar store parking lot, she parked, then twisted in her seat to face the girls.
Seeing their confused expressions morph into fear, she hurried to say, “Everything is fine. Don’t worry.” Inwardly cursing, she knew they were both programmed to think the worst after having lost their dad.
“Then why are we here?” Laura demanded.
“I just need to explain what happened with my day before we get home.”
“O…kay,” both girls said simultaneously.
“I’m going to say it quickly, and then we can talk. I accepted two children into emergency foster care. With the help of Mark and some friends, we’ve already managed to set up the storage bedroom for the little boy, and Olivia… this is where I owe you a huge apology, but the little girl will be on the top bunk. I know?—”
“That’s so cool!” Olivia said, her eyes bright.
Karen knew her youngest could roll with life's punches but worried about her immediate acceptance. “Listen, we can always make a change as we go along, but the kids haven’t had a good, safe home for a while, and now they’ve been abandoned by their mom and have nowhere to go.”
“Mom, it’s okay,” Laura said softly.
Her gaze moved between her daughters. “You know that it’s okay to be upset. It’s okay to tell me that this idea sucks and that the intrusion into our home isn’t wanted.”
“But they need us, right?” Olivia asked, a little crinkle forming between her brows.
“Yes… they need a safe place to land until the investigation into where their mother went is determined. This is an emergency, temporary situation that caused me to make a hasty decision. The kids had already bonded with me?—”
Laura tilted her head. “You knew them?”
“One of my older patients lives next door to their home. He knew it wasn’t a good situation before the mother disappeared and would give the kids a place to stay after school and some food to make sure they didn’t go hungry. They would come around, and over the past couple of months, I’ve gotten to spend time with them when I see him after they get off the bus. The kids were there when I visited him today, and he told me they had spent the night. No one was at home, so I called Mark. The sheriff’s office is now investigating, and I called Child Protective Services to let them legally take charge of the children.”
“I remember you and Dad were foster parents sometimes,” Laura said, a ghost of a smile on her lips.
“Yes. We were short-term foster parents, usually only taking a child during an emergency for a couple of days or a few weeks at most.” She looked at Olivia. “Sweetheart, this affects you greatly, and I am so sorry that I made decisions today that impact your room. You left for school this morning from a room that was your own to a room now having another person in it.”
Olivia shrugged. “How old are they?”
“Marty is nine, and Suzanne is seven. She goes by Zannie.”
Olivia’s eyes brightened. “Oh, good! That means I get to be a big sister.”
Karen chuckled. “That’s one way to look at it. But it will only be for a short time until the mother is found.” Looking at Laura, she added, “You can bring all your personal items and put them in my bathroom. That way, you won’t feel like you are sharing the hall bathroom with three others.”
Laura grinned, then lifted a shoulder. “I’d like that. You’ve got a bigger sink and mirror.”
Karen nodded, then sighed. “Girls, I really wish I wasn’t springing this on you. I know it’s not fair to give you no notice. Things happened so fast, and the kids begged to stay with me, and?—”
“Mom, don’t you see?” Laura interrupted. “It was just meant to be. We know you wouldn’t have done anything to upset us, but you had no choice. We have you. We’ve always had you and a home. Those kids have nothing.”
“Yeah, Mom. We’ve got enough to share,” Olivia added.
Karen’s eyes filled, and she had to swallow deeply several times to keep the tears from spilling down her cheeks. “Okay, then let’s get home. Mark took the kids out to spend the afternoon at the library and get ice cream while some American Legion men and women brought the extra furniture and set up the rooms. We can help with a lot, but we needed to get things done quickly. And I wanted to have a chance to talk to the two of you before we all got home.”
“Mark, huh?” Olivia asked with a giggle. “I like him, Mom.”
Karen chuckled as she turned around in her seat. “Yeah, me, too,” she muttered. With the enthusiastic response ringing in her ears, she pulled out of the parking lot and headed home, gratitude filling her heart. Along with a dose of nervousness, knowing that her life at the moment was in a constant state of flux, she snorted. And what life isn’t?