Chapter 4
CHAPTER
FOUR
Becca
“Becca, sweetie, you’ll be staying home from school this morning,” Mrs. Talbot says. Before I can ask why, she continues speaking. “Your caseworker will be by to talk to you, then I’ll take you, okay?”
“Okay, Mrs. Talbot,” I reply.
I don’t know what’s going on, but a couple of days after we saw my friend, Mina, at the store, Mrs. Talbot got a phone call, and ever since then, she’s been…
different. Not in a bad way, she just seems sad and also excited.
Shrugging, I pull my picture book out of my backpack and go to sit on the couch.
Mrs. Talbot bought it for me because it uses the sight words I’ve been learning, so it makes me feel like I can read.
Dick and Jane are funny, and soon, I’m giggling as I sound out the words out loud. “Oh, you’re doing a good job, Becca,” Mrs. Jackson, my caseworker, says. I was so involved with the story that I didn’t hear the doorbell ring or her come inside.
“Hi, Mrs. Jackson,” I shyly say.
She comes and visits me every month, and was here earlier in the month, so I don’t understand why she’s here today. Before I can ask, she states, “Becca, I wanted to tell you that you’ll be moving soon.”
My heart drops. If I have to move, and Anna has told me what that means, I’ll have to change schools, and I just finally got my first ever friend! As tears start to silently fall, she sits next to me and pats my shoulder. “Why? I like it here,” I whisper through my sobs.
“Because we found out that you have an uncle who wants you,” she says. Seeing the fear that’s no doubt on my face now, she looks over to Mrs. Talbot, who sits on the other side of me and puts her arm around me.
“He’s not like your aunt, Becca,” Mrs. Talbot says. “Do you remember seeing your friend, Mina, the other day?”
I nod, still crying. “Y-y-yes,” I stammer.
“And do you remember the lady who was Mina’s mommy’s friend?
” she asks. When I nod, she says, “She is engaged to your uncle and told him about you. He checked into it, called Mrs. Jackson, and they’ve checked everything out.
He was your daddy’s older brother and had moved away a long time ago.
When he found out what happened, he told Mrs. Jackson that he wanted you to come and live with them. ”
“So… would I have to go to a different school?” I question.
Both women laugh before Mrs. Jackson replies. “No, Becca, you’ll stay at the same school. Your uncle is part of the same motorcycle club that your friend’s father is in.”
“Mina?” I ask, grasping onto whatever I can.
Mrs. Talbot answers this time. “Yes, sweetheart. In fact, I suspect you’ll see her quite frequently. I’ve talked to Marnie, that’s your uncle’s fiancée, and she’s good friends with Mina’s mom.”
“Becca, they want to adopt you, so you’d be their little girl, not just their niece,” Mrs. Jackson says.
All of this is confusing to me. “But I already had a mommy and daddy,” I say. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m sure it’s very confusing, and we’ll explain it all as it happens, okay?” Mrs. Jackson states. “Now, Mrs. Talbot will be getting all of your things packed up because you’ll be there tonight.”
“Really?” I ask.
“Yes, really. Now, how about I take you to school so we can get this taken care of?” Mrs. Jackson suggests.
“Okay. I have to get my lunch,” I reply, getting off the couch.
I grab my book and head to the kitchen where my backpack is sitting on the hook by the garage door.
Once I have my lunch from the refrigerator, I put it in my backpack, get my jacket, then head back into the living room.
Dropping my bag, I run to Mrs. Talbot and wrap my arms around her.
“I’ll miss you,” I tell her, my head buried in her lap.
“Oh, sweet girl, I’m going to miss you too, but I know Marnie, and I’m sure I’ll see you again,” Mrs. Talbot replies.