Today marked day one of staying in Ms. Reneè's home. I felt happy that she accepted me in her home. She was very nice and let me watch tv before i went to bed. She helped me with my homework whenever i asked. Ms. Reneè even made the best dinners and i ate like i was never gonna eat again. I remeber her chuckling voice saying " slow down sweetheart, it isnt going anywhere."

I would stop and laugh with her, telling her i couldnt help it.

When it was time to go to bed, she would sing me a song, or read me a poem. Everything was perfect here, but even that didnt last. I only stayed with her for three days before  the department of social services moved me to another foster home.

The women's  name was huey. She was a middle aged short women with freckles, dark hair, and emerald eyes. Her smile was crooked but sweet and she had a husband and an adopted son that i had learned to know. His name was Dontavius. He came to accept me as his sister for as long as i stayed. Dontavius was much older than me, and kept to himself. I would often sit at the table with him as he did his homework and played his music out loud. He didnt seem to be bothered with it..or so i thought because even after a while...he had started avoiding me and stayed in his room a little more. I wasnt allowed in his room. That was one of the rules i was to abide by, but one day i had broken that. I had gone into his room anyway and sat on his floor, watching his sleeping figure. His chest rose and fell but what caught my eye was his eyes. They were closed but tears brimmed his eyelashes. He was hurt and nobody knew.

"...everything's gonna be okay..." i whispered, placing my hand on his cheek and kissing his forehead like a mother would do to their child, like my mother would do to me. I wanted to hug him tight and take away his problems, but it was an impossible act. "Sweet dreams Dontavius...goodnight"

Nothing had changed that next morning, Dontavius still stayed in his room most of the time and i stayed in mine, occasionally using my imagination to occupy me. And when i got bored of that, i watched tv...but even that got old sometimes.  Half of the time i would wonder when i would get to go back home to my mother. I was unaware where she was or what she was doing. I missed her so much.

It wasnt until October that i got to see her. We visited each other in a building. I didnt know what the name of it was, i just knew it was a tall building with a park beside of it.

My mother looked decent for the first time in a long time. She had her  hair curled. Her ears carried pretty pearls and her lips were a shiny apple red. She wore a green blouse and black dress pants with some brown sandals; Mother never really was a fan of wearing dresses.

I smiled really big, thinking that she was here to take me home. Oh boy was i in for a surprise? I gave her a tight squeeze and looked up at her face. She was smiling down at me but it quickly faded when i asked her if she was here to take me home. My mother's expression fell as she shook her head. " im sorry sweetie...i cannot take you home yet" Her voice cracked like she was about to cry.

"Oh...well, when can i come home, mama?"

She sighed at me and then smiled.  " you'll be able to come home soon, okay? I promise."

This made me smile again. She seemed so sure that i would be back with her in no time. But it was still...all a lie..