I Refuse

The Washingtons

My name is Forest Everwood. I don't know the real reason why my mother named me Forest, but I tell people it's because she loved the movie Forest Gump. I never actually knew my mom. I lived with her until I turned 5 and the state took me away. My mom was prostitute. I didn't have a daddy. I didn't have nothing. So for 11 long years I've been in and out of the system. I've been in 3 group homes, lived with 4 different foster families, and I almost got adopted once. Currently I'm living with my newest foster family, The Washingtons. Well, I can't say I actually live with them yet, I heading to their house now.

"Mrs.Washington, do you have any kids?" I ask breaking the 10 minute silence.

"Actually we have two kids,"Mr.Washington answers for her. "Samuel and Sapphire." He informs me.

"Actually we have three kids," Mrs. Washington says as she turns around in her seat to look me in my eyes. "We have a new daughter, and her name is Forest Evergreen."

I smiled politely, but in the inside I was dying laughing. "New daughter?" I wanted to say."lady I met you an hour ago." Instead I just kept my mouth shut and she turned back around.If she wanna claim me she can. If they wanna treat me like I was actually part of their close knit family, by all means go ahead.

"How old is Sapphire?" I ask, I've gotten in enough trouble with boys already. I'm not about to push my luck again.

"She's about to 7, next week" Mrs. Watson tells me. I plaster another fake smile on. Great. Now I gotta play big sister. I really hope they didn't choose to foster me so they could get a free babysitter.

"How old is Samuel?" I ask half expecting them to say 10.

"Ahh,"Mr.Washington says with a chuckle. "That boy of mine is 17, and trust me. He is a lady's man." He looks at me through the rear view mirror and laughs. "He's gonna like you. Your pretty, light skin, and you have long silky REAL hair." I start laughing. I try to imagine his son. Mr. Washington isn't bad looking at all, and neither is Mrs. Washington. "How much you wanna bet, he's gonna beg to move back upstairs to his old room Sarah?" He ask his wife.

"I'm not betting on that," Mrs.Washington states with a smile on her face as she playfully pushes his arm. "Besides, even if he does, I believe Forest is a lady. She would easily turn him down if it came to it."

"So, your son is going to try to sleep with me?" I ask out loud. Instantly regretting that I even asked. Mr. and Mrs. Washington looked at each other and then me. I felt my face get hot.

"Yes," Mrs. Washington finally said after a minute of silence. "Samuel is a....he likes to...Steven?" She looks to her husband for help.

"What Sarah is trying to say is, our son is an uhh.." Mr. Washington also looked stuck.

"He's a hoe, excuse my language, but that is what you are trying to say right."

"Yea," they both say at the same time.

"Well, you have nothing to worry about. I'm a virgin, and if I could keep a 34 year old man away from my cookie jar I'm pretty sure I could keep a 17 year old away." I tell them. A lot of men came onto me before. I've almost been raped before. Thank God that didn't happen.

Mr. And Mrs. Washington looked at me sympathetically. To show them I was okay, I smiled. Not a fake smile, a real one. You know one of those smiles that makes someone else smile.

"Well, Forest....You don't have to worry about that here. Samuel is a flirt, but I don't believe that he would try to rape you. I want you to feel safe here. We want you to feel safe here. "Mr. Washington said pulling up to a gate and entering a code. "If he tries anything like that, don't hesitate to tell us. We brought you here for a better life."

"Thank you Mr. Washington" I tell him. I almost choked on my tears. This 30minute car ride allowed me to bond with these people on another level. None of my other foster parents actually cared, or at least attempted to pretend they cared that much.

"You can call me dad if you want, or whatever." Mr. Washington said as he parked in front of this huge house. "What ever makes you comfortable, we want you to feel like part of the family"

"Thank you so much Mr. Washington. I've never had a family, so I really don't know what to say. All I know is this car ride allowed me to feel more cared for than I had felt in all of my other foster homes combined. Even if y'all were to have me clean this big house, with only a toothbrush, it was worth it." I smiled as a tear slid down my face. I never let my emotions show. I haven't even walked into the house and I was slipping up.