cinnamon girl, instant family x oc

4

// the orientation//

"over half a million children are currently in foster care." karen began.
"the system is overloaded, okay?" "it doesn't need anymore kids."
"for a child to be removed, conditions have to be pretty bleak, usually involving abuse or extreme neglect."

"and some of these kids can often languish in the system, unless a wonderful family like yours steps up for them." shanon finished.

"we'll step up, we'll take one right away." a couple commented.

"oh, perfect, let me check in back and see what we have in stock." karen joked making all the soon to be parents chuckle.

"she is kidding of course, we do not 'stock'."
sharon explained.
"and you know that, um..." she added as she pointed to karen.

"but we can take you through the eight-week foster parenting course and you can get your certification."
"and then we can pair you with some kids that you can foster until they become adoptable."

"but it's not gonna be easy, folks."
"these kids will test your will, put a strain on your relationship, and push buttons you didn't even know you had."
"i can tell by looking at you that not all y'all are gonna make it." karen spoke as she spread her arms out, pointing to everyone in the room.

"i actually think this group has got the grit to face some unpleasant..."
sharon was interrupted by a couple leaving,
"you guys heading out?"
"yeah."
"okay, thank you, bye-bye."

karen and sharon looked at each other,
"all right that one's on me." said karen.

"it absolutely is, and you know, we've gone over this before."

"we have."

"this is a problem."

"it's a problem."

everyone laughed at their small argument.

"okay everybody, why don't we learn your names and what type of children you're looking for."

"oh, hi, um, we're dana and dirk mccann, and the lord has guided us here to adopt a baby boy...or a girl."

"yeah, the big guy, he's... blessed us with so much."
"mm-hmm."
"we'd just like to share it with a child that needs a home."
"yeah."

"oh, what about over here." karen gestured to the couple across from them.

"i'm david and this is my wife, jessie."
"and we've been trying to have a baby for three years now."

ellie gave a small pout at his comment.

"but no matter what we do, i can't..." she looked as if she was about to start crying and couldn't continue.

"i'm sorry, can someone else go?"

sharon nodded, "it's okay."

a man began talking behind her and began introducing himself and his husband,
"well, i'm kit and this is michael, we've also been trying to conceive now."
kit joked.
"pretty much since the first night we met, right?"
"that is correct, we're just not having any luck." michael added.
"anyway, we're looking for a child of any gender or ethnicity up to nine years old."