"You did what?" exploded Ethan, glaring at me as though this was somehow all my fault. I had no idea why he was at Dylan's house, but considering Dylan was his best friend, he must have drunkenly called Ethan once he'd gotten home.
"Who are you?" sighed Andi wearily.
"Depends who's asking," huffed Ethan. "Any friend of Sophie's is no friend of mine. Isn't that some kind of saying, or something?"
Edward and Doug, who were both giving Dylan a disappointed glare, both turned their glares on Ethan. "What has gotten into you, Ethan?" exclaimed Doug.
"Why the hell do you care?"
"My name is Andi Rosala," Andi said coolly, and Ethan's expression turned to one of horror. "Ah. I see your parents mentioned me. Yes, I'm Sophie's social worker."
Dylan's head shot up. "What - are you going to take Sophie back? Please, we can do better," he pleaded.
"That wasn't the original plan," said Andi, her voice like ice, "but since I have entered the Evans' household, and moved on to yours, Mr. Waters, nobody except for Miss Evelyn..."
"Evie," offered Evie, still looking concerned.
"Mr. Jonas..."
"Ricky, please..." Ricky had come to Dylan's house, too, and was currently ignoring Dylan's glare.
"And Mr. Evans and Mr. Evans have been nice to Sophie." Andi sent Ethan a withering look. "I have known Sophie since she entered the foster system, boys. Do you know why she set off the sprinkler system, at school? Do you know why she has ever made trouble, of any kind, anywhere?"
"She's a troublemaker?" guessed Ethan, earning another withering glare from his dads. "Okay, okay, I'll shut up!"
This lasted about five seconds before Ethan went, "Why?"
"It is because somebody Sophie cared about was being threatened. Not Sophie herself, Sophie has never cared about herself, despite what I always tell her, which is?"
"I have to take care of myself, because it's super important or something," I rolled my eyes. Andi had been repeating the mantra since I was little.
"Yes," declared Andi. "Today it was Dylan, and there is, incidentally, a child involved in this," she said to Dylan, "so I'm sorry, but I am going to have to do a full evaluation of this house."
Dylan looked horrified. "No, please, I can't lose Aurora. I'm not an alcoholic, I swear..."
"And I believe you," Andi stated. "However, I'm not convinced that this is a safe home for Sophie right now."
"What?" Evie said bleakly.
"Okay," I mumbled.
"Where are you taking my sister?" demanded Ethan.
"Oh, so now she's your sister?" yelled Evie, tears in her eyes.
"She's just going to a nearby group home for a couple days while we look over your home. Mr. Waters, would you mind doing a quick interview, while I'm here?"
"No, no, of course not," Dylan shook his head rapidly.
"Aurora is..."
"My daughter, she's nine months old," recited Dylan. "Born in January," he added unnecessarily.
"Aurora's mother?"
"Out of the picture," Dylan said. "She's only visited once, and she had ulterior motives. I've made sure she won't be here ever again."
YOU ARE READING
Unpredictable
RomanceSophie Smith is a foster girl who's bounced around from state to state, "looking for her forever family," but Sophie's not stupid. She knows she doesn't have one. Her newest family, the Evanses, seem nice, but Sophie knows they don't really want her...
