After my long, hot shower, I decide to check on Lily now that she's had time to cool down from her little meltdown. I quietly knock on her door and wait for her to respond, only she doesn't.
"Lily?" I speak quietly so none of my siblings can tell me to "let it go".
No response again. That's it, I'm barging in, I don't care what anyone says. I twist the door open and gasp. Her window is open and there's a shivering breeze going down my spine.
"Harriet!" I shout, running down the hallway, checking everyone's rooms.
"Emelyne, have you seen Lily?" My heart is pounding out of my chest.
"No, she was in her room. W-why?" I can see her pick up on what's happening very fast and she runs out of her room and darts to Lily's.
"Where is she?!" Emelyne freaks out.
"I don't know, I'm asking you that! I was suppose to help her with her homework!" I shout.
"Why is everyone shouting?!" Hailey comes out of her room finally.
"Lily isn't in her room." I state.
"So? She probably went downstairs." Hailey says so matter-of-factly.
"No, her window is wide open Hailey!" Emelyne stands up for me, for once. It's about time someone does that for me in this house.
Natalie comes out in her bathrobe then, she got into the shower after me.
"Why are we all huddled in the hallway? Having a girl chat without me?" Natalie laughs but then stops when she sees me tear-streaked face.
"Wait, what's going on?"
"What's wrong Ava?" Garrett and Adam appear in their doorway now.
"Lily's missing." I say just as Harriet is walking by with a basket of laundry which then slips from her grip as she hears me speak.
"Hudson, she's gone!" She screams in utter panic.
Emelyne comes out of her room with a torn piece of paper with the words "I ran away" written in orange crayon.
"Uh guys?" She waves the paper in our faces.
"She ran away? She's six years old, how can life be so hard at six years old?" Adam rolls his eyes.
"I told you guys to let me talk to her, but you all thought I was over reacting." I shake my head.
"I called 9-1-1. They're putting a search party out, Garrett and Adam grab a flashlight and come with me." Hudson ordered.
Emelyne, Hailey and Harriet teamed up and Natalie and I. We all split up and scoured the neighborhood for our little Lily.
I swear to god if she's hurt, I'll only have myself to blame for not listening to my gut and checking on her when she was upset. Who cares what the others think, her not understanding anything. I'm sure there's some smart ass kid at school who knows she's in foster care and teases her about it.
"How does this happen? How does a six year old escape from a two story bedroom?" Natalie's thinking out loud, she does this when she's nervous.
"You can blame Adam for that one. He told me he helped her attach a rope to the roof so she could pretend she's superwoman." Emelyne catches up with us and sheepishly admits.
"WHAT?" Natalie and I yell in unison.
"I know, I should've told someone. I'm sorry. It's all my fault she's gone. Had I told an adult, there wouldn't be a rope up there anymore." Emelyne starts to cry and I take a deep breath so I don't scream at her.
"We'll find her." Hailey speaks which is the last thing I ever thought to come from her mouth.
"We're a team, a family." She smiles and I literally can't believe what I'm hearing.
"Wow Hails, guess you're not so morbid like we all thought." Natalie jokes, also one of her nervous habits.
"Okay girls, enough. Let's get looking." Mama Harriet demands.
I get a text from Garrett then.
"Guys, Garrett just texted me! He said cops found her in a neighbors backyard!" I yell, my heart finally beating at a normal rate.
"Where?!" Harriet's screams breaks my heart, you can hear the fear that's in her voice.
"Eighty-eight View Lane." We all start running because we're literally standing on View Lane, we're just a few houses away.
"There! I see her!" I shout, pointing to a small figure in the dark.
"She's playing with Miss Scarlett's dog!" I hop the short fence then like I'm spiderman.
"LILY!" Harriet does the same and I've never seen her more terrified my whole life I've been living with her.
"Oh baby girl." She picks her up and hugs her tight.
"I'm just playing with Miss Scar-witts doggy. See?" She jumps out of her arms and lands on the grass next to the dog, petting him and giggling.
I smile because she's happy and safe. She's so innocent, she literally doesn't even know what running away probably even means.
"Hudson, I think it's time." Harriet huddles close to Hudson then and they nod in agreement.
Time for what exactly?
"Thank you so much officers for all your help, we will be going now." Hudson scoops Lily up and we all head back home.
"No! Put me down! You're not my dad!" Lily screams and all of our mouths drop.
"Lily, it's mommy and daddy, what are you talking about?" Harriet looks like the life has been taken out of her. Like Lily just stabbed her in the heart.
"Someone told her, I knew it." I mumble.
Luckily the cops know of Harriet and Hudson Richards, for being one of the best Foster Families in town and they just smile and nod as we walk back to the house.
"Lily, what has gotten into you lately?" Harriet asks as Hudson sets her down on the front porch of our home.
"Skylar from school said you're not my real mom and dad!" She pouts, her arms folded across her chest.
"Why would you believe what someone at school who knows nothing about you at all, say that?" I bend down to her level to try and talk some sense into her.
"Because... I heard mommy... I mean... this lady... say on the phone that somebody was coming to take Natalie away." My eyes widen and I look at Harriet. I know what that means, and so does Lily.
"W-what does she mean?" Natalie looks around at all of us but Natalie knows what it means, she's just hoping it isn't true like the rest of us.
"Honey, we were going to tell you." Harriet sighs, closing her eyes for a minute before speaking again.
"Oh my god." I take a step back, my breathing accelerating.
"You mean, you've found a family for me?" Natalie speaks ever so quietly.
Harriet looks at Hudson before speaking, "Yes."
YOU ARE READING
Foster Sisters
Teen FictionAva and Natalie grew up in the same foster home in Cincinnati, Ohio. They came into the home both at eight years old and now sixteen. They became very close and consider themselves sisters even if it isn't by blood, they're best friends. What happe...
