Halfway There // Liam O'donovan

06

_FAMILY VALUES_
•••
EVIE'S POV
•••

Lily and her sisters were getting fostered. Everyone was stood at the piano waiting to say our goodbyes. Suddenly Tracy burst through the door, she was all sweaty. She was doubled over and panting. As she looked up, she clocked everyone looking at her confused.

She chuckled nervously and out of breath, "Travel card empty... Got kicked off the bus... Ran the whole way here," she panted, she pointed upwards and then took off up the stairs.

"I can't believe Lily's getting fostered," Toby said, once Tracy'd left.

"It's weird, innit? It always is when someone leaves," Sapphire agreed.

"Yeah, we're all gonna miss her," Liam added.

"But then again, I haven't known her for that long," I said blankly, everyone looked at me sharply and I changed my attitude, "But yeah, her and her sisters leaving is gonna be sad," I cleared my throat and we returned to silence for a while then the three Kettle girls came down the stairs.

"Here's our little girls," Their new foster dad said. The foster parents reached out to take their hands but Lily pulled them away defensively.

"I'll take Poppy and Rosie," she said.

"Who would have thought two little girls would have so many bags?" the foster mum chuckled.

El and I definitely didn't, I thought.

We followed them out the door and to say our goodbyes. Carmen went inside the car and hugged all three off them. Her embrace with Lily was the most teary. "Don't forget to call me!" Carmen said between tears.

"Bye! Be good!" Mike called as the car started up. We all ran to the end of the driveway to wave them off properly. We all called our goodbyes as the car drove down the road.

•••

Liam and Frank were gone all day to Frank's Grandad's and Sapphire was busy doing art coursework in her room so I thought best not to disturb her. So, I grabbed my netball and went downstairs to practise shooting. As I strolled past the living room, Tee was leaving.

"Tee, you alright? Wanna practise with me?" I asked her but she scrunched her nose up.

"Tee? Tee who? I don't know anyone called Tee?" she snapped and walked away.

My eyebrows knitted together in confusion. I poked my head around the living room door where Carmen and Johnny were sat together. "I know loads of card games," Carmen told him.

"Good for you?" Johnny said rudely.

"You wanna play one?" Carmen suggested.

"No," Johnny said.

"Shall I help you with this one?" Carmen offered.

"No."

"You can put the-" Carmen began but Johnny cut her off.

"Which bit of 'no' don't you understand?"

Carmen stormed out of the living room. "Carms, fancy a-" I began.