The Fosters- Room for one more

Little Girl to Young Woman

Marie's P.O.V

School is out for summer so I'm at home, laying on the couch, watching Encanto. It's hard to believe that I'll be going to 6th grade in the fall. Tbh I didn't think i did so good last school year.

"Marie, honey, can you come up here please?" I hear mama say. 

She's not officially my mama yet but fingers crossed I'll get adopted soon. I've been with the fosters for a while.

"Sure mama. I'm coming." I say as I quickly go upstairs to their room.

"Hi. Everything ok?" I asked trying not to sound nervous.

"Yes. Everything is fine, love. We just want to talk to you about something." Mom said.

"Something important." I hear mama chime in.

"Oh ok."  Say as I sit on their bed.

"Well, as you transition from elementary to junior high, there's gonna be some changes in your life and we want you to know you don't have to be scared." Mama says as she holds my hand.

"What kind of changes?" I ask looking at them very confused.

"Well, you may notice you start getting hair in some odd places. That's completely normal." I heard mom say.

"This is puberty. You're becoming a young woman. This happens as early as 8 years old. And you're almost 11. We wanted you to know that we are here for you as you start going thru these changes. And if you ever have any questions you can come to us." Mama says as she hugs me.

"So hair in odd places. What else?" I asked while kinda curious as to what's gonna happen to me.

"Umm well, you're gonna start getting breasts. So we would take you shopping for some training bras. And we will help you how to put it on. And you'll start getting a period. A period comes once a month. You bleed for 3-6 days once a month. And you'll have cramps and aches and fatigue and acne. All that is normal." Mom said.

"What's a period?" I looked at them confused.

"Right. I forgot to explain. As you become a young lady, you have eggs in your uterus. All girls have that. And once you reach a certain age, you'll shed the egg for a few days once a month. 2 weeks before you're expected period, the egg sets up. That's called ovulation but that's a conversation for another time" mom says.

"So a period is where I bleed and shed a egg once a month? Sounds painful." I don't want a period.

"It can be. There's medicine and heating pads to help with the pain. And there's options for your period. Some wear tampons, some wear pads and some wear Thinx. And there's lots more options" mama said.

"Wow!" I said sounding astonished.

"This a pad. You put the sticky part in the underwear, like this so the pad part absorbs the blood." Mom says as she gives a demonstration. Seems easy enough.

"And this is a tampon. But that's more advanced so you won't be needing that for a while." Mama says and she hands me the tampon.

"Wow. How do you put it on?" I ask.

"It would go in your vagina. It's not as easy as most women say. I don't even use them." Mom says.

"Wouldn't that hurt?" I asked looking at them.

"It can to some. That's why it's not recommended to young ladies who first get their period." Mama says.

"Oh ok. Wow. This sounds scary." I say.

"It can. And we're here every step of the way. You're going from little girl to young woman. We went thru it. Callie went thru and Mariana went thru it. So you have nothing to worry about." Mom says as she hugs me.

"Thank you. And thank you for being there for me. I love you."

"And we love you too." They both say simultaneously.

*while later*

So I'm in the bathroom, washing my hands, curious about what they said about getting hair in odd places. So naturally I take my shirt off and lift my arms and specs of hair on my armpits.

"Hmmm. This must be what they mean. That wasn't there before." I talk to myself.

Then I hear a knock on the doors

"Are you ok, marie? You been in there for a while." The hear Mariana ask.

"Yea. I'm ok." I say as I put my shirt on.

I come out of the bathroom and see Mariana looking concerned.

"Moms told me and Callie they had the talk with you. If you ever need anything we're here for you." Mariana says as she hugs me.

"Thank you, Mariana. I appreciate it." I hug her back.

I walk away and go back to my room, I think to myself- "puberty? Period, breasts, hair in places, cramps and more? Sounds scary. I really hope I'll be ok."

I lay in bed and read my book til moms call us down for dinner.