Among The Wolves

Foster Mom

My venture to the store was a lot less dramatic as my other trip had been. I was able to go in, browse, shop, buy and leave with no security chasing after me. After a night's rest under some pine trees I took irony water from a spigot and mixed it with my multivitamin protein powder. After eating a bag of cold, irony instant mashed potatoes I sat on a nearby bench and waited for the right time. Lins had mentioned about 9:00 they would leave the house. I did not know how far the foster home was from here but I guessed ten minutes. I already called a taxi that would meet us at a foundry that was over the ridge. I wanted the taxi to be waiting for us and not vice versa. Time was crucial. If we could make it to the taxi before Lins was discovered missing, then we could make a good headway.

I glanced at my watch, it was almost ten minutes before 9:00. There was still time to wait. Even so, I heard a vehicle turn into the parking lot. Peering through the pine tree,  I spotted a minivan parking in the corner of the lot. She was here early.

I stepped away and trotted to where our family gravestones were. I stood on a nearby pathway waiting, expecting my sister to come running over the hill that hid the parking lot. Before I saw anything, I heard voices. My brow burrowe. That was not right, perhaps I was mistaken and the minivan was not Lins.

With nothing to hide me but these monuments, I turned and faced them as if I was a griever.

“Kejyta!”

Turning my head, I spotted Lins running towards me, leaving a middle-aged woman behind her. I knew immediately what this meant. Toulinska informed the foster mom of what was going on. Nervously, I faced them. How much does she know? Are the police behind her?

I went on one knee to receive my sister. She flew into my arms with a happy squeal. “You kept your promise!”

I closed my eyes, hugging her closely, “Of course I did.”

Lins pulled away, holding her hands in front of my face. “Look at it! I painted my nails yesterday!”

Looking at her hands, then her face, I could see that she was not nearly as swollen as she was yesterday and the grey tint was absent. She looked more like a normal kid now.

“Whoa, it sparkles!”

“Ya!” she scrambled for her backpack, pulling a single paper out. “And I drew a picture of you!”

I audibly marveled at the drawing. Congratulating Lins on her good work.

Glancing up to study the approaching woman, I got on my feet. She had her mostly brown but graying hair up in a ponytail, the lines on her face indicated that she was a woman of experience. A part of me anticipated that I would look like that twenty years down the road, if not sooner.

Determined to set a proper first impression, I took a step toward her and held my hand out. Lins held on to my side. “Hello, my name is Kejyta.”

The woman seemed partially startled but recovered quickly, shaking my hand firmly. “I honestly didn't know what to think when Lins told me her sister was back from the dead.” The woman scoffed at herself, “You two look so much alike. There's no denying the relation.”

I half smiled, looking at Lins before looking back up. The woman had a faraway look in her eye, she murmured, “Seems impossible though…” She shook her head. “Name's Nilease, by the way.”

A genuine smile captured my lips, “I am grateful to have met you. Lins told me that you have been wonderful to her.”

Nilease raised a knowing eyebrow. “Did she now?”

“Yes.”

After a second of silence, Nilease tilted her head to the side, “May we speak privately?”