My Foster Mom Wanted A Daughter - Book 2 Of A Series

Chapter 9: Escape

Cecilie and Marie, the tall, blonde girl, also rode the same school bus with Angelo, though they got off several stops before he did.

During the ride, Angelo found out that Marie wanted to be a journalist and that Cecilie wanted to write and perhaps become Hollywood screenwriter. Both were on the school literary magazine, and Angelo volunteered that he had written some short stories on Wattpad, himself.

"Maybe you can get published in the Winged Verse," Marie said.

"Winged Verse?" "Yes, that's the name of the school's literary magazine," Marie said. "I'll show you a copy tomorrow."

Angelo felt like skipping to Mary Elizabeth's house as he got off the bus. After a scary beginning, Angelo felt that the school day had ended marvelously. He loved his new friends, and best of all, they accepted him, just as he was. He couldn't wait to tell Mary Elizabeth.

He rounded the corner onto the street heading to his house and stopped suddenly, ducking behind bushes in front of a home two doors away.

In front of his foster mother's home were two cars. Four people were exiting those cars, including the hateful Miss Pentecost of Social Services, Anna Simms, the social worker, and two uniformed officers. Angelo knew immediately they must be coming to take him away.

He watched as Mary Elizabeth opened the door for the four and although he couldn't make out what was said he could tell she was arguing with them.

Miss Pentecost showed his foster mother a pack of papers with a blue cover. Mary Elizabeth looked at them with obvious disgust, muttered something and opened the door to let them enter.

Angelo's stomach twisted in knots and he felt like he was going to cry, but he knew he couldn't let that slow him down. He had to figure out what he was going to do and he had to think fast.

He knew he couldn't go home; they'd take him away. But, if he didn't come home, where would he go?

He decided he would have to go somewhere they'd never look for him, because if they ever found him, they'd definitely put him in another foster home or maybe a group home, maybe even juvenile detention.

He buried himself deeper into the bushes, well hidden by the heavy late summer foliage. He told himself: "I must not cry. I must be strong." But what was he to do?

His only friend was Tanya, why couldn't he go there and maybe she would be able to help him come up with an idea? It was only a mile away, a walk of no more than 20 minutes, and Tanya should be home from school. He knew Tanya's mother worked, and wouldn't be home and he could stay an hour or so with Tanya until he figured out what to do.

It was the obvious choice, and Angelo emerged from the thicket of bush and headed toward Tanya's house, running most of the way.

He was fighting back tears, but they flowed anyway, as he cried about his worries for his own future and over the pain he was causing his foster mother, Mary Elizabeth, a woman who had respected him for whom he was.

"Angela!"

Tanya was surprised to see Angelo standing there, looking as he did when she opened the door.

"What happened to you? You look awful, and you've been crying."

"I don't know what to do, Tanya," Angelo said.

"Come in and tell me about it. Together we'll figure it out." Tanya took Angelo's hand and pulled him inside, closing the door behind him.

They took a seat on the couch and Angelo proceeded to tell Tanya about seeing the child welfare people at his foster mother's home and how it looked.