We arrive at the diner, we both order the French toast and an order of hash browns with coffee. He tells me about how he ended up in foster care.
"I was a young little shit head. Thought everyone owed me everything. We arrive at the diner, we both order the French toast and an order of hash browns with coffee. He tells me about how he ended up in foster care.
"I was a young little shit head. Thought everyone owed me everything. Seriously I was an entitled little fuck. That was because my mom just picked up and left one day. I guess she decided she couldn't handle being a mother anymore. I was 8. I don't know my dad and the system couldn't locate him, so I went into foster care. I went through 7 families. The first one couldn't handle me. They'd lock me in my room and only let me out to go to school. They'd bring me food when dinner was ready and one day I lost my temper. They opened the door I went after them with a baseball bat."
He looks at me searching to see probably if I think he's a monster. But I just sit and listen and I feel his heartache. I can't hear it in his voice that he didn't mean to be that way, that he just wanted stability and love. He goes on spilling everything.
"My second home was an old man who had a heart attack, so of coarse I had to leave there. I actually liked him a lot. His name was Fred Jensen. He could have made me a better person. But he died 3 days later. My third home, I was doing ok in. They had a biological son my age and he was a great kid and I saw how he was treated and I wanted the same so I copied his behavior. Then my mom came back. She said she made a mistake and that she couldn't live without me anymore, so I went home. 5 days later she met a total asshole who was a drug dealer and she started doing drugs and CYS took me away. They were going to place me with the family I was with before my mom showed up but they were already fostering another boy. So my fourth home was these 2 gay guys and at the time I didn't understand much and was disgusted! I acted out and they called the foster home to come get me. My fifth home was a family that only took kids in to get the paycheck. They didn't care there was no guidance, I was skipping school and then I got picked up by the cops. Back to the foster home I went and their foster license was revoked. My sixth home I ran away from because the husband wanted me to blow him. So the seventh home was Brad's family."
He searched my eyes for surprise. But all he saw was happiness. I was so happy that Brad's family saved him. I can see why he is the man he is today, he reminds me of how Brad is. They have the same mannerisms.
"Now I see why both you and Brad are so respectable toward woman." I say with a smile.
I see gratefulness on his face and in his eyes.
"The Ferguson's saved me from myself, they saved me from destruction. I owe everything to them. Mrs. Ferguson is a beautiful person, an amazing mother and an amazing wife. Mr. Ferguson and an equally awesome person. He taught me so much about myself. He taught me to be a good man. How he treated Mrs. Ferguson was how he taught us to treat all woman. Brad became the brother I never had and he too is an amazing man. He accepted me from day one and it all became my safe haven."
"That's so great to hear Ivan. It's like your happy ending!"
"Well my happy ending hasn't happened yet but I have a feeling it's getting there. Check please!"
"I got the check."
The waitress hands me the check as Ivan rips it from my hand.
"No you don't! I have it."
"Thank you Ivan."
"You're welcome beautiful." He smirks at me.
We leave the diner and head back to the truck and he drives me home. I don't think I'm ready for this to end. We pull up outside my apartment and I invite him in.
