We soon arrived back at the care home. We walked through the door to find Paul and my social worker stood in the doorway. Once again I felt nervous. I'm not the one who usually gets in trouble a lot. I was lost for words.
"Paul, I..." I started before I was interrupted.
"Stop." My social worker held out a finger on front of me. "Before you start making excuses, there's someone here to see you."
"Who?" I asked, my eyes flickering between the two of them.
"Remember I told you about getting in contact with your brother, Charlie? Well..."
My heart started racing. He was here? I felt Josh soothingly rub my back. He looked just as surprised as I was. From round the corner a boy, or should I say man, emerged from round the corner. He wore a white shirt over his broad shoulders and black trousers, it looked like he had just left work. He looked around 25-26 years old. His dark brown hair fell perfectly and he smiled through his perfectly straight white teeth.
"Lauren!" His deep voice said.
"Charlie?" I replied.
We then had one of those "cheesy film" moments. The ones where the family are reunited and they hug and everything. I guess you could put it like that. Tears brimmed my eyes. I was speechless. My brother was actually here. I held onto him tightly. When we finally released Paul led us once again into his office. I gave Josh a tight hug while he waited in the living room. Already Maddie and Emma were bombarding him with questions.
Me and Charlie both took the seats opposite Paul's desk. He sat down on the other side with a big grin on his face.
"I'm glad you're both together again." He grinned.
"Thank you so much Paul!"
"It's my pleasure. There's also one other thing. Charlie, would you like to tell her?"
I turned to face my brother, eager to find out.
"Well.." He started. "How would you feel about coming to live with me?" His smile was beautiful, showing his cute dimples. This probably sounded wrong, but he was quite hot.
"No way! For real!?" I bolted up in my seat. "I'd love to!" My heart felt as if it would pound out my chest.
"Great!" My brother replied.
"Then its sorted. Lauren, hurry and pack your things. It's a long drive to Carrington." Paul instructed me and I quickly obeyed.
I rushed out the office to find Josh sat on his own on the sofa. I grabbed his hand and pulled him upstairs into my room to tell him the news, my smile wider than ever.
He took a seat down on my bed while I was still beaming a smile at him.
"What's going on?" He laughed.
"I'm going to live with my brother!" I exclaimed.
"No way!" He stood up. "That's amazing news. I'm so happy for you!" He pulled me into a hug and I held him tightly.
"I told you everything works out perfectly. Where does he live?" He asked.
"I'm so happy. And Paul said Carrington." I replied bursting with excitement.
Josh immediately dropped his smile when I told him.
"Carrington? Umm...that's great Lauren" he looked disappointed.
"Yeah it's awesome. What's wrong. Aren't you happy?" I was confused.
"Of course i'm happy. It's just that....I'll miss you..a lot."
"It's not that far away. It'll be like I haven't moved, I mean I'll still see you in school and everything silly." I joked.
"Lauren, Carrington is about 10 hours away from here."
"Wait, what? It can't be."
"It is. Right now might be the last time I ever see you."
Hearing that gave me the worst feeling ever.
