Fulfilling A Dream

Chapter 5

As part of the adoption clearance process Sarah had decided to become an emergency foster carer to hopefully help her case. She had always liked the idea of fostering but hadn't done it as she was worried she would become to attacked to the children and would struggle to see them leave. Her solution to this had been to become an emergency foster carer that way the children or babies would only be with her a maximum of a week. She felt she could deal with this and not become too attached to them. Sarah was yet to have any children placed with her as she had only been cleared for just over a month. Sarah in her excitement had already bought some things like a travel cot and a push chair with a carry car seat. They were up in the loft now, her thinking behind buying them was that if she didn't use them for foster children then when she adopted she could use them or give them to a friend, plenty of her friends were starting families.

Sarah had been working all afternoon, her call had been 12:30pm and it was now 11pm and she was just driving away from the set now. It had been a good, busy day they had got through all the scenes they needed to and actually did a couple extra whilst it was still cooler outside following the rain. This would mean she would get Wednesday off as well as tomorrow. Right now however she just wanted to go to bed, tomorrow she was going to have the talk with Lily.

Sarah's phone buzzed on her nightstand. She rolled over in bed and looked at it, there on the screen was a text from Lily "I know you wanted time to think, but I'm going crazy, I need to talk to you. I'll be over in half an hour. Sooner we talk the sooner this awkwardness will be over xx"

"I really hope so Lily" Sarah sighed to herself.

Sarah jumped in the shower and got dressed. She towel dried her hair and brushed it, there wasn't time to dry it properly so it would just have to be curly today. She quickly put on a little makeup to hide the tiredness as she hadn't slept well the night before and if she had any hope of Lily wanting to go out with her it was probably best she didn't scare her half to death with her face first she laughed to herself. Just then the door bell rang, glancing at her watch she thought it was a bit early for Lily yet, she hadn't had chance to have any breakfast yet. Sarah hurried to answer the door taking a deep breath to calm her nervous first. Sarah opened the door "Hi Lil........" she trailed off. Standing on her door step was an slightly rounded man in his early 60's, he had a kind, gentle face. One you know you can trust before you even get to know him. He reached his had out to shake hers "Bill Porter" he introduced "You must be Ms Paulson" he said in a southern lilt.

"Yes, I am" Sarah said shaking his hand, still rather confused and stunned that wasn't Lily.

"I phoned you earlier but I'm guessing you were in the shower" he smiled. Sarah looked confused at this. Laughing slightly he pointed towards her head "The wet hair gave it away".

"Oh, it would" Sarah smiled.

"I'm a social worker" he explained. "According to our records you are one of our emergency foster carers" he paused waiting for Sarah to confirm.

"Yes, yes I am. But I have yet to have a child placed with me"

"Well that's about to change, I have your first one. Sorry about the short notice it tends to just be the way of the job. Are you ok to take her now? I'll give you a quick run down of the situation in a minute. Could I bring her in and we'll talk?"

Sarah was slightly panicked by all this. She knew it was going to happen at some point but she imagined she would have more time to prepare. This couldn't have come at a worse time, she needed Lily for support but they still hadn't had there chat yet. Smiling to hide her panic "Yes, bring her in, I'll put the kettle on and get the toy box"

Bill went to get the little girl from the car, while Sarah went and grabbed the box of toys she'd been putting together since she started this process from the cloak room. Sarah went and put it in the middle of the living room floor on the rug. Her house was quite open plan so the kitchen, dinning room and living room were in an upside down "L" shape so you could easily see into the sitting room from the bar counter in the kitchen and the dinning room. Sarah then went and put the kettle on, just as she was about to see where Bill was he appeared in the kitchen doorway with a little girls holding his hand.

She was really cute and very small, barely up to Bill's hip, probably only about 2. The little girl had straight dark brown hair down to her shoulders. She was wearing a pink shorts sleeve t-shirt with a purple butterfly on the front and a purple corduroy shirt, thick pale pink tights and little purple Doc Mcstuffins trainers. Sarah guessed she must really like purple.

"This is Maizie Jade Knight" he introduced "Maizie, this is Sarah, she's really nice. You're going to stay with her for a few nights" he smiled at the little girl who just looked at him with her dark brown eyes. Sarah walked over to her and knelt down in front of her "Hi Maizie, that's a very pretty name." Maizie just looked at her, not saying anything. "I've put some toys for you to play with in the living room if you want." Maizie nodded and took Sarah's out stretched hand, following her through to the toys. She took an immediate liking to a baby doll in a pink sparkly dress to Sarah's relief. "I'm just going to speak to Bill in the kitchen quickly, I'll be right back" Sarah reassured.

Bill and Sarah sat down at the table. "Sorry I can't stay long I've got other visits I have to go to I'm afraid but you've got my number" Sarah nodded. "Maizie's story is that her parents were killed in a car accident yesterday whilst she was at nursery. She has no other family and the neighbour who looks after her sometimes says she is to old to take her on full time but would still like to babysit now and again. She spent last night in a group home but didn't cope well, I feel it would be better for her to stay in a home setting. I'm still in the process of finding a more permanent foster home for her until we can look at putting her up for adoption. She'll probably only be with you for a couple of days. I left her suitcase in the hall, she wears pull ups at night and still has a dummy at night. Apparently they were in the process of weening her when all this happened so don't worry about her having it, but try and limit it to nap time and bed time. Any questions?" he smiled sympathetically at her.

"No I think that will do me for the time being" Sarah said slightly stunned.

"I know it's a lot to take in but call me if you need anything. Here are some likes and dislike about her, food, sleep routine all that kind of thing and here's the neighbours number, she is a lovely old lady, Mary I think her name was"

Bill said his good byes to Maizie and Sarah. She walked him to the door and waved him off. Just as she was closing the door she noticed Lily's car pulling into her drive. Sarah had completely forgotten Lily was even coming with everything that had just happened.