Thank You Shane

The Call

I sit with Lisa and Shane on their couch while we watch hoarders.
It's 2 in the afternoon, I have been here for only a week.
"I can relate to him. Having thousands of old scripts is basically my life." Shane says.
"Haha. Yes. This man is so you in a couple more years."

And then, the phone rings.
"Lisa, please get the get phone..." Shane groans.
"It's right next to you!"
"But it's just... too... far."
Lisa grabs the phone and answers with the most pleasant hello.
"Hello?"
{switching to LISA'S POV}
I hear an old man on the other end.
"This is the authorities. Mrs. and Mr. Drouser reported a lost child weeks ago. We just tracked down their daughters phone to your location, miss."
Daughter? They're alive?
I look over to Cat and Shane, cuddling together on the couch.
I decide to go to the other room.
"Yes, she came here about 5-6 days ago, claiming her parents were dead. We have been taking care of her and planned to bring her to the cities adoption center as soon as we could."
"Miss, her parents are alive and well. She just walked into your home?" the man didn't sound too soothing.
"My boyfriend saw her alone outside in the rain, and we decided to take care of her until we were able--"
"Miss, please come to the station immediately."
Oh no.
"Y-yes, we're able to come--"
I couldn't finish. The other line hung up.
I walked into the living room, and turn off the TV.
"Lisa!! What's your problem? They were about to show the after shots!" Shane yells.
"Cat, I just got off the phone with the police. Your parents have been looking for you."
Shane's eyes widen at me. "Is this one of your little jokes, Lisa? Her parents aren't alive."
I look down and shake my head. "Cat? What do you have to say?"
<switching to Cats's POV>
I look over to Shane who had the most worried look on his face.
My parents? Looking for me?
I must have said that out loud without knowing it, because Lisa butts in.
"Why wouldn't they be?"
I look up at her, and snap back into reality.
"My parents never have time for me."
Lisa sits down next to me and gives me a big hug. "What do you mean? Why not?"
I squirm away and look down. "I was adopted about 4 years ago, by... them."
"Them?" Shane says.
"My parents," I reply quick. "I'm not even sure why they adopted me. Yes, I get whatever I desire, but they never talk to me. Only at dinner do they ask about school, and my friends. They're always busy with phone calls. I heard my dad once say I was only adopted so they could be known as the nice parents who care about others... it's good for his reputation, as he says."
Lisa puts her hand over to her mouth. "We'll let the authorities know what's going on here."
------- CAT'S POV
We walk inside the police station and I see my parents as soon as I walk in.
My dad is on the phone. Talking about some car he tried to sell.
My mom looks up from her iPad and smiles. "There you are! We have been worried. Let's get you home now."
She grabs my arm and then Shane grabs my other.
My mom looks at Shane and frowns. "Let go of my daughter, who do you think you are?"
Shane pulls me close. "Ma'am, how do you spell your daughters name?"
She looks at me and then back at Shane. "You think I don't know how to spell my own daughters name?"
Shane doesn't say anything back.
"C-A-T-H-E-R-I-N-E." She says, and of course she didn't know. This made me be embarrassed a little, because I remember trying to explain to her many times it's spelled Cathron.
Shane looks over at the man over at the counter. "Sir, Cathron's parents have neglected her for the past 4 years. She feels as if they do not care about her."
My mom sets her iPad into her huge purse and pulls down her top a bit. "Likely story. I have never seen you ever, in my, entire life."
The man behind the counter looks down at me.
I look over to my mom. "Mom, I explained to Shane and Lisa everything. And I think it's enough proof that you can't even spell your own daughters name, that I have been neglected." I look back at the man. Sir, my mom adopted me for reasons I can't understand. They use me for money."
The man lifts up his glasses. "For money?"
I nod. "My father once said that I'm used for people to think they're more welcoming, because they have adopted me."
---
I am currently sitting with a tall lady in a little room. Supposedly some "court information" is being settled in the other room.
"So, you liked to be called Cat?" the tall woman says.
I nod.
She takes off her glasses and rests her hand on my knee. "Cat, you are so beautiful. I am not supposed to necessarily talk to you about this, but, I am going to let you know that everything will be okay."
I smile, showing her agreement. Which, I don't have a lot of.
As she looks away from my eyes, and back to her magazine, I frown.
I'm probably going straight back to the foster care.
Or maybe my father will take action and get his lawyers involved. And I will have to stay with him and mom.
The lady looks up from her magazine again and clears her throat. "Cat, is everything alright?"
I feel my face get red. "Everything is fine."
And then, we both jump as the door creaks open. There we see Shane, with arms opened.
I run up to him and give him the biggest hug.
I look at the tall lady and smile.
"Cathron! You won't believe it. Your parents gave up on you!"
I laughed. "They did!"
The tall lady looks confused, and that is what makes me laugh more.
"We're also going to adopt you." Lisa holds my hands.
I step back and look at them both. "You-you are?"
"Paperwork and paperwork...." Shane laughs.