7
Vanessa, in true lawyer fashion, barely blinks when I tell her what Cami had told me the day before. I'm grateful for her professionalism, because I know that if she'd gotten upset I would've lost it and cried again, like I had when I'd gotten home the night before.
"So here's the deal." She reiterates what I'd learned the night before, that there's a 2-month process to become certified as a foster parent, and that even if I complete it, Cami would have to be approved to enter a single family placement. So basically, I'm never getting her out of there.
Vanessa takes a sip of her coffee. "Unless..." I perk up, interested.
"Unless?"
"Well, there's something called an emergency placement. The state could rush your certification and get Cami out of there in a couple of weeks. But, that would require a ruling that she is not physically or psychologically safe in her group home. Which would mean-" I sit back, defeated.
"She'd have to talk."
"Listen, Pippa. This could work! You could get her out of there. Try talking to her again. It sounds like she's really starting to trust you."
"I just wish it was enough."
~
A week later, I walk into the ensemble girls' dressing room to see Cami standing by Ari, who has a perplexed look on her face. "Ari," Cami laughs as she speaks. "It's easy. Take the right side under over under, then the left." They're standing behind Carleigh, whose hair is parted down the middle. Cami's in the midst of weaving some elaborate braid in the left half, while Ari just appears to be tying strands in knots out of frustration. Carleigh's the first one to see me.
"Thank god you're here. Please get this demon's hands out of my hair before I lose all feeling in my scalp," she jerks her head at Ari. I laugh and wave her off.
"Camiiiiii! Another masterpiece!" I hip bump her as I admire the braid she'd done on Carleigh. My heart swells as I see her laughing and joking around with the girls. I love how comfortable she was becoming around the people who'd become my second family. They care about her too. The day I'd met with Vanessa, Lin had pulled me into his dressing room during intermission.
~
"Pippa Soo. Are you doing okay?" I see the concerned look in his eyes and know instantly what he's talking about.
"Vanessa told you??"
"Hey, we're married. She's contractually obligated to. Anyways. Are you gonna talk to Cami about the emergency thingy?"
"I don't know. I mean-I want to do anything to get her out of there. But, what if she comes to live with me and I don't know how to take care of her? Or I do something wrong and they take her away from me and someone starts hurting her again?" I'm rambling now, and I know Lin can tell how upset I am.
"Listen Pippa. One, you would be an incredible foster parent to Cami or to anyone else. And two, you don't have to do it alone. You have me, and Renée and Jasmine, and Daveed, and this whole big crazy cast. We're your family Pippa, and we're not gonna let you fall."
"Ugh. Why are you so good at the words??" I hug my friend.
"It's what they pay me for!" Just then, we hear the places call for act 2 and Lin runs for the wings.
~
"Hey Cam? They're gonna clean Room Where It Happens for the next couple of hours, so I'm ready to go whenever you're done with all of...this" I gesture at the shambles of Ari's braid, earning an eye roll from her.
"Yeah, okay! I just need to grab my stuff out of your dressing room!" Cami had gotten special permission to be away from her foster home overnight, and she was sleeping over at my apartment after hanging out at the theatre with the cast all afternoon. I knew this was going to be my opportunity to talk about fostering her, but first I was going to have to get up the courage to do it.
We walk out of the theatre with Jasmine, who was going to come hang out for a couple of hours while Anthony has "bro time" with Oak and Daveed. I see Cami shiver in the late October air and quickly pull off my scarf, wrapping it around her neck and ignoring her protests. "Cam, you are SHAKING. Wear the scarf." She consents, pulling it higher up on her neck. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jazzy give me a sideways glance, and grab her arm so we fall back as the three of us walk towards the subway.
"What was that look??"
"Oh come on, like you don't know." Jasmine looks at me, clearly amused. "You're such a MOM with her!! Giving her your scarf, always trying to give her food, you know."
"I am not!" I say, suddenly defensive. "I just care about her. A lot." Jasmine's voice softens.
"I know, that's really clear, and I think she cares about you too. That's not a bad thing! You need to let yourself get attached to people." I know she's talking about Steven, and am about to reply when Cami turns around.
"Okay honestly, I've just been walking in a straight line because I have absolutely no idea where I'm going." I laugh and grab her hand while Jasmine dramatically gestures at the subway station directly to our right.
"Well, your spidey senses are clearly working then. Come on, let's get out of the cold."
Three hours, one veggie pizza, and an embarrassing number of "New Girl" episodes later, Jasmine gets up off the couch with a groan. "Alright, Ant's home and probably drunk so I gotta go take embarrassing videos of him." She gives Cami a hug and drops a kiss on the top of my head before heading for the door.
"As long as I get to see said videos I'm not complaining. Get home safe Jazz!" I get up and lock the door behind her, then turn to look at the teenager splayed on my couch.
"Hey Cami, can I talk to you about something?"
**********
GUYS a lot of people are reading this I'm so shook!
Also we're in the middle of a snow-pocalypse so expect all the updates
YOU ARE READING
The Uncanny Accuracy of Fate
Fanfiction... Camille Beckett and Phillipa Soo have been living only miles apart for years, though their paths have never crossed. It's amazing what a masterclass and a musical can do. Who knows, maybe it's fate!
