Foster Girl

"Oh Shit"

"Hey Ms.Brown" I greeted at the neatly dressed woman that stood behind the counter. Like the stranger she was Harper emerged from the stairs and sat opposite of me on a stool.

"Hey stranger" she beamed.
"Hey yourself stranger, how Long's it been?"
"Six maybe three years" she joked.
"No, I think you're wrong its at least ten " I joked along.

We both laughed before enveloping each other in a long hug. Over Harper's shoulder I glanced at Ms.Brown who was shaking her head at us. We parted and sat back on the stools. "Did you do something different with your hair because the last time I saw you it was well a little different."

Harper straightened her stance in the stool before replying. "Yeah, I wanted a change so I decided to go with this look. Ya like?"
"No --" I replied.
Her face fell.
"I love it!" I cooed.
"Hey Harp you wanna get ice cream with me later at the park that's not too far away from here?"
"Sure, we can catch up and get a chance to talk since it's be a while." She responded.
I nodded back at her before digging into the pancakes that were looking quite attractive on my plate.

************************************

"So Harper what's been going on in your life ?"

"Nothing major except this is probably the last Sunday you'll see me here."
I blinked twice. "What do you mean the last Sunday here?" I inquired.

"While you were in Jamaica some stuff happened and one thing led to another and I have a home to live in now." She answered. This information was quite disturbing. Not because she got a home to live in but because she wouldn't be around anymore.

"I see that look on your face Shay and I know you want to hear more " Harper finalized. She knew me too well. "Originally I was in this foster home because my parents didn't want anything to do with me but a couple days after you left a really old lady and her husband came claiming they were my grandparents and that they had proof that I was."

"Of course it could have been a sham so Ms.Brown had the credentials checked and they took several Deoxyribinucleic acid tests and I was indeed related to them. Of course I was hesitant to go I mean come on who the fuck would want to go?"

"You do have a point there." I said.
Its funny how this summer I've learnt so much about the people around me. Honestly. "I thought about it for a few days and I decided that they were probably the only family and it just felt so good to be wanted that I agreed to go and live with them. Plus they're filthy rich." She said and then a small chuckle escaped her lips.

I could only smile. I was happy for her though because Harper deserved happiness more than anything and maybe reconnecting with someone she was related to could fix some of the damage that was already done. "Well when are you leaving?" I asked.

"I leave for The Hamptons tomorrow."
Wow The Hamptons. We were at the park now. I guess because of how much we had been communicating I hadn't even realized where my feet were going. " Well Harper its your last day here so might as well make it memorable enough for you to at least remember me a year from now when your a rich and even prettier girl." I half joked.

She laughed at my attempt at saying a touchy - feely heartfelt goodbye to her before a smile that seemed as if it stretched to her ears was plastered unto her face. I was trying though because I wasn't good with emotions neither mine nor other people's.

"So what do you propose we do on my last day in Chicago ?" She asked amusement on her face.
"Well I'm no Hamptons rich girl but I can buy you any type of ice cream that you want."
"Doesn't sound too bad for a non- Hampton rich girl." Harper joked.

"So, where shall we drown ourselves in frozen ice and delicious toppings?" I asked.
"I know a place." And then Harper started pulling me by my hand down the path.