FOSTER

Part 5

           

Cady had to be put into a facility for troubled children for her hysteria. Tom and I were informed that she would be meeting the child's psychologist in the ward. We were flabbergasted by what we had experienced. We understood to a degree, children who were hysterical, but Cady was a whole other level of it. She was gravely hurt psychologically for years by her own mother. She accepted that pain was something that she deserved to feel, even when she was alone. She learned how to artificially adapt in new surroundings, hiding her anguish.

"Where can we find her, Tom?" I asked without pulling my head away from the glass on the ward's window.

"I'm not sure, Jen." He rubbed his hands on my shoulders. "A good start may be the neighborhood where the Buntons used to live in. Maybe even the house. No one has gotten around the property ever since the arrest."

"You think Olivia might come back?" I glanced at him.

"There's a possibility, yes."

I looked into the ward again. Watching Cady silently. She was sitting on the floor, drawing on a piece of white paper. In front of her was a woman, the child's psychologist. She was also watching Cady silently, giving her the time and space that she needed in drawing. She told Cady that she could write anything that she would like us to know. That way, she could start a conversation with Cady – something that Cady had never done with anyone.

"I could go to the house." Tom said.

"No." I straightened myself up and turned to Tom. "I'll go. If Olivia is really there, it's better for moms to talk together..." I bit my lip nervously, "or so I hope."

Tom let out a sigh. "Alright." He leaned in to kiss my forehead. "Just be careful."

"Okay." I curved a smile. "Take care of Cady."

I glanced into the room for one more time before leaving to the car.

I obtained Cady's old address from the foster care. It's about half an hour drive from the facility. I hope Olivia would be there. If not, I hope there's something that could lead me to her. Anything.

"Alright, Cady. Are you done with your drawing?" She asked.

Cady remained silent. She put both of her arms on the drawing, covering the surface of the paper completely.

"You can show me, Cady. I'm sure you drew wonderfully." She smiled. "Tom and Jennifer told me you loved drawing."

Cady hesitated for a while. She slowly removed her arms from the paper.

"Come show me." She opened her hand, signaling Cady to hand her the drawing.

Cady came to her knees and shifted the paper onto the psychologist's hand. The psychologist turned the paper to her view and began to examine the drawing.

I parked my car in front of the house. The heavy winter with its snow kept the house in shape. The look of the exterior was almost okay. Only the fact that there was thick snow surrounding it told you that nobody seemed to be in the house. I walked to the door, where a snapped off police line moved loosely along with the wind. I couldn't care less for manners right now. I opened the door without knocking.

A gush of cold winter air burst upon me. Gosh, it's freezing cold in here. I pulled my jacket tighter into my body.

"Hello?" I called out. I scanned around the living room. Everything was misplaced. They had probably been left the way they were since the night of the raid. I went to the wall and pushed the lamp switch. Nothing. The electricity went out. I decided to switch on the flashlight from my phone before moving deeper into the house.