All Roads Lead Home (Book #1)

Chapter 7

"Can't you just wait? She just buried her father. Does this really have to happen right now?"

"I'm sorry Mrs. McCourt, but it does. We must get her into a foster home until she's 18. I need to speak with her right now."

Oh no. I don't want to leave. I want to stay here with Ethan and Ava. I want to take Halloween and hide in their cubby under the stairs. Don't take me away.

"We'll take her. She'll be 18 in a month. Just let her stay with us and you can come and do whatever check-ins you need to do at our house." Yes! Listen to Ethan! I like that plan. That way I can keep living life as normally as possible considering everything that's been going on now. Please, please, please. Just listen to Ethan.

"I'm sorry Mr. McCourt, but I can't allow that."

"Why not? We are legal citizens with paying jobs, plenty of room in our house and the state wouldn't even have to pay for her to stay with us. We don't need it. She would be better to stay with us where she knows the people she's living with and she trusts us. We've always been like a second family to her ever since her mom left. Don't take her away; not now. It's a month. Can't you find it in your heart Ms. Thompkins to let her stay with her last remaining family? We'll be her foster family," Ava argued.

"We'll sign whatever papers you need signed, just don't take her."

"As much as I don't want to do this Mrs. McCourt, I simply can't allow it. The paperwork that is required to become a foster family takes months to be approved. It simply won't work. Now, please, go get Krystah and have her get her things ready or I'll have the police come and forcibly remove her from the home."

"But..." I see Ethan put his hand on Ava's arm. He's giving up on me.

"There's no need to get the police involved. That'll just upset her even more," Ethan says with a defeated sigh. "Can she bring her car with her?"

"Unfortunately, she can't. It's our policy to not allow kids who drive to take their vehicles with them. They tend to run that way." What about Halloween? Ask her Ethan. Ask her!

"What about her cat, Halloween? Can she bring him? She needs him, especially now."

"Unfortunately, the only family that can take her on such short notice doesn't allow pets. Mrs. Crooks is deathly allergic to cats. So no, she can't."

"Well then she doesn't go either. She needs Halloween. He's all she's got left besides us."

"Well sadly Mrs. McCourt, none of us have a choice in the matter. The cat stays and she is coming with me today willingly, or by force. I'll let you decide." What a bitch! I'm not going without Halloween. She can't make me.

I watch as Ethan bows his head slightly and Ava runs her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"Okay. I'll go and get her and her things ready. Like I said, no need to involve the cops." Oh shoot, I have to move. Too late! I fall on my butt trying to scoot backwards away from the door. "Krystah! Did you just hear that entire conversation?" I nod my head yes and more tears start to fall.

"Okay. Come here," Ava says as she sits down beside me on the stairs. I sob into her shoulder as she pulls me close. "I know sweetheart. We tried to fight for you, but you can't argue with the state," she says as she rubs small circles into my back.

"Why can't we Ava? I don't want to leave! You're my only family I have left," I say through more sobs.

Ava looks up at Ethan before speaking again. "It won't be for too long sweetheart. You'll be fine," Ava says trying to calm my fears.

"What about Halloween? He's going to think I'm abandoning him," I say through more sobs.

"We'll look after Halloween for you. We really are sorry." Ava's hug and words feel so nice I almost forgot how easily Ethan gave up when Ava was going to keep fighting.

"Ethan, you gave up fighting for me. Ava was going to keep fighting but you stopped her. You didn't try hard enough and now I'm going to shipped off to who knows where and I can't even take Halloween with me! I'm losing everything!" I break down again and sink further into the bottom step.

"Krystah, I didn't give up on you. Ms. Tompkins just wasn't going to cave. And I know it feels like you're losing everything, but most of it is only temporary. You'll be back in a month and everything will start to go back to normal. You'll see. Now you have to pack some stuff to take with you. Do you want some help? I can get Jenn to help..."

"No, I want Jayden to help me. He's the only one that seems to understand."

"Krystah we do understand. This is just a difficult situation-" Ethan begins to pull me into a hug.

"I just want Jay. Please," I say as I pull away from him.

Ethan nods his head. "Okay. I'll go get him."