White to Red

Filth

"Miss. Owens, you know I hate to take your kids from you." Mr. Banks tightens his tie. "Your house isn't fit for them. Walls cracking their rooms as small as closets and no food in the pantry, besides expired Mustard." Mr. Banks shoves paperwork forward. "Lucky for you we already have a sponsor parent ready." I look towards mom, her eyes are full of tears. "So fast? I thought I had two weeks." I can see Mom counting on her fingers, trying to stay calm.

"You do. But Mrs. Rowe has offered to foster them now. She claims she knows your family." Mom raises her eyebrows but I instantly pop up. "That's my girlfriend's mom!" I smile. "Your girl-what?" Mom starts. "You have some discussing to do later." Mr. Banks cuts back to the paperwork in front of them.

"You can have your two weeks left with them, and have them shipped off to a random stranger to foster them. Or have your supposed friend do it. And let me remind you if your house and life get more stable you can adopt them if they aren't already." Mr. Banks raised his eyebrows. "I hate to force this on you but." He handed mom a pen.

"Mrs. Rowe is nice?" Mom turned to me her mascara ruined. "Very nice," I say quietly. Mom turns to sign, "wait. Shouldn't I get a say?" I stand up. "You're just a filthy child so absolutely not." Mr. Banks rubs his hands together. "Oh, I'M filthy?!" I usually don't yell at adults but this called for it. "YOU TEAR FAMILIES APART SO YOU CAN AFFORD TO FEED YOUR FAT EGO." His eyes widen. "See this is why they need a new family." My body takes control of itself and I smack him hard across the face. Mom's eyes are wide and she's pressed up against her seat.

"Get this child out of here." Mr. Banks presses a napkin across his face. A security man pulls me out of his office and into the kiddy play area. I sit and cry, cry for my loss of my true mom, cry for being humiliated, cry for everything. "Rowen?" Charlie sits down next to me. "Not right now." I shove him away. "Rowen." He sidles over to me again. "No!" I slam him harder then I mean. And instead of crying he looks at me and says. "Momma says it'll be fine." He then leaves to play with a boy his age. "Kid's," Mom stands at the door to the child play area. "C'mon we need to go and pack up. You're going to Mrs. Rowe's." I go over and hug her uncontrollable crying. She grabs Charlie and we go home.

I don't have much to pack just a few clothes and my excess pair of shoes, my clock, my pillow, and my few books. Mom helps Charlie pack.

"Professional driver!" Charlie squeals as he sees the black car that will take us away from mom. "Yes, Charlie." Mom hugs him and says she loves him. She then moves to me. "I'll fix this Rowen I promise." She clenches her fist. "I'll get a job!" She hugs me and we cry into each other's shoulders. The car honks, so we hurry our goodbyes and get in the car.

"Where we going?" Charlie hugs his ripped teddy bear. "Diana's" I sigh. "OO! Diana" Charlie smiles. "Wynter and Brynn?" I nod and he smiles harder.

We hold our stuff and knock on the door, the door is quickly opened by Robin. "Oh, you poor kids!" She hugs Charlie hard and then hugs me harder. "I had to do this Rowen, I'm going to try and keep you both until your mom is capable." I want to yell she is capable but I know she isn't. Diana is behind Robin I notice tears fresh on her face. "Rowen." She shoves me back to her room. "Mom set up a sleeping bag, she want's to get a bed but this was so fast- though I'd rather you sleep with me anyway." She pulls me into her bed.

"I would kiss you, but it's not an appropriate time. "It's always an appropriate time." I wipe away my tears, she leans down and kisses me passionately. The kiss is more than a kiss it's faith.

We spend the rest of the day together though by together maybe more than just sleeping but you get what I mean. Robin leaves us alone.

The next morning I feel Diana's love and my love for her. It's a Saturday but it might as well be a Monday, I feel the filth of losing a mom. I lay in her bed thinking and crying. I'm not religious but when something goes wrong in a book they pray so I decide I should too.

"God I don't know if your there and you probably aren't but if you are, please help mom find a job, please! Let me go home to my true mom." I pray viciously. I feel stupid holding my hands together like I'm going to clap them and talking into the air but I do it anyway. "Oh God please! I'm giving it my all." My eyes leak like the great flood. "Am I Noah, but as a girl named Rowen? Am I meant to float on a boat safe with Diana but watch everyone around me drown? Is this what You want God?" I think of mom. "Watch my own blood, my mom drown? This is what you want God!" I slam the bed as hard as I can.

"Rowen.." Diana grips me. I look her in the eye, "I need my mom." She grips me harder. "Rowen." I stare her hard in the face. "I was fine! Why'd they inspect the house? Wait.." I eye her with suspicion. "What? No.." She stammers. "You! You reported her, didn't you? So that I could be ripped from my true family." I throw myself away from her.

"I had to Rowen, I couldn't stand you living there."