The Coach's Daughter

Placement

"Excuse me, sleeping beauty? Wake up, the social worker is gonna be here in ten minutes." Lyle turned and faced me in the doorway.

"What time is it?" He sat up rubbing his eyes, "Where am I?"

"You're in my guestroom and it's almost noon."

He jumped out of bed revealing his plaid boxer shorts. "WE"RE LATE FOR SCHOOL!"

"Geez cover yourself." I joked gesturing twords his bare chest and underwear.

"Sorry." He slid on his t shirt from last night.

"We arn't going to school, my dad called all three of us in. Come on, I'll make us some lunch."

He sat down at the bar and put his head down. "How long have you been up?"

"I didn't go to bed." That was true, I stayed up reading all the books my parents gave me a few years back when we brought in a kid to live with us for a year when he was having family problems; the books were just going over basically how to get along with foster kids.

"Why? I woke you up at 2 am." He was quieter then usual, probably shook up about loosing his grandpa, house, and about to be put into a new one.

"Well," I placed a pb and j infront of him, "Who said I was asleep?"

Biting into his sandwich he looked up at me. 'You're so weird." He spoke with his mouth full.

Dad came rushing down the stairs Momma following close behind, both wore fancier then usual clothes, Dad had a tie on and Momma was wearing heels.

"Woah, you guys look nice." I looked down at my Santa printed pajama bottoms and tight fitted tank top, and Lyle's boxers and t shirt.

"Yes well you guys don't, Lyle after you finish that can you go and put on what you were wearing last night?" Dad asked him. He stuffed the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and put the plate in the sink.

"And Aurora, go put on that dress you wore for Christmas pictures last year, and fix your hair please." Mom slightly demanded as she started frantacly cleaning the kitchen.

Just was I buttoned the last button on my dress the doorbell rang. Confidently I stood behind my parents with Lyle as they greeted the social worker in.

She wore very tall heels and tripped over them as she strode into the kitchen. We all sat at the kitchen table and watched her unload her papers.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Mom asked her from across the table.

"Do you have any bottled water?" She asked looking up from her paperwork.

"Yes, Aurora do you wanna go and get that?" Mom asked.

"I would love to." I stood up and started to the garage.

"I'm gonna go with her." Lyle followed out to the garage. "Rory I'm really scared."

I gave him a confused look as I grabbed the water. "You'll be ok, my parents won't let you go to a place that's not safe."

"It's not that, I just don't want to leave Seaview. I don't want to leave football, or my friends, or school, or you, or anything." His eyes filled with tears as he desprately looked at me.

"You won't leave, I'll make sure of that." Giving him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek I walked past him and back into the house.

Back at the table the questions began: "What's your full name?"

"Lyle Frances Butler" I almost chocked on my water. His middle name was Frances.

"Who did you live with before the inccident?"

"My grandfather."

The social worker turned to my parents, "So we have a foster family avalible in San Diego, very sweet old couple."

Terror filled Lyle's face, San Diego was three hours away.

Dad spoke, "He need's to stay in Seaview."

"Well we have no avalible foster familes in Seaview sir." She spoke through gritted teeth.

"My wife and I have taken in kids into our home and had guardianship over them, we would like to have the same with Lyle."

Lyle and I both gasped at the same time and stared, mouths wide open at my dad.

"I supposed that can be done, you'll need to sign somethings."

"Lyle, Ella, please go upstairs." Dad instructed.

Once at the top of the stairs Lyle gave me the worlds biggest hug, "Did you know they were gonna do that?!" He released me only enough so I could look up.

"I had a feeling." I whispered back.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted you to be happy when it happened." I escaped out of his hug and grabbed his hand, "Come on, if you are gonna live here we need to talk."