Foster

Chapter 8

3 weeks later: While we were making our plans in the basement, the doorbell rang. "Go get it." Kobe said to me. I ran upstairs and opened it. It was Tyler and Ricky. "Mommy had to go back to work, so she dropped us off." Tyler said. "Oh, okay. Why don't you take your coats and shoes off, and watch Spongebob, you know how to work the TV, right Tyler? And Ricky, you know not to put anything in your mouth, or touch anything right?" I asked. "Of course!" they said in unison, and took their coats and shoes off and raced to the family room. "I'll be coming to check on you guys periodically." I said heading back to the basement. "Back." I said. "Who was it?" Angel asked. "Just the kids, Elaine dropped them off, and they're fine. Watching Spongebob." I said. "Good." Angel said. "So, let's watch this film on how these kids got revenge on their neighbor." Kobe said closing the cap on his pen, and turning the TV on. We were watching the film and apparently didn't hear the doorbell ring.

After twenty minutes, we heard Tyler screaming and coming downstairs into the basement. "HELP! HELP! RICKY HAS RED BUMPS ALL OVER HIM AND HE CAN'T BREATHE!!" Tyler shrieked. Angel started crying and pushed past Tyler upstairs, and we all followed after her. Ricky was on the kitchen floor struggling to breathe. "What happened?" Angel said sobbing and holding him in her arms. "He..someone came and they brought us cookies! She said they were cinnamon cookies." Tyler said. "HE'S ALLERGIC TO CINNAMON! KOBE REACH IN THE DRAW LABELED MEDICATIONS AND GET TYLER'S EPI-PEN!!" Angel shouted. Kobe fumbled towards the draw and pulled it out. Angel grabbed it and stabbed it in Tyler's leg. I ran over and checked his pulse. It wasn't beating. "Uh, guys.. he's not breathing." I said. Kobe dialed 911 and told them to come quick. After seven minutes, they came. We let them take away Ricky. "Please, can we come with you!" Angel asked. One of the EMT's shook his head. "Please! That's my brother." she said crying. "Come on then." he said. Angel followed him and got inside, and left immediately. "Who gave you those cookies?" I asked Tyler. "A lady with a pink dress, pink heels, and nail polish." he said. "Mrs. Bedford." Kobe and I said in unison.

That night Elaine and Robert came home with Angel and Ricky. They did not look happy. We all had a meeting in the family room. "Obviously, the three of you, and Alyson is responsible for these two. And it's almost Christmas!" Robert said pointing at Ricky and Tyler. "Tyler, you do the explaining since you were there." Elaine said. "The doorbell rang, and I opened it and a lady wearing all pink had a plate of cookies, and she said to share with the family, and I closed the door and we ran to the kitchen to eat them. Ricky had four and then he stooped eating them and he couldn't breathe and he had red bumps all over him!" Tyler said. "Dad! It's Mrs. Bedford." Angel said. "She also said to make sure that Ricky gets the most." Tyler said. "She's babysat Ricky before, we told her he was allergic to cinnamon, you don't think she did it on purpose?" Elaine asked. "She did!" Angel, Kobe, and I said all together. "Now where in Sam heck is Alyson?" Robert asked. At that moment Alyson came downstairs. "Hey daddy, what's up?" she asked hoping on the counter. "Its not time to hey daddy me, Ricky was in the hospital." Robert said. "What? Oh..really? Gee what happened?" she asked. The way she asked sounded like she knew! "Mrs. Bedford brought cinnamon cookies." I said. "So?" Angel said. "He's allergic!" Angel said crying. Ricky was on the couch asleep. "Okay?" Alyson said. Angel squinted her eyes at her. "Now, we're all going to keep an eye on him for tonight." Robert said. He headed to his little office. "Uh, Mr. Metts." I said before he left. "Yes?" he asked. I ran to him and whispered: I think Alyson had something to do with it, she didn't seem like she cared." I said. "Well that's Alyson for ya, she wouldn't turn her back against the family." he said. I looked at my toes. "Hey, and call me dad," he said winking. When I got back to the family room, Alyson was gone, and Kobe and Angel were on the couch watching Ricky, and Elaine had dinner going. I went over and sat on the other couch and looked at Ricky. He was pale. His soft brown hair was matted against his face. "Poor guy," I whispered. Angel finally had stopped crying and rubbed his back. "I love him so much, if I ever lost him...I'd go with him." she said. My heart felt numb. I've never had any one love me like that.

"I'm going to go take a walk." I said. I put on my coat and left out. I walked down the neighborhood and stopped at Mrs. Bedford's house. The door opened and I dived into a bush and peeped. It was Alyson! She smiled and said "Bye Mrs. Bedford!" and skipped down the street to our house. What was that about? I thought. I decided to follow Alyson when Mrs. Bedford caught me. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Uh, I just wanted to see how pretty you're rose bush is. Ouch." I said picking off some thorns. "Oh, well I do make a perfect gardener don't I?" she asked. I nodded. "Did you know that Ricky is allergic to cinnamon?" I asked. "Heaven's no." she said. I glared at her. "Oh you knew! You could've killed him!" I said. "Dear, please leave," she said. I was boiling angry. "You leave." I said stepping closer to her. I clenched my fist tight. "Leave." she demanded. I took a step even closer. In fact, I walked right up to her, I was ready to punch her. She smiled. "You could have killed him." I said between clenched teeth. "I don't care," she said. I punched her in the eye, lip, and stomach. I was raged. "YOU DON'T CARE?! HUH? DON'T LIKE WHAT I'M DOING TO YOU. RIGHT?!" I said repeatedly punching her. Finally I stopped and brushed my hair out of my face. She was hurled over in her bathrobe. "Get out of here." she said trying to catch her breath. "If you tell anyone, I'll come back...and do far worse than that. Trust me, I was born into abusive parents." I said walking home.

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