A Boy with No Where to Go

The Truth

"Well? What do you mean 'again'?" Emily asked again, more firmly this time. He began to fidget with his hands and let out an uncomfortable cough before looking either of them in the eye. When he did look up, he wore a sad smile on his face. 

"I have already been in the foster system before. After my mom and dad died, I was out in the system, but I hated it. I always changed homes and got placed with different kids. No one adopted me. Sometimes my foster parents even forgot I was there because they had so many kids to take care of. I would go without a bed or without food. I was so sick of changing and being forgotten. One day, I decided to run away from it all and I did. I left the people that had been hired to take care of me. I didn't care that they might have tried to look for me. I believed that no one cared for me. Until...Ms. Emily came. 

"Before she had come I had been living off of trash in dumpsters from behind restaurants or bought small amounts of food with money that people would give me. But then..." he looked at Emily, "You came and gave me a full meal. You gave me your umbrella and you let me into your home. I am grateful to you. I am so grateful." Tears were streaming down his face. "But please, don't put me back into that system. Back into that negligence." Emily and Jacob remained silent as he sobbed. When his breathing steadied and his tears stopped falling Emily and Jacob began to ask him more questions about himself. 

"What happened to your mother and father?" Jacob asked. Henry looked down at his feet. 

"Like I said they both died. But I don't care about them," he said bitterly.

"Why? What happened?" Emily asked. Henry's jaw clenched. 

"They beat me, they abused me!" he raised his voice. Emily quieted him down. For someone so young, he had to go through to much. I feel sorry for him. I don't want him to go through the same thing he had to when he was in the foster care, but the way he's acting it seems like he wants me to always be around him. Her mind was filled with sympathetic thoughts toward him. Jacob sighed and rose. 

"Look, I know that I really have no say in this, but you can't just let him stay here. I mean..." he stopped talking when he noticed Emily's thoughtful expression. She looked up at the two of them, her face showing no emotion. 

"I don't know what to think about any of this. I'll think about this more tomorrow. Until then, he'll be staying with me." Henry looked up at her. His eyes filled with thanks. However, she made no move to look at him. His face turned to one of confusion. 

"Look, you can't just use me. You can't cling to me. I have a job and I need to leave you here from time to time to get things if you want us to live here." Henry looked back down at his feet before nodding. Jacob nodded and l sighed. "You should go," she said to Jacob. He nodded. He stood and left the apartment to where just the two of them were left. 

"Emily, I-" Henry was cut off by the wave of her hand. 

"I'll be going out right now. You stay here and rest. You're still sick. While I'm out, I'll be thinking about what I am going to do. Until then, if there is an emergency, you know my number." She stood up, got dressed, grabbed her bag, and left without another word to Henry. As he sat alone in the small apartment. He felt abandoned. Just like when he was in the foster system.