A Boy with No Where to Go

Turmoil

"How could you do that to him?" Emily shrieked. Jacob stared straight into her eyes. He did what he thought was right and did not believe he did anything wrong. "Well?" Emily asked her voice lowered and showed even more that she was upset. Jacob sighed. 

"He's a teenage boy that ran away from his foster parents, the ones that are supposed to be taking care of him. You don't have to take care of that boy anymore now that you know the truth," he retorted back. Emily sent him a glare. 

"You don't get to choose what happens in my life!" Emily yelled. "I barely even know you!" With that last remark, she stomped up to her apartment and slammed the door. Her heart felt heavy as she sat on he corner of her bed. As she closed her eyes in frustration, Henry's face popped into her head. Guilt crushed her already emotionally frail body as she shook with sobs. Her hands covered her mouth to muffle the sound. 

"If only I had gotten here sooner," she whispered between sobs, "Then, I could have stopped Jacob. Then, I could have taken Henry with me to the services, and make him my son. Then, he might not hate me. Then, he might be happy." The thought of Henry being in another family shook Emily to her core. She knew that, although she'd be happy for him, she'd also feel lonely without having him in the house. 

I'll get him back. She silently promised herself. Her eyes went to her work laptop. She ran to her swivel chair and sat down before opening her laptop. Entering her password, her mind was full of thoughts of Henry. Of how he might still hate her, how he could distance himself even more if her plan did work. Or how he could forgive her and how the two could enjoy living together. She began to google the name of different lawyers that could help with the adoption process. 

Meanwhile, with Henry, he had been returned to the house he was in before. The mother acted like she had been worried sick and swept him into a tight hug. The feeling made him feel sick. The people taking care of him right now did not care for him at all. They only cared about the money and praise that came with taking care of an orphan boy. The Social Worker told my "foster family" about what had happened and where I had ended up. After that, she left the small house. Compared to Emily's house it was bigger, but it made Arthur feel claustrophobic all the same. 

The façade that the foster parents had, faded as soon as the social worker left the building. The father turned away and left Henry with his foster mother. The man wasn't the problem. It was the woman. She had a wicked smile on her face as she stared at Henry. 

"You shouldn't have done that, Henry," she told him. "Now, you'll be given extra work to do around here and less food. You should have just been a good boy and not run off like you had did. You know that, don't you?" Henry gave the woman a glare but nodded. This was the reason why he hated the world. Because there were people like this in it. However, when he was with Emily, he knew that everything was fine. She never forced him to do anything that would be too much for him. She always put his needs before her own. 

Is that what a mother is like? Henry asked himself. The woman gave him a list of things to do. He walked away after he was given his orders. Begrudgingly, he did his work as best as he could. He didn't want to upset that woman any further than he had to. That being said, he knew he could possibly get away with a few pranks here and there. After all, they couldn't do anything to him physically. If they did, they'd lose their precious slave. 

"I just need to get out of this hell hole again. Then, I'll be free," he mumbled to himself as he began to do the dishes that were stacked like mountains around him.