Hope

Lunch

Amy was eating lunch made by Katherine, while Dani was attached to her hip. Amy wasn't quite sure why Dani was attached to Katherine's hip but, she doesn't judge. She would probably be attached to her sister if she had one... and if she was 3 or however old Dani was. Christina and Lauren hadn't appeared yet and Katherine was seemingly very calm about the whole situation. Lisa is on her phone while sitting on a recliner, eating a slice of leftover vegetarian pizza.

Amy quietly eats the grilled ham and cheese sandwich and after inspecting it thoroughly, she begins devouring it as quickly and efficiently as possible. She never knew when there was going to be a shortage of food after all. You had to be prepared. Even if her stomach was protesting, it's fullness beginning to hurt, she would continue to eat.

Dani is being handfed by Katherine, still refusing to move from her spot of being seemingly permanently attached to her hip. Dried tear tracks were present on the now smiling child's face. Katherine makes eating fun, using high pitched 'baby' voices and Amy thinks that Dani is lucky. Dani was lucky enough to have such a relaxing childhood. She was lucky to have a seemingly perfect family. Dani was lucky to have siblings who seem to love her unconditionally. Amy never had that. Her parents quickly abandoned her and then she was shifted from foster home to group home, to orphanages and the likes.

Although, Amy ponders, what if this family isn't perfect. What if, late at night, Mike and Lynne come in to abuse them even more. Maybe they were just trying to lure her in with a false sense of security.

Amy cringes slightly at the sound of the front door opening. She looks over her shoulder to see Mike, a big smile on his face though, it is suddenly wiped off when he just looks around the room. Amy is confused. Did they do something wrong? Amy glances around and sees a slight mess of blankets and a few small toys and starts panicking.

Was he strict on cleaning? Was he going to beat them now? Oh gosh... She shouldn't have relaxed so much. She knew she had to stay on her guard.

Amy sees Mike open his mouth to speak and she braces herself.

"Kath... Where are Chris and LoLo?"

Kath gives a small, forced smile.

"Laur had a sensory overload I think. They went to her special room."

Mike seems satisfied with the answer and after taking off his shoes and closing and locking the door, he grabs a sandwich from one of the plates and begins devouring it. 

And now Amy is even more confused. He wasn't going to beat them? But... they left such a mess... Maybe he was just delaying the inevitable. At least, that is what Amy has convinced herself of.

"So... Amy, how is it going? The girls didn't torture ya too much did they?"

Mike has a playful tone but, Amy doesn't trust it. She knew it, they were going to beat her or starve her... Something like that. She had already learned not to trust people, this was just enforcing her rule.

When were they going to start the torture? Tomorrow? Maybe when she trusts them... then they can betray her. Well jokes on them. She will never trust them.

When Amy looks from her sandwich plate, she sees  Mike looking at her with a confused look and Amy realizes her mistake.

She was supposed to answer the question! How could she be so stupid! Now they were definitely going to start abusing her sooner.  What should she say... She couldn't joke with him... But what if they get in trouble for not torturing her? As crazy as it sounds, that's all Amy can really think about. She decides to save herself. She had already been through too much to risk herself, physically or mentally. 

"... T-yeah, It's fine. They... They haven't tortured me. Y-Yet... I'm Sure it'll happen though d-don't be mad or anything..."

Mike's frown deepens and Amy panics more. Did she say something wrong? Should she have even said anything? Oh god was he going to beat her!?

"Amy... Darling... I wasn't. I wasn't serious. They aren't going to hurt you they... they have... Never mind. But, anyway, they aren't going to hurt you. No one in this house is going to get hurt that's a house rule. No hitting, or punching, or any violence really. And no verbal attacks either. The girls here respect that and I hope that you remember that as well. Some of the girls may get a little... Feisty but, they aren't being malicious toward you. Alright? No one is going to be hurt by anyone else in this house. Repeat that sentence for me please."

Amy's jaw drops mentally. They can't be serious. Someone has to be the stress reliever around here... What if its Lynne being abused What if their marriage is falling apart and they keep getting kids to keep it together? What if they were going to turning on their own kids eventually? Amy's mind was racing with thoughts as she attempts to repeat the sentence that couldn't possibly be true. Nothing would ever be as good as it sounds.

It's definitely too good to be true. There is no way that they don't hurt their kids in any way or, that their kids don't hurt each other. Foster kids don't deserve that luxury. If they were abandoned once, they will be abandoned again and that is just a philosophy that Amy has learned to live with over the years. She had learned it from another girl that had bullied her in a group home for being so small. The girl had been making fun of her as well for crying late at night and the staff at the orphanage didn't really seem to care. They just were pointing at the two young girls, probably gossiping to each other. Amy then really, and she means really, realized that no one cares about her at all and they never will. She was a foster kid and deserved it.

"N-no one is going to be h-hurt by anyone else in t-t-this house."

Mike smiles gently, though he knows that Amy doesn't quite believe it. Heck, for many of their kids it took months to believe, and Christina still doesn't believe it. Even then, many of their children have insecurities in the house despite Lynne and Mike's best efforts to give them a safe space.

"Good. Thanks, Amy. Well, girls, I gotta get going again, tell Chris and LoLo that I'll be back later tonight."

Mike washes his hands before getting ready and leaving the house again. As much as he loves his job, he wishes he could stay home with his kids for longer. He really wanted them to know that he was there to support them and love them forever. He wanted them to know that this home was a safe space for them to come home to after a rough day at school or work or... anything really. And most of all, he wanted all of his kids to be successful in their lives and grow families of their own that would prove to themselves that they are worth loving. And that no matter what, you will never be to 'scared' or 'broken' for love.