A Foster's Home

Chapter 10

It was night by the time Billy, Mary, and Darla came back home. Pedro and Eugene were watching TV when the three got home, Freddy being next to them reading a comic book.
The three boys looked up at the three at the door.

"Where have you guys been?" Freddy asked.

"We went out to the movies," Billy said. "It was a chick-flick, but, you know, I wanna spend time with you guys."

Freddy only nodded and went back to reading his comic.

Billy stayed silent. He wanted to get Eugene and Pedro to another room without making it look suspicious to Freddy. He cleared his throat to get their attention. "Hey, Eugene, want to show me some of your video games?"

"Seriously?"

Billy pointed his head toward his bedroom. Thankfully they got the message. Pedro and Eugene walked toward the other three. "Wanna join, Freddy?"

Mary hit Billy's arm.

I know what I'm doing, Billy mouthed.

"All of you?"

"Sure."

"Maybe a little later. I wanna finish this," Freddy said, waving the comic book at them.

"Okay. We'll see you in there."

The five foster kids tried to walk casually to Eugene's room without sending any suspicions.

"Put some of your games on YouTube so Freddy thinks we're playing."

"Okay," Eugene said, pulling out his phone.

Pedro grabbed a computer and a notebook that laid on the bed and sat on the floor. Billy took out his notes and sat down, too. Then the rest did the same.

"Who goes first?" Pedro asked.

"You guys go," Mary said.

"Okay, like you guys asked us to, we looked up where both his parents worked and called the people there," Eugene started. "His mother was very popular in that Starbucks. She was the best waitress and it was a big tragedy when they found out what happened. They have a picture of her on the wall to honor her. She'd sometimes bring Freddy along when she couldn't find someone to take care of him. He'd help her out and as a reward, he'd be given a hot chocolate. She was really loved there and made a lot of friends, but her best friend was someone named Samantha Barry. She still works there."

"Can you contact her?" Mary asked.

Eugene nodded. "She was the one we were talking to. We told her that Freddy was with us and that we were helping him find his parents. She also knows where they're buried."

"Our guy does, too," Darla told them.

"We still didn't call the dad's work," Pedro said. "Since we have two people who already know, is it still worth it?"

"Yes," Billy almost interrupted. "We're meeting Ezekiel tomorrow. I don't want to just find his parents. I want him to know that there are people out there who miss them just like him. Maybe not as much, but to let him know that he's not alone, and that no matter what, he will find people who understand what he's feeling. I want this to be like, not a funeral, but a reunion. I want him to be fully healed from this wound that has been bothering him for so long. Yeah?"

"Yeah," they all said in unison.

"Let's call everyone they knew and have this reunion."
-------------------------------------------------------
Billy has never been more excited in his life. They were so close. Only a few more steps and Freddy would be back with his parents. He found it weird how much he was excited about this than he was finding his own mother. Maybe it was because they were finding parents who were loving and supportive. Or maybe it was because seeing Freddy's face of joy and relief would give him reassurance that a love like that was available for him, too. Whatever it was, Billy didn't know, but he also didn't care. It was only his brother that mattered now.

The five of them sat in the middle of the room, Billy's phone in the center. He typed in the number of the Realtor and waited for someone to pick up. They all hoped that it was someone the Freemans knew. If not, it would be a very awkward conversation.

A few seconds passed and someone picked up the phone. Everyone's heart skipped a beat. A man's voice spoke on the phone. "Hello, you're calling Elfant Wissahickon Realtors. This is Nathan Allen. What can I do for you?"

Since Mary was the oldest and had more of an adult voice, they let her do the talking. "Hi, um, I'm calling about a man named Ryan Freeman."

There was a second of silence in the phone. "O-oh, um...Ryan Freeman is no longer with us. He hasn't been for quite some time. I'm sorry."

"No, I mean, I want to talk about him."

"Excuse me?"

"Um, this is gonna sound a little crazy at first, but it's all for a good reason. Do you know a boy named Freddy Freeman?"

"Yes, I loved that kid. Very enthusiastic...why? Who are you?"

"My name is Mary Bromfield. I live in a foster home with five siblings, one of them being Freddy Freeman. I'm actually here with four of my siblings."

"Hi," the four said in unison.

"H-Hello.... He's in foster care? Since when? No one has ever told us.... How is he?"

"He's doing good, except that he's still healing from his parents' death. No one has ever told them where they were buried. We're trying to find them for him to surprise him and heal him from that wound."

There was a moment of silence on the other side of the line. Billy panicked in his heart, scared that Nathan Allen would hang up on them and not be involved in their little reunion. Then the silence broke. "I know where they're buried. I visit them every once in a while."

Billy couldn't stop his mouth from speaking. "Good, 'cause we're planning a little reunion."

"Reunion?"

"Yeah. It's for Freddy. It's to let him know that he's not alone and that there are other people who know what he's going through. And that even though his parents are not physically here, they're still here through the people that they've touched. Does this make sense?"

"I think so. What do you need me to do? I'll do anything for that kid."

Eugene spoke this time. "We just want you to be there and support Freddy. We don't know when yet, but we'll contact you once we've got everything we need."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you kids there?"

"Yeah. Thank you," Mary said. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

The phone hung up.

"Yes!" Billy exclaimed. "Everything's going great. Just a few more things and we'll be done." The five foster siblings smiled at each other, proud of their accomplishments.

Then their hearts skipped a beat when they heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Eugene asked.

"It's Freddy. I'm done with my comic book. I'm here to play the game. Can I come in?"

Billy quickly and quietly gathered everything that was scattered on the floor and put them underneath the bed. "Yeah, you can," he said once everything was put away.

"Okay." Freddy opened the door and saw his five siblings sitting on the floor in a circle. "What are you guys doing?"

"We were...just discussing the game and while we waited for you."

"Weren't you guys playing. I heard it."

"We were just watching videos of it so we can get the hang of it," Darla said, pointing at the phone next to Eugene.

"Okay. Where'd you guys leave off?" Freddy asked as he joined in the circle.

Everyone mentally let out a breath of relief.