Whirlwind of trouble

7

Elena and I both return to my house and wait for her social worker to pick her up. She holds so much worry and hate in her eyes as her social worker pulls up in a black car.

"Are you ready sweetheart?" I coo over my shoulder and peer down at her stroking Lola and hitching her backpack higher on her back. She stands up and takes Lola by the lead, holding her little anxiety pup closer to her as the door knocks. I open the door wide and greet the kind lady.

"Hello, I'm Hazel Tink, I'm here for Elena Ricci, I'm her social worker" she greets, offering out her hand for me to shake. She smiles sweetly and quickly rummages her hair into a messy bun, but still so stylish as she takes out her notebook and starts taking notes. "Can you tell me what happened so I can put it in her files?"

"Is that necessary?" I question. "Why is it every foster child needs their entire life documented in their files as a reminder every damn day?"

"It's the system I'm afraid" she shrugs.

"Her foster mom was a bad woman, unfit state, drink, drugs and bad care, end of" I bluntly return. This lady is so sweet and only doing her job, but I hate the way these foster children are treated on a daily basis. "Is there any chance she would be able to stay with me?"

"Are you blood related family?" She asks with hope in her eye. I can see how desperately she wants to get each child out of the system, and it's workers like Mrs Tink that makes that happen.

"I'm not, but we crossed paths a long time ago back in Italy at a traumatic time" I lowly state, peering over my shoulder at Elena sat stroking Lola for support.

"Are you Regina Mills?"

"I am, how do you..."

"Elena talks about you a lot, the woman who saved her life, she swore one day she would find you" she smiles, and I peer over again, at Elena's glossy eyes. "Look, I know how much she adores you, and I can see how much you care about her, but I'm afraid you need a foster license to foster her"

"O-okay, and how long will that take?" I quietly whisper over, I'd hate for Elena to hear and get her hopes up, there's multiple of forms and checks to have before I know if I'm eligible or not to have a foster child in my home.

"A few weeks, you will need a home inspection, DBS check and a few forms, but until then I need to take Elena to a group home"

"NO!" I hear from behind me, Elena quickly runs over to me, hugging my leg and peering up at me. "Don't let me go to a group home, the other children are horrible and they won't let me keep Lola" she cries, tears clinging to her glossy eyes.

I duck down, making myself her height and immediately brush her falling tears away. "Look at me Chica" I pout. "farò tutto il possibile affinché tu possa stare con me ogni giorno, va bene, ma devi restare con la signora Tink fino ad allora, va bene" (i will do everything I can for you to be with me everyday okay, but you need to stay with Mrs Tink until then, okay)

"Va bene" (okay) she sighs, I immediately place a kiss to her forehead. "Will you look after Lola?"

"Of course sweetheart, we will be here waiting" I coo, as she walks over to Mrs Tink and takes her hand. She turns back and softly waves with her dad eyes and i find myself crying. As though I've lost yet another important person in my life.

Yet again, my whirlwind of trouble follows and kicks another person out, but I'm determined to fight for this little girl. We have both gone through so much, both became orphans after that incident, except I was old enough to care for myself. This poor girl has had nothing or anybody for the majority of her lonely childhood, and I would love nothing more than to change that.

One thing I've been certain on in my life is wanting children. I've wanted children so so badly, that when Daniel and I tried, we was so ecstatic once in found out I was pregnant. It was incredible, but unfortunately, I had a miscarriage early on.

Then I fell pregnant again, and this time I had hope, it felt different. Until we walked into that bank and I lost my father. A few months later, I lost this baby too at 6 months. It was so traumatic and I was grieving so much, I went to the doctors and preyed for them to just fix me, I preyed to god just to let me carry a child safely but as it appears... I can't have children of my own according to Dr Walsh.

So I given up on the idea, it took about 4 years for my head to come around to the fact that maybe one day I will be blessed, and maybe Elena coming back into my life is the day I've been waiting for. But after grieving my father and two lost children, I came around to the fact it was just going to be Daniel and I together forever. It was us against the world.

Until... the night he was murdered. Ever since then I've been completely alone and I blame myself. I don't know why I'm constantly being cursed and forced to lose everyone I love, but I prey I've done right now and god can see I'm worthy to take care of Elena.

I'm not a bad woman, not at all. In fact, many say I'm a ray of fucking sunshine. I'm sweet, I'm cuddly, I'm humorous, I'm sexy. I mean... what else does someone need? I've done nothing wrong and I choose to see the good in people, so why am I the one constantly being punished?

Not today. Today is the day I apply for my foster license, I fill out these forms and I stop my loneliness and bring home a child who needs me. I'm ready to move on.