Love Will Keep Us - Book 5

His Real Name

STEF POV

Despite everything going on at home and the fact that my kids most likely hated my guts ,my head is still very much buried in the case involving the little boy from the drug home. For weeks I had been digging and digging on any information I could find about his mother coming up with nothing. But things have really taken a turn big time in terms of my involvement especially once Mike told me his name. Jude.

Now I knew there were many Judes in this world, many, so I was not 100 percent sure this was Will's Jude. Even if we still didn't know if he even really had another son or not. But yet, I can't seem to shake the thought because it would explain to me why he looked so familiar when I saw him...why my heart has been slowly breaking, and why I am now on my way to his new foster home to visit.

Ben and Shirley Monroe had given me permission, of course, to stop by and see the little fella, for which I am thankful because it's rare that foster homes are that permissible. Maybe it's because I'm a cop? Or maybe they really are good people with nothing to hide. Which I was hoping for some of these foster homes tore me up inside. Of course, I was hiding...from Lena...as I had told her that I was picking up an extra shift when in reality I wasn't. I just needed to figure this out before letting her know if this was Will's Jude or not. And if he was I didn't know how she was going to feel about it for even if she had not said much I knew how hard this was for her. It really was and anything was regarding William Adams.

"Good afternoon, I'm Stef Foster. We spoke on the phone a few days ago?" I hold out my hand as Shirley has answered the door. She seems very friendly and has kind eyes which immediately puts me at ease. I knew Jude was different and had a hard life and for once he needed a damm break.

"Oh! Of course! Come on in. Ben is still at work, but Jude is in his little room."

I follow her inside her neat little ranch, amazed at how immaculate it is kept. Of course, I live with three teenagers and things aren't always in order, but I look around as I hold my hat in my hands. "I'm not here on police business. Not at all. I am on my way to work and thought it be nice to stop on by. Like I said on the phone, I haven't been able to get this little boy out of my mind since I arrested his mother. He looked so scared and I just wanted to see if he was ok. May I go and see him? I mean if it's ok with you that is."

"Yes of course! Don't mind me. I've been working on dinner. Jude doesn't talk, ever, and we are still trying to figure out what he likes to eat."

"Oh no he doesn't?"

"Not a peep."

"MM yeah that's hard. So what are you making tonight?" I smile as she wipes her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Oh, I thought I'd try to make some chicken tenders and homemade macaroni and cheese. Kids like that, right? I mean all of the other foster kids we've had would scarf it down."

"Definitely," I clear my throat as I take a breath. "So you said he doesn't talk? At all?"

She shakes her head sadly. "No. We can't tell if he's terrified still or not, but he does carry that one toy truck around with him like he's protecting it. I made the mistake of trying to take it from him so he could get a bath a couple of weeks ago and he did scream. So, at least, I know how he felt about it. Ben went the next day and got him a couple of different trucks and cars, and that's all he wants to do is stay in his room and play with them."

I nod sadly as I take in everything Shirley is telling me and swallow hard. "I am guessing he's about five?"

"Nope. He's seven, going on eight. I'm pretty sure his social worker said that his birthday is around Christmas time. But go on back. Maybe he'll even talk to you? It's the last room on the left."

"Thank you." I smile as I make my way back down the long hallway and stop once I reach the little room where Shirley had said was Jude's. Peering in the doorway, I lean on the door frame as I see the top of his blonde head bent down. Looking closer, I see where he had figured out how to make what appears to be a road with some obstacles which he is making his trucks barrel over.

I smile as I inch closer to him, and he doesn't miss a beat, launching his next truck up into the air as he makes car sounds. "Jjjjjjjjjjjjjj! Woooooo! Rrrrrrrrrrrrr!"

Kneeling down beside him, I gently place my hand on his little back, making him jerk his head up, and I get a good look into his bright blue eyes. The last time I had seen this little fella, his eyes were pale blue, and now they are bright and his cheeks rosy. God they looked just like Wills and Frankie's eyes which made me believe even more that he was his son. "Hi! My name is Stef! What's yours?" I ask softly as he just stares at me, holding his red truck close to him. His stare is rather intense as it seems he doesn't even blink.

"I heard that your name is Jude. Did I get it right? MM?" I smile wider as we look at each other and I gently run my fingers through his wavy blonde hair. It was true I always, always had a soft spot for kids especially ones I met on he job.

"I see you love trucks and cars! May I see?" I point to the blue one that's on the floor and Jude just stares at me, wide eyed. "Blue is my favorite color I can see your room is blue too. Do you like playing with trucks and things?" I ask as he still stares rather hard at me. "You know I use to love playing with this stuff when I was a kid. I have eight brothers so I used to get their hand me down toys. Was alot of fun."

I gingerly pick up the truck, but he is fast and snatches it from me and runs to his bed, sliding his little body under the covers. My heart breaks as I see this, and I quietly make my way over to his bed where I sit on the edge being very careful not to startle him even more. I could kick myself for touching his truck and I make note not to do that again.

"I promise I won't bite, sweetheart. And I won't touch your trucks again. I should have waited until you gave me permission," I say softly as he peeks his little blonde head over the covers, his big blue eyes peering at me. He is just a sweetheart as I can imagine that this is what Will might have looked like as a kid and I now know my effort and involvement in this kid will only grow.

"Here. Do you like tootsie rolls, love?" I pull a couple out of my pocket and hold out my hand. For a moment, I wonder if he'll take them as he continues to stare. "It's okay if you don't like them. I just wanted to see you, sweetheart, and it looks like I interrupted your playing which I didn't want to do my love. So baby boy I will let you get back to you trucks and maybe I can stop by and see you again. Maybe I can bring you one of my sons trucks." I smile once again at him as I stand and quietly tip-toe towards the door. However, before I can reach it, I feel his little hand tugging on mine as I turn to look down at him. I open my hand gently, and he snatches the candy before running back to his bed and hiding under the covers.

"Good-bye, Jude. It was nice meeting you, little man. Maybe I'll visit you again really soon, okay love?" I say as I open the door and I wait another couple of minutes, but he doesn't emerge this time. However, I can hear the rustling of the candy wrappers under the blanket which makes me smile. I hope I didn't just ruin his appetite for dinner. But as I say my goodbyes to Shirley and head back into my patrol car my heart breaks. It breaks in half for every part of me knows this is Wills son. Every part.