Disney Dreams

Chapter 25

She was dead. That was it. Suddenly I regretted my last words with her; 'as soon as I'm out of this stupid hospital I'm leaving.' It all seemed like a dream, the nurse coming and telling me she was dead, Tanner holding me tightly as I cried for hours, me yelling at her for hiding the truth about my past.

In a new Disney movie I saw with Tanner a few weeks ago called Big Hero Six, The main character lost his brother. He said that "people keep telling me he's not really gone, as long as I remember him." I mean I guess they are right but the memory of them hurts, knowing that they are gone forever.

As for my brother and sister, Tanner told them the news. He was going to look after them while I was in the hospital for a few more days.

A week after her death I was let out of the hospital. The funeral was the next day. It all is a blur. All I truly remember was that through the whole ceremony I was crying and Tanner held my hand the whole time.

I couldn't watch them burry her. I tried. The pain was like a baseball through a window, it shattered me. I ended up going home, waiting for Tanner and my siblings to get back. I fell asleep on the couch while waiting for them, woken by Tanners soft footsteps as he took a blanket and put it around me. I still laid down with my eyes closed, not ready to awake to the pain that was the real world.

Two days later I decided to get up and get dressed. I did my tangled hair and brushed my teeth. I applied my everyday makeup and make breakfast for everyone. I knew I had to fake a smile, for Tanner and my brother and sister. Kate was up first, seeming shocked to see me dressed and not lying on the couch. She quietly ate breakfast and we just sat there for a while. Tanner and Tom were up at the same time, and did as Kate did: staring at me strangely and ate their breakfast.

There was a loud, chilling knock at the door. I got up to get it. Outside there was a tall man, pale and white haired. He held a rather large brief case and a folder stuffed with papers. His boney fingers stretched out to me and I took them, shaking his hand quickly.

"Is this the Lan residence?" He asked. His crackly voice sent chills down my back as I nodded.

"Im sorry for the loss of your mother. Miss..." he paused and looked down at a piece of paper to find my name. "Carissa. May I come inside?"

I nodded and opened the door wider for him. He gave me a cold smile and I led him to the living room. He sat down and motioned for me to do the same. "I am here because of the concerns toward your siblings..." he looked at another piece of paper. "Kate and Tom. Since there is not adult here, I am to take them into the foster system. You will have contact with them, and we will do out best to keep them in the same house." He handed me the folder with contact information, contracts, and other useless facts.

I tighten my lips together, glaring at him. "No." I said firmly. The tone of my voice even gave me chills.

He sat up straiter. "Excuse me?" He asked.

"I said, no. You may not take them away from me. I wont let that happen. I can take care of them."

"Im sorry but you are not a responsible adult." He stood up. "where are they? ".

"They are um... sleeping still." I lied. We heard a sudden crash from the kitchen.

"Um... Carissa!" Tom walked into the room. "Kate broke some cups....."

The foster system worker dude grinned evilly. I knew I had to fight to keep what I had left of my family together. Tanner carried Kate into the room.

"Asleep huh?" The man said. I laughed nervously.

"Good morning!" I said to them. They gave me a weird look and I rolled my eyes at our hopelessness.

The man extended an arm out to my siblings. I motioned for them to not shake his hand.

He sighed at their rude behavior. The man prided Kate off of Tanner, carrying her towards the door.

"NO!" I shouted. He ignored my scrams and cries. Me, Tom and Tanner watched as he took the crying 5 year old girl to the car. He came back inside for Tom.

"Dont. You. Dare. Touch. Him." I growled. The man simply pushed me aside and grabbed my brother by the wrist, leading him into the car.

I ran after them. Out the door and into the early summer air. Tanner followed me. I was almost to the car as the man drove away with my siblings.

My knees gave out. I had lost all my family. I covered my face with my hands, crying softly into them.

Tanner sat down next to me in the middle of our driveway. He put a gentle arm around me and held me close.

"Its okay." he whispered softly. I just shook my head in reply. It wasn't okay.

After what seemed like hours of sitting in our pebbly driveway Tanner carried me inside.

"T-their gone." I managed to mumble between sobs.

"Hey," he said, cupping my face in his strong hands, making me look at him. "They wont forget you. You tried. They are strong kids and will make it through foster homes together. None of this is your fault. You hear me? I dont know how we will do it, but we will make it through this. Its going to be alright." He said. He kissed me softly. When he pulled away he managed to smile a bit. "We are in this together."