Chapter 1
Marc had been at Putnam for only a few months but it had felt like he had been there forever. This wasn’t his first visit either.
He was fourteen. Steven and Jake had shown up a few years prior. His father had denied that there was anything wrong in the beginning. The change in accent was just him playing pretend or the fights at school was nothing but a child lashing out. “They would go away with time” his father had thought. But the signs had only piled up.
He couldn’t ignore it any longer so he chose to send him to a mental facility for a short time. When Marc had returned, he would try his best to suppress Steven as to not go back to Putnam but he always slipped up one way or another and would have to be sent back. Even though home wasn’t any better.
He knew his latest visit would be coming to a close soon and he started preparing himself for his father’s looks of pity and his mother’s looks of cold hatred that were to come.
After he gathered his things, he was brought to the usual room to wait for his father.
Dad arrived an hour later with a woman he didn’t recognize, a suit case, and an apologetic look on his face. “I’m sorry, Marc. I really am.” he said.
Marc was confused. What was going on?
His father continued. “Your mother, she- We’ve decided it’s best if you live with someone else.”
The woman approached him with a friendly face, which caused him to back up in his seat. Who was she to take him away from his home with a smile, like it meant nothing? She stopped in her tracks and crouched down in front of him to get on eye level.
“My name is Cassandra. I know this can be a lot, Marc, but me and a few of my friends will be there every step of the way. We’ve already found you a foster family to-
Marc interrupted to yell at his father. “No! I don’t wanna live with strangers! I wanna go home with you! You can’t let her take me!” He rushed over to his dad with tears in his eyes. He didn’t even know why he was saying this. That house stopped being a home as soon as Roro died. He guessed he just couldn’t stand the thought that his father was just as willing to throw him away as his mother was.
His father hugged him close and spoke softly in his ear. “This will be better for you. I know it will.” He looked him in the eye, as his own began to water, in an attempt to be reassuring. Marc couldn’t let his father go. He just couldn’t.
Jake could.
Jake let go without hesitation. He had no love for this man and for what he failed to do. He grabbed their things and gave Elias a spiteful look as the woman escorted him out. He hoped he left Elias in that room with at least a fraction of the pain and heartache that was afflicted on them.
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There they were, parked outside of a white house that frankly didn’t look like much. Jake was still at the front just to be safe. He didn’t want Marc going into an even worse situation.
The woman who had brought him there (Cathy, Katey, he didn’t care) opened the car door and escorted him all the way to the front porch. Before she could even knock, an overly eager blonde woman had opened the door with a big smile plastered on her face.
“You’re here! You must be Marc! I’m Monica! It’s so great to finally meet you! Come in! Come in!”
She stepped aside so they could walk in. The house looked as though she had gone on a cleaning rampage. The foster worker gave a few parting words and gave a day that she would come back to check on him. Then she was off.
Jake hadn’t moved much from where he stood. Monica was going on and on about something but he was too busy surveying his surroundings to listen. Just then, a girl around his age, probably a year older, came down from upstairs with two small children in tow. Monica grew excited at her arrival. The girl just seemed over it.
“This is Fiona and those two are Debbie and Carl. Say hi to your new brother!”
Jake bristled at that but she didn’t seem to notice. Fiona gave him a sympathetic look as she set the toddlers at the table. Monica then spouted something about groceries when Fiona began making some PB&Js for her siblings. She waved goodbye and scurried out the door.
There was a moment of silence between them. Jake was still holding on tightly to his things.
“You allergic to peanuts?” Fiona said.
Jake was baffled. So much had happened that day. He was trying to stay composed. To give nothing away. The fact that he hadn’t had any normal interactions with others didn’t help.
So far, Fiona was the only one he didn’t feel defensive towards. He gave a small shake of his head when he noticed that he hadn’t answered her question. She began making another sandwich.