“I don’t know why he wanted to be foster parents if all he was going to do was use me as a punching bag,” I gathered up my belongings as fast as possible and left through the back door. My face was black and blue. My body was screaming at me in pain; but this was finally the last time.
Social workers can’t do anything until abusive behavior has been reported three times. At least here in Arlington. ‘Right. I need to find a pay phone.’
I must look awful; more than last time; because the staring and pointing seems to be tenfold. I’m just surprised that no one has come to ask if I was okay. Does my face being black and blue make me seem older than seventeen?
It does. Because I had found a pay phone and I checked my reflection. I looked awful. I could see where his fists had made contact. Where the glass had slashed my cheek bone. The giant egg bump forming on my head from the door frame…so it was understandable that no one approached me. I wouldn’t approach me.
“Hello! Hello? Mrs. Howed.” She has accepted the call, but she wasn’t speaking.
“This is Mrs. Howed with social services; how may I help you?”
Finally. “Mrs. Howed. It’s me Cathy. He did it again. Actually worst this time. I’m at a gas station just out of Arlington. Can you send someone to pick me up. Also some police to that house.” I was met with silence. “Hello? Hello!?!”
“Sorry Cathy. And oh no what do I do. Jefferson is being dropped off there tonight.”
‘No. Jefferson will be gone in five minutes. Unless Carl has fallen asleep from the alcohol. That would be the best scenario.’ “Can’t you call them to come back?!?”
“Sadly no. New policy is they cannot have phones while driving foster kids to homes. Incase of stealing or accidents. But I’ll send Mark out too to intercept them at the house.”
That would take too long. Carl would just have to make contact with Jefferson’s head once and he would be a goner. ‘No. I had to get back to that house. But I was about an hour walk away.’ I looked around and thankfully I was at a gas station. And double thankfully it was packed. I just had to find one person to take me at least halfway. I could sprint running the other half if I had to.
I wandered through the vehicles. I couldn’t be picky. I had to ask everyone. All the responses were the same. “Sorry, not going that way. Sorry, we don’t pick up strangers. Sorry, no space.”
I would have been willing to stove way in the trunk. I just had to get back to that house. Then as if all hope was lost, I saw a large van parked outside the convince store. I should be able to fit in there. If this one didn’t work, then I would just have to start running.
If an old sketchy man came up to the van then I was not going to open that can of worms. I might experience a similar situation. But thankfully a young guy, maybe older than me, was walking up to the van.
“Please help me. I need to get back to Arlington. My foster parent beat me to a pulp. I got away. But I’ve now come to find out that they are going to drop off my little brother tonight. He’s only seven. If he gets hit he probably will die. Please take me back to that house?” I hadn’t planned to spill all of that. But I was desperate. I needed to start this journey now!
The guy just looked at me. Shock was all I could see on his face. Probably from my outburst suddenly, but also my appearance. I was worried I had shocked him so much that he was in shock; I waved my hand in front of his face. “Hello?”
He came to. “Sorry. You caught me off guard. Where are you heading? Arlington?”
I nodded.
“Okay. Sure. That works. Let me see how to fit you.” the guy walked over to his van and threw open the sliding door.
There were several seats. So he must have passengers. “Sorry. I didn’t realize your van was meant for passengers. I’ll just start running back.” I turned away, “Thank you for trying to help.” I called back as I started my long run back to the awful house.
…
How long have I been running. My whole body is on fire. I’ve got to be almost there, right? I hadn’t been paying too close attention. I was just keeping an eye out for Kenmore St. But I hadn’t seen in yet. I checked the street sign above me, and it said, Carmichael Blvd. ‘What!?! I had only run three blocks from the gas station! Was it because I was in so much pain that it seems like I’ve been running for about fifteen minutes. But it’s really only been five.’ I dropped to the ground. This was impossible. ‘I’m going to loose my only family tonight.’
“Hey!”
It was the guy from the gas station. He was pulling up beside me. Now he was out of the van and beside me. ‘Oh, no. I was having an out of body experience. Meaning I was about to pass out.’ I reached out and clasped onto him, “Kenmore St. Please. Hurry!” I was out.
…
It couldn’t have been long. But at least I was mobile. My body bounced along with the vehicle. I opened my eyes and I took in my surroundings. I was in the passenger seat. There were voices all around me. Right. That guy had been there. I turned to my left and there he sat. he was driving the van. The van that I was now in. ‘Pain. I felt pain everywhere. Jefferson can’t experience this pain. Jefferson!!’
I bolted up. ‘Ouch!’ I held onto my rib cage. “Where are we going?” I whispered out.
“Oh. Your awake,” the guy beside me smiled. He seemed to relax. “Hey guys, she’s awake!” He called behind him.
‘Guys?’ I turned and looked behind me. The van was jammed packed full of musical instruments and maybe 10 guys. They all seemed to be older than me. And they looked so uncomfortable; squeezed together into the jammed packed van. I felt sorry for them, but I was grateful. ‘Right. Where we’re going?’
“Where are we going,” I turned back to guy beside me?
“All you said was Kenmore St. And since you were heading West I assumed it was the West Kenmore. But because of traffic and accidents, I’m going a round about way.” As he spoke he kept turning at different blocks.
I had to just trust him. He could be taking me to a remote location but I’m going to trust he was helping me. I relaxed into my seat.
“Do you need anything? Hey Max. Send the first aid pack up here.”
I looked behind me and the sea of guys behind me squirmed trying to get to the trunk. “You don’t have to…”
“No problem at all, miss.” One of the guys called back. “If Jack says to get something, we listen.”
‘Jack. That was his name.’ I will have to treat them to a meal after all of this. From the back seat they handed me the first aid kit. I opened up the mirror above me and gasped. I looked awful. My eye was so swollen that I was amazed I could still see with it. My cheek bone had a huge slash in it with dried blood all over my cheek and neck. My other eye was not swollen but it was turning a dark purple. I’m surprised they were willing to help me. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and got to work.
The first aid kit had everything. I was about to start but, “Does anyone have an iPhone?”
Jack dug out his phone. He handed it to me. “Password is 0023.”
Wow. He trusted me enough for that. Actually he could always change his passcode after I leave. I unlocked the phone and went to camera. I took a few selfies. I needed proof for court. “Sorry. I need the pictures for proof. For court. I need to get my current Forster parent off the list. This is the third time this has happened. After the third time, I can make a legal claim and get him off the list of possible foster homes.” I had begun to clean my face.
“This has happened three times?!?” Jack yelled. And the back of the van fell silent. “You’ve experienced this two other times? Were they just as bad as this time?”
“No. The first time, Carl just threw me into a coffee table and I bruised four ribs. The second time he got super drunk and decided to beat me up. Only to my body. Because it’s harder to be seen. But this time it seems like he didn’t care. And I have no idea why he attacked me tonight.”
All the guys around me were silent. They probably all were from good homes; and never heard that these things happen. Jack was starting to tense beside me.
I touched his shoulder. “Thank you Jack. You helped me when I needed it. You are saving my brother’s life. I need to get there in time. You are saving me.”
Jack’s body relaxed under my touch. “I’m sorry you have had to go through this. No one should ever go through this. Especially multiple times. The law is wrong.”
Silence filled the van once again. I finished cleaning up my face. Except for my swollen eye I looked ten times better. I looked somewhat normal. “Please keep talking back there. The noise keeps my mind from wandering.”
Thankfully the guys behind me erupted into loud talking. It did relax me.
We were coming up to the house. My nerves were alive again. What if we were too late. What if Carl is still awake. What if he attacks me again. What if…
“We are coming in or at least up to the house with you,” Jack said interrupting my thoughts. “There’s no way we are letting anyone touch you ever again.” The guys behind me erupted in a big, “Yeah!”
“I don’t want to trouble you all. And I don’t want Carl to hurt any of you either.”
“Don’t worry,” Jack smirked. “A few of us have boxing, wrestling, and karate in our backgrounds. “But even if we are the ones getting hurt. At least it’s not you.”
“Okay. Thanks. But still all of you call your parents and let them know what’s happening. The more that know the situation, the less likely Carl will have to throw blame elsewhere.” The sea of guys behind me did as I said. “You too Jack,” handing him back his phone.
The house. It was dark. I didn’t see a vehicle in front. So either Jefferson is not here or he was left. ‘Oh no.’ I threw open my passenger door to sprint to the house.
“Wait!” Jack yelled and ran around the van to stop me. “No! They will go. You will stay.” He held onto me firmly.
I tried to free myself. I needed to save my brother.
“Cathy. Look at me,” Jack still held me firm in place. “Look at me.”
I looked up into his eyes. They were pleading with me. I only nodded.
“Guys go and find the kid. Stop whatever is happening. But don’t go too overboard.” Jack directed the guys.
Suddenly there was a shatter sound. Like something glass being thrown against a wall.
My body went alert and I tried to get to the house. But Jack just pulled me into his embrace and held me there. Not letting me move. The sea of guys sprinted into the house. I just stood there grabbing onto Jack’s jacket, sobbing into his shoulder. Repeating one thing through my mind. “Please save him. Please save him. Please…”
–8 Months Later–
Well many things have changed since that day. Jefferson had been dropped off. Carl I guess had disguised himself enough to convince the social worker he was fit for duty. And that was only moments before we arrived. And the glass shattering noise was actually Jefferson trying to keep Carl away. Then the sea of guys entered the house and took Carl down before he could retaliate. Max had carried Jefferson out to me. When he was finally placed in my arms I collapsed onto the pavement. Jack had stayed by my side the whole time.
But now. Jefferson and I have been almost adopted into a new family. Max’s family. They had been on a wait list for being foster parents. And after that day Max’s mom took us in. They are now in the process of fully adopting us. My family is growing once again.
The sea of guys from the van were now my friends. They were all coming from a band concert that day. So I of course decided to join the dance group that preforms with the band occasionally. So I get to hang out with the guys all the time. They all act like my older brothers.
And Jack. Well as you probably guessed, we are dating. After I got into the same college; things just morphed into dating.
Life is just beginning for me. Age eighteen, new family, boyfriend, college, friends, and a future. I’m set for life.
The End