THE PAINFUL TRUTH

Chapter Twenty Two- The Loss Of Hope

Stella's POV

For once, the weather was on my side or my plan would have failed otherwise. The sun had made today warmer than a usual winter's day so I had told Kate and Harry that I had gone for a walk. At first, Jake wanted to tag along and suggested that we could pass by the park, which convinced the others to join, but I had insisted that I needed a bit of alone time to clear my head. At saying this, Kate had smiled at me sympathetically while Harry distracted tactically Jake, Josh, Evie and Ellie so that they wouldn't have noticed me slipping out the front door.

Now that I think about how much Kate and Harry have supported me, guilt forms at the pit of my stomach for lying to them. Even if the weather is the type you would usually go for a walk in, I want to limit the amount of times I leave the house. Who knows how many people have read or heard about Emma's tweet that I might bump into with this town being so small which makes news travel fast. The only reason I will leave the house from now on is if it's important. The reason today is more than important. It's vital.

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I've arrived at my destination: a street of terraced houses. From my memory, I remember which house it is I'm interested in. It has a front garden with healthy, looked-after plants and unbelievably green grass that looks like it's mowed frequently. I unlatch the wooden gate and close it behind me before stepping across the front garden towards the front door. I ring the doorbell.

Please be here! Please be here! Please-

Relief floods through me as the key turns in the lock. The turquoise door opened revealing the woman I just wanted to see. Her hair is tied into a neat bun, she's applied red lipstick that compliments her shiny dark skin and is wearing a white long-sleeved top with sokhna leer pants; her outfit suits her perfectly.

"Hi, Frida," I greet casually as if it's normal for a client of hers to be on her doorstep without warning her.

"What are you doing here, Stella?" surprise is clearly registered in her face.

"Is this a good time?"

"Yeah, I just got off the phone with one of my clients. Come in!"

I take off my shoes in the hallway and follow the owner of this house into her living room. It looks exactly how it was last time I came here: there's a black coffee table in the middle, a brown comfy sofa and on the wall behind it, there's a painting of palm trees that you would find in California.

"Do you want something to drink?" Frida calls out while entering her kitchen.

"A glass of water if it's not any trouble," I answer timidly.

I perch on the edge of the sofa as I wait patiently for Frida to return with a tray that holds a glass of water, a mug of coffee and a plate with chocolate chip cookies that look fresh out of the oven. Frida offers me a cookie but I refuse politely by telling her I'm not hungry since I just ate breakfast. Simply shrugging, she pops one into her mouth. After swallowing the cookie she's chewed into pieces, Frida takes a sip of her coffee before she begins to talk.

"So, as much as I love having you pop by, I'm guessing that you're not here for a catch up," she suggests.

"You've guessed right. Uh I was wondering if you could find me new foster parents," I explain.

I turn to look at Frida, expecting a reaction from her and...I get one alright! While I was talking, she had taken another sip of her coffee and once the words she clearly didn't expect to come out of my mouth did, she starts to choke on the hot drink that had just entered her mouth.