Foster Kids

Chapter 19 : Bad news

Chapter 19

A few days later...   

Riker POV

I finally felt like I was beginning to get settled here at Mark's. Ross went back to school and was happy. I hadn't started school though. I was starting to get worried that I would fall really behind and have to repeat a grade, which I really don't want to do.

I was playing games on my phone when Mark appeared in my doorway.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a few minutes?" Mark asked.

"Yeah."

Mark came and sat down on the end of my bed.

"It's about your parents."

I felt a wave of panic.

"I'm not really supposed to tell you this, but you're almost 16, so I think you're old enough. And I think you'll handle it better if you're mentally prepared for it."

"What is it?"

"Your parents got a lawyer. They're out of jail now. And they're already trying again to get custody of you and Ross."

"But what about what dad did to me? Don't they think he might do that again?"

"I don't know much about what's going on. But I think it has to do with your dad doing a program for alcoholics. Since he hurt you when he was drunk, they're thinking maybe he won't hurt you if he's sober."

"He'll still hurt us. I know he will."

"Look. It's up to the court if they get custody of you again. But there's some things we can do if that's what ends up happening."

"Like what?"

"We can make sure you have your phone on silent and you can hide it in case you have to call the police again. Or me. I can get you some protein bars in case you're scared he did something to your food. That way you'll still have something to eat. You can hide your anxiety meds so he won't take them from you. And if there's anything else that you can think of that might help, we can do that too."

I can't believe this is happening again so soon.

I felt myself starting to slip into another panic attack even though I was trying to take deep breaths this whole time.

I hugged Mark tight, still trying to take deep breaths and stay calm. He held me tight. And I actually started to feel the panic attack going away.

"I don't want you telling Ross any of this ok? I don't want him getting scared again. He hasn't had any panic attacks since his sleepover, and I want to keep it that way."

"Ok. Will you tell me if you hear anything else about my parents?"

"Yes."

I sighed and leaned back on my bed again.

"Will this ever end? Or am I going to be anxious about this forever?"

"Eventually, if your dad keeps hurting you, they won't let him have custody anymore. But like I said before, they try to get families back together."

"But what if he doesn't hurt us and then we have to live there?"

"I don't know, Riker."

"It seems like I lose either way."

"Let's just wait and see what happens. We don't even know if they'll be able to get custody of you guys again yet."

"Ok..."

Later...

Riker POV

I guess I seemed more anxious than normal because Ross asked me why I was so jumpy at dinner.

I just can't stop thinking about going back home. And am I going to get in trouble for telling on him the first time?

I don't care if he's doing some stupid program for alcoholics. That doesn't automatically mean he won't get drunk and hurt us.

I know he will. And what if it's worse than last time?

I'm just really scared. And there's literally nothing I can do.