A Place Called Home

Foster

-Hope's POV-

"So what happens now?" I asked the social worker who was now filling out a paper.

"Well, he's going into the system while his father is incarcerated, and I'm sure the jury won't give him custody, so he's most likely staying until he ages out. The ratio of kids to foster parents is extremely low, so he's probably going to be sent to a group home." She answered a little too unsympathetic.

I thought long and hard about it. I called Jeremy and although he was hesitant, we both decided that the right thing to do was to foster Anthony until he becomes a legal adult.

I returned back to the social worker who was still filling out the papers, "Is there any way that I could foster Anthony until he ages out?"

The woman stared at me sternly for a minute or two, until she said "It would take about a week or two to process, and he would be put in a group home until then. We would have to receive all of your information, such as your address, your marriage status, profession, things like that."

"I'm fine with that, our team should be staying for another two weeks." I responded.

"Alright, I'll need to get your cell number to contact you with information and I will need to see you back in the firm so you can fill out the paperwork." The social worker stated.

"Of course." I said as I wrote down my phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to her.

I left the room and sat down in a chair adjacent to Anthony.

"So she said that you're going into the system," I told him. The expression on his face was heartbreaking. He sighed in sadness.

"But I'm going to be your foster parent until you turn 18." I continued. Anthony stared at me with his ocean blue eyes, "Why would you do that for me? I stole from you, I don't deserve that." He seemed genuine in the fact that he thought he didn't deserve a foster home.

"Look, I know what you've been through. When I was a kid I had family problems too, not nearly as bad as what you've had to endure, but I still know." I confessed. His stance changed.

His posture became stiff. "I'm sorry." I let out a small laugh as the words rolled from his tongue, "Don't be sorry, you did nothing except for survive. You're strong Anthony. I can tell you have a good heart." I said. A smile escaped from him, that was the first time I've seen him smile.

"It's going to take about a week or two to process, so you're going to have to stay in a group home until then." I forced myself to give him the bad news. He sighed again, this time more in exhaustion. This kid really couldn't catch a break.

"That's okay, I'll be fine." He responded. I knew he wasn't really okay by the way he said it, as if he was trying to be optimistic.

"When the paperwork processes, you'll come back with me to the hotel I'm staying at, and then together we'll fly back home and you can meet my husband Jeremy, and our two dogs. You'll love them, there extremely friendly" I tried to cheer him up. He smiled. We stayed and I told him all about my life back home, and he couldn't help but smile as I went on.

----------
A/N: Sorry for taking an enormous break from writing, lost inspiration for a while, but I promise to post a new chapter every week :)