THE PAINFUL TRUTH

Chapter Thirty One- 'Blood is thicker than water.'

Stella's POV

"Kate! Harry! I need to tell you something," I say while we tuck into our meals we bought from Burger King," It's about what Storm told me today at the park."

Both of my foster care's parents' attention is now on me and no longer the food. Kate clears her throat before turning to Jake, Josh, Evie and Ellie; they have all finished their food faster than the rest of us so they are all driving each other crazy because of boredom.

"After you take your plates and cutlery to the sink, you can go play upstairs nicely," Kate suggests.

"But I thought we can't be excused from the table until everyone has finished eating," Josh asks, scrunching his nose up in confusion at their exemption from one of the rules that Kate and Harry explained to us when we first arrived at their house.

It's mind blowing how long ago that seems(but really it's been a short time yet many changes have taken place)! One very clear example of how I've changed since I moved in is my behaviour: I promised myself that whoever decides to foster me can never be trusted because my own parents left me when I thought they never would so why wouldn't people of different blood? Why wouldn't people who were complete strangers before I started being fostered by them? Before my parents' death, I had always believed in the proverb, 'blood is thicker than water'. I had always believed that my familial bond was the strongest of them all; stronger than friendship or love. I thought that my bond with my family could never be broken but I witnessed it shatter to a thousand pieces on the day of the car accident. In one way, glass is like family: when it's broken, there are too many pieces to put back together and from my personal experience, something coming undone in a family can give you more trauma than anything else.

I smile - something I haven't done in a long time; I've almost forgotten how to do it - as I watch Jake, Josh and the twins looking pleased while they scurry up the stairs after receiving confirmation from Kate that the four of them being allowed to leave the table(even if everyone hasn't finished eating) is not a trick. I'm ashamed to say this but when I first met the four children who also lived in this same house, I tried to spend the least time possible with them but eventually my fascination overwhelmed me. When they become my age, I know for sure that all four of them will be much stronger than how I am currently as they were put in the foster care system at a much younger age and were forced to grow up sooner than other children at their ages. Looking at Jake, Josh, Evie and Ellie, makes me realise how lucky I was to have more time with my family than they did because I had the opportunity to develop a deep connection that other children in the foster care system can only have in their dreams. Therefore, they don't have the same worry that I do: if I grow closer to my foster care parents, I'm replacing my Mum and Dad.

The floorboards start to vibrate with noise as Jake starts counting while Josh, Evie and Ellie dash in different directions, searching for a hiding place.

"So, what did Storm tell you?" Harry asks openly.

Get comfortable! Here, we go again!

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I don't know where to look because I don't want to look at either Kate or Harry so I decide my long forgotten burger is my best bet.

"I'm going to start washing the dishes," I try to escape from the uncomfortable atmosphere. I stand up and I'm about to pile Kate and Harry's plates on top of mine before I'm stopped.

"Stella, sit down," Kate sounds quiet but seems as dangerous as a hungry lion so I obey her command.

"Are you okay?" Harry questions, concerned once I'm seated.