Finding Family |Adopted by Melissa Benoist and Chris Wood|

23

For the next several days, the only things that really happened were cooking and cleaning. Star would get dropped off by Melissa in the morning as she was on the way to work while Chris stayed home to prepare the house for visitors.

It was decided that Melissa and Chris's family members would come up to their house in Vancouver to remove the stress of traveling, not to mention that they were already in the area. This would be the first time since they would all be together since their wedding, making this whole event exciting and nerve wracking and exhausting all at the same time.

Melissa and Chris had been as open and honest as they could, making sure to show Star all the pictures and share all the stories, trying to prepare her for this visit as much as possible. The other thing that was revealed to Star was Drift and Farley.

"Farley is my dog. She is about eleven years old and she's pretty small" Melissa informed Star who looked at her with curiosity.

"And Drift is a really big dog. He is probably almost as tall as you. He is my dog" Chris continued, showing Star a photo of the three year old big black Great Dane with a white patch of fur on his chest.

"So my mom has been watching both dogs ever since you came and today she is going to bring them back to our house so they can live with us. Is that okay with you?" Melissa asked, looking over at her foster daughter.

I DON'T LIKE DOGS! THEY'RE SCARY! OH PLEASE NO! Star licked her lips and wiped her sweaty palms on her shirt. The past several days were filled with so much activity that Star hardly felt like she had any time to breathe. Between not sleeping at night and going to school during the day, she could feel the heaviness of it all catching up to her.

Instead of answering her foster mom's question, Star blinked a few times rapidly before biting her lip and looking down to fidget with her fingers. It wasn't that she was trying to be disrespectful, she just... didn't feel like responding.

"Well, how about you get some rest. Melissa's mom and the dogs will be here in a few hours" Chris informed, sensing that his foster daughter needed some time to recharge. She is certainly an introverted kiddo. Hopefully she will be okay during dinner,games and movies...

In her sleepy haze, the knocking was faint at first but as Star grew more aware of her surroundings, the volume increased. Sitting up quickly, she realized that she had fallen asleep. There was a blanket draped over her body as she had been sleeping over her comforter. Melissa and Chris must have moved me. I don't remember falling asleep in bed...

"MOM!! FARLEY!!! DRIFT!!!!" Melissa exclaimed, overwhelmed with excitement as she hopped around like a kid on sugar, embracing her mom in a bone-crunching hug before bending down to give the two dogs an equally bone crunching hug.

"Hi Julie! So good to see you again!" Chris grinned, reaching over to give his mother in law a quick hug in between Melissa's constant bone crunching hugs and excited laughter. A deep woof drew his attention to the big brown soulful eyes of his dog, Drift. "How ya doin buddy!" Chris gave his dog a rub on the head and laughed as the one hundred and thirty pound dog propped his front paws on Chris's shoulders.

Melissa was now laying on the ground, laughing uncontrollably and letting herself be licked by Farley. There was another knock at the door and Melissa got to her feet to open it. Chris's mom stood at the doorstep, grinning ear to ear.

"Hi Lily!! It's so nice to see you!!!" Melissa bubbled, embracing her mother in law an excited hug before stepping back and letting her in the house.

"Mom!" Chris grinned, giving his mother an embrace. Drift nudged his leg jealousy, wanting more cuddles and maybe a treat.

Star had watched the entire interaction from the top of the stairs, peeking around the corner and between the banisters with her comfort blanket clutched tightly in her hand. They seem so... happy... I shouldn't intrude... Star raced back to her room and leaped onto the bed.