Love Me When I'm Unlovable

Chapter 12: LeAnna

I'm fidgeting with the sign and its remote when Rita's phone dings. It's wrong, I know, but I lean over to see who's messaging her. It's someone named Lucas. He said 'hey, Babe'. I suck in a breath.

Does Rita have a boyfriend? That worries me a little. Rita doesn't seem like the type to have good judgment with boys. But I do my best to ignore the phone, forget the text, and keep fidgeting with my sign.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Rita asks when she returns.

I visibly jump and kick myself for it. Act natural, LeAnna. "Oh, hey. I was doing nothing. Sorry. Did you get the batteries?"

Rita looks at me skeptically. "Uh... yeah, I did." She slides her nail across the batteries container. Her nails are kinda long and dirty, and a few of them look like they've recently been broken.

"Here," Rita says, handing me two double A batteries.

I slide the batteries into the back of the sign. "And we're putting it... there?" I point to the middle of her curtain lights.

Rita nods. "Yeah."

I nod. Rita moves the step stool over and I put up the sign. Hindsight, it looks pretty good.

Rita steps back and examines it. "I like that," she says, nodding. She looks at me. "What do you think?"

"I think it's good," I say, nodding. "Good choice."

Rita beams. "Thanks!"

"Hey, Rita," Mom knocks on the door. "Whoa," she says, smiling. "That looks amazing! You girls did an amazing job designing."

Rita beams. "You think so?"

"I definitely think so," Mom says. "I love the sign there!"

Rita pokes around in the bag. "Oh, there are still vones and LED lights. Can we do the LED lights next?"

"Before we do that," Mom says, laying a hand on the bag. "I have some news, Rita."

Rita looks at her out of the side of her eye. "What is it?" she asks skeptically.

"I talked to Presley about your request for Asher," Mom says, sitting down on the bed.

Rita drops down onto the bed next to Mom, giving Mom her full attention.

"And Presley got us a meeting with Asher's foster parents," Mom says. "Presley said Asher's caseworker is eager to get him out of the placement he's in right now, so she may give us custody."

Rita's face breaks into a smile. "What? Really? You think so?"

"I hope so," Mom says. "Remember, it may not happen. But I wanted to let you know about it."

Rita looks at me, her face shining. She opens her arms to me.

I pause. Is she asking for a hug? I go for it. Rita's hugs are amazing. She's warm and holds not to tight and not to loose. I love it. I love her.

*Rita POV*

I sat down next to LeAnna, my hand clenched in hers. Mrs. and Mr. Corbin sat down on either side of us.

"Hello," Misty, Asher's caseworker says, smiling. "I'm glad you could join us."

"So are we," Mrs. Corbin says, smiling warmly.

"This is Alina and Brandon Terry," Misty says. "They're Asher's current placement, and they have been for almost a year now."

"Asher is..." Alina looks at me and purses her lips.

I wait for the words to come out of her mouth. I know what's coming. It's the same thing over and over. I hate it.

"The school tested him the first few weeks of school," Alina explains gently. "He's... he can't speak. Or write. He's..."