Family Ties (girlxgirl)

Chapter 10

"Are we really going to celebrate Mrs. Leanne?" Sunny asked "We never had a party before"

The Murray's looked at Sunny in surprise. "You never had a party before?" Ben asked.

"Mom, now we really need to have a party" Carly said "I am going to call my friends, this is going to so awesome" Carly got up from the table and ran out of the kitchen.

"Carly, that's not what I meant. Don't you dare call your friends. Carly, come back here" Leanne yelled through the house but Carly was already out of hearing range.

"You fell for that one mom" Ben grinned. He then turned his attention to his foster sisters "You guys never had parties for your birthdays or anything? Doesn't the foster system do anything for Christmas?"

"The last party we were at was in one of our last homes and the couple who had us brought their friends to get high on ecstasy and meth" Sarah grumbled. Leanne chocked on her coffee and started coughing.

"You girls lived with drug users?" Leanne asked in disbelief.

"Of course" Sarah said. "There are quite a few of those in the system. The foster homes receive money from the government in return for hosting children under the legal age. But, sometimes the government people don't bother to check the background of those people because there are not enough homes for the amount of children in the system. They have their papers, which allow them to foster kids. The government sends them a check and they use that money to by crack, or whatever their on, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Meanwhile, the kids keep their mouth shut, in fear of being put in a worse place, or on the streets. The system don't give them much choice in the matter anyway."

"That's revolting" Ben said shocked "How can people treat children like that?"

Sarah shrugged and Sunny bowed her head in shame. "Why do you think orphans have trouble entering society?" Sarah said. Her voice was hard and cold. It was clear that she wanted the subject dropped.

"I think it's time for all of you to get ready for school" Leanne said quietly. The kids got up and left the kitchen silently, leaving Leanne alone. The older woman placed her head in her hands. She was used to bad stories and life horrid since she worked in a hospital. Sometimes, she had to treat criminals, children with broken bodies or even abused women. It was hard on her, but being a doctor for a long time, she managed to separate her feelings from her work. But, she couldn't do that with the girls. She couldn't separate her emotions from doing her job as the caretaker.

The girls need someone to take care of them and accept them for who they are. Leanne was not use to this kind of situation and had to admit, she was completely at a loss with these girls. The only thing she could do was wait and show these girl the god side of life.

-

During school, Sarah went to see her new friend Nim, who was hiding in the library. Ben and Sunny went their own way and Carly joined her friends at their locker. Matt and Hanna were talking and joking when they saw Carly.

"Hey girl" Matt and Hanna said.

"Hey guys" Carly grinned.

"So, are we finally going to get to hang out with your gorgeous foster sister?" Matt said with dreamy eyes.

"Hush Matt, or you're going to screw this up again" Hannah scolded.

"Don't worry, you'll get to see her again at the party" Carly said to them.

"How did you convince your mom to hold a party?" Hannah asked.

"I have my ways"

"It doesn't matter, as long as Sarah is there" Matt said and received a slap from Carly.