Strings

Stef Foster

This chapter contains drug and alcohol use.

CAPTAIN ROBERTS

As I sat at my kitchen table at nearly 2 AM I pulled out the I folder on Stefanie Foster.  I was pretty sure that was her running from the Adams home that night and I was pretty sure she had tripped the alarm. The owners were not pressing charges for Stewart Adams admitted he gave the girl permission to go into the house. However,  I was well aware things were off with her and she was hiding something especially her living situation. Claiming she lived with an aunt I knew that was false especially after quickly reading over her file this afternoon stating she had no known relatives, only her daughter Callie Foster. Truth was I had barely seen her all week and I knew she was dodging me  for when I asked her manager where she was he said she switched to nights. 

Sipping on my tea I opened her folder once again reading more in depth this time and the  more I read the more it explained leaving me heartbroken which rarley happened. I soon learned she was born into foster care becoming a ward of the state instantly with no parents listed.  From the time she was born she bounced around from foster home to foster home almost weekly due to behavior problems anger being the biggest. At seven she was kicked out of a foster home for hitting her foster father with a bat one night. At eight she was kicked out for hitting a foster mother and her son with a heavy pot and attacking them with a knife.  At nine she was accused of setting a home on fire and escaping only to be found days later in a school gym.  At age 10 she was arrested numerous times for stealing food from a convenience store. Her file described her as an at risk youth, with learning problems, no coping skills, behavioral issues, and that she was void of compassion, sympathy and love.

As I continued to read I noticed from age 12-15 there was nothing reported only that she lived with a woman named Sharon Cooper who wished to adopt her. This perked my interest for what was so different about her that caused all these issues to stop or go unreported. Glancing over the social workers notes from the visits it stated Stefanie was excelling in school, had above average grades, she was skilled in the guitar and playing in music competitions. It also said she was getting her anger under control with the help of her foster mother and therapy. Not one violent incident occurred under the care of Sharon Cooper or any interest of returning the girl. However, the adoption never went through for Sharon became ill and passed away leaving Stefanie in the care of the state once again. It didn't take long for her to end up in a group home and Juvenile Hall soon giving birth to her daughter Callie Lena Foster. A few months later she ran away from a group home with her daughter and Callie was placed in foster care at six months old. Stef was put in a group home then returned to Juvenile Hall where she racked up countless reports of violence, assault, and drug use.  At 18 she finally aged out of the system where she manged to stay under the radar but fighting to gain custody of her daughter since that time.

Closing the folder I could only shake my head for it wasn't the first time I read a file like this and it wouldn't be the last. I knew this girl was more then her file and I never saw the anger they were talking about the times I had spoken to her. Yes I could see she was troubled in more than one way but I could also see she wanted more for herself and her daughter. But she lacked the resources and the support maybe only getting it from her girlfriend. Letting out a sigh I was unsure of what I was going to do for I was pretty sure she had been sleeping at Lena's house since she was most likely homeless. I had two choices; leave this alone or help her more then I would ever help anyone in my life.

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STEF POV

Skipping my shift at the diner was never something I ever did. But after the hell week I had there was just no way I could face that or anything for that matter. After trying to call Lena back for the last three days I knew she was now avoiding me and that I had made her angry once again. That certainly was not something I was a stranger to for it seemed to be just something I always managed to do. On top of everything else when I called Bill  to check on my case with Callie to at least find out when I could call her just to say hi, he still had no update on me. Growing more frustrated I had made the trip to her foster home a few times just hoping to catch a tiny glimpse of my girl even if just for a second. Yes, I knew  I could get in big trouble if anyone saw me but the state just didn't understand what kid of affect this was having on the both of us. However, the little glimpse I did catch of her nearly broke my heart as I heard my little girl called Mrs. Steward, Mommy. After nearly breaking down at hearing that I made the trek back home to find Jenna and her brother throwing another party to which I just hung out on the balcony drinking the night away and getting high. All the work I had been doing was it really paying off and was it really making much of a difference if all I really did was just fuck up from one day to the next. Was it really worth it? Would I ever have a future with Callie or Lena both of whom were slipping away from me faster then anything. Truth was I didn't know the answer to any of these questions and the more I drank, and the  more I got high the less I felt and the less I cared. Pulling out my guitar as I chugged away at another beer even this seemed to be a friend that was turning against me. All it did was remind me of Sharon and I knew she was turning over in her grave as she watched me self destruct, something I was so good at doing. Even she had warned me when I was just 13 about being careful with my company, about not going off the good path and about listening to my gut in terms of knowing what was right and wrong.  She must have seen and must have known what could happen to me if I strayed to far. But she had been the only person that could stop me, that could get me to see that life was beautiful and that there was always a better way.