Arion

1.03

We reached the agency and I got out the backseat with the girl in my hands. I had to hold her on the way over because I wasn't planning on playing mom this weekend so there's no car seat.

I got the girl out of the car and held her hand to cross the street with Tamar. We got inside and filed a report. "Should we do runaway or lost child?" I asked.

"Try lost child, that sounds more believable," Tamar said. I handed the report back to the receptionist and we waited. The girl played with some toys this place had out as Tay and I waited for our names to be called.

As we waited, I read a book about what it is that they do. They sound like good people that genuinely care about kids wellbeing.

"Toni," I heard the little girl call out my name. She walked over and showed me a picture that looks like it was me and her.

She pointed at the figure that resembled me and said, "Toni." I had a quick idea and I looked over at Tamar, and without words she agreed.

I pointed at the figure that I assumed was her. "Who's this?" I asked. She looked at me and smiled. "Tay," she answered before looking at Tamar.

"Girl, I am not that small," Tamar said making the girl laugh. I was hoping that she was about to tell us her name, but I had another idea. "Can you draw you?" I asked. She nodded and went back to the table.

We were called back before the girl finished the picture. "Dammit. Let's go," I said before getting the girl and following behind the lady.

"Okay, so you just found her on your front porch, alone?" The lady asked. I nodded. She typed a lot of stuff into the computer before turning back to us.

"Well, there's no missing kid in the state that matches her, so the next step might be a lot, but its the next best thing," I was opened to all ideas.

Except the one she said.

"You can foster her."

I collapsed into my hands not really knowing what to do. The little girl was tapping on my shoulder.

I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I know if I take on this responsibility, the expenses would be threw the roof. But if I leave her in this system, I would never forgive myself if something happen to her.

I thought about it and it came down to one thing that would sway me towards bringing her home back with me: if I knew her name.

I turned to the girl and asked her to show the picture shes showed us earlier. "Sweetie, I'm going to ask you do something, and if you want to stay with me, you have to do it. Okay?" She nodded in response and waited for my directions.

"Draw a picture of you so Toni and Tay can see." The lady handed her a box of crayons and she got to work.

"Are you sure you would be able to take care of her?" Tamar asked me. I had no answer because I really don't if I can. I'm taking this whole situation by the minute.

"If you end up not wanting her, here's my card and just give me a call and we'll send someone over to get her," the lady said making no eye contact.

After another five minutes went by, the girl came back with the picture I asked for. "Pretty. Can you tell me who this is?" I asked.

She hesitated answering, before pointing at herself. "Do you have a name? Like how my name is Toni, and her name is Tay, and her name is Ms. Carla. What's yours?" I asked, feeling very pushy.

She took another crayon and drew the letter A. She looked up at me. "Okay," I said.

She continued with a R. After every letter she looked at me waiting for my okay. "Okay," I said after the last name I assumed because she put the crayon down.

"Arion?" I asked for confirmation. She nodded. She pointed at the picture again. "Arion and Toni." She smiled. Man, this little girl is going to kill me.

"So?" The lady asked. In a quick reaction, I agreed to fostering Arion. "Well, okay, I'll go get the paperwork to foster Miss Arion," the lady said while getting up.

She left us there and Tamar looked genuinely worried for me while Arion colored some more on the floor beside my feet.

"Say it," I said realizing Tamar would not stop staring at me. I know Tay like the back of my hand, there's something she wanted to say but she doesn't want an argument.

"I just think this is a bad idea. You're going to get attached and when someone else plans on adopting her, you are going to cry like a bitc– like a baby. It's going to hurt you, Toni. She'll feel like your daughter."

"I know. But if something goes wrong with her on someone else's watch, all I can think of is her screaming my name like she did this morning. She's attached and I don't want to be the reason this little girl has abandonment issues, and think some man is going to solve her issues and end up in a sex trafficking ring... There's just too much to risk."

I was overthinking, and I knew it. However in this case, it's better to be safe than sorry.

We stared at each other until the lady came back with the papers to sign. "Okay, just fill these out and we'll have someone check out the house, come over and do a pee test, and give you your license to foster.

I filled it out and at the question of what Arion's middle name is, I stumbled. I asked her and she legitimately had no clue, so I winged it. "Arion Sophia...Do I give her my last name?" I asked the lady. "If you want to, she's unidentified at the moment, so you are choosing all of this." The lady answered.

"Arion Sophia Braxton..."

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Y'all think Toni gonna get attached to Arion?
Stay tuneddddddddd💛