The Heart of the Team

Chalter Eleven

"Elizabeth? Honey are you paying attention?"
I pulled my gaze away from the passing landscape to Erica, my case worker.
Before I had gotten out of the hospital it had been decided that mother wasn't the best guardian for me and I was placed in the system.
Now after a few weeks of staying in the hospital and crying myself to sleep I had finally been released.
We were currently driving the three hour journey to meet people who would potentially be my foster parents.
"Uh I'm sorry. Not really."
She smiled "Thats okay, we're going to meet the Wheatons, they seem excited to meet you. Mrs. Wheaton is a nurse, so she'll be able to help with your us complication, and Mr. Wheaton is an accountant. Your going to spend a weekend with them. And then if it isn't the right fit we'll keep looking."
I nodded "Okay."

It was not the right fit.
At all.

"Put on a smile Elizabeth, new week new possible foster family!"
I did my best to smile my way through.
Again the fit 'wasn't quite right'

At least I still get to see the guys every once and awhile while I'm still in the valley.

"Elizabeth?"
I looked up from my book.
"Yeah?"
"Theres some people here to meet you, all the way from Illinois!"
I smiled at Erica. "Thanks."
I closed the book and stood up, following her down the hallway. 
"These are the Havery's."
The door opened to a nice looking family.
"Hi." I said hesitantly.
Erica put a hand on my shoulder "Elizabeth, this is Margret, Roy and Alexander."
I smiled.
"I'm Elizabeth, but I think you already know that."
Roy laughed "that we do."
"I'll leave you to get acquainted." Erica said.
I sat down at the table across from them.
"So you like playing piano?"
I nodded "Yeah, my friend Benny's mom taught me how to play and sing when we were little."
Margret smiled "I'm a band director at the highschool back home. I started out playing piano."
Alexander pointed at my Dodgers shirt "You like baseball right?"
"Yeah. I love to play, me and my friends play in this place we call the Sandlot. We've played there since we were all little."
Alexander grinned "I play on my school's team."

The next few hours were filled with laughing and talking.
I really like these people.
Things seem right with them.
"So tomorrow we're going to a museum and Erica thought it would be good for you to come with to get to know us. What do you say?"
I grinned "I'd love too."

As I lay in the bed of the home, that night I thought about the Havery's.
I really liked Roy's jokes, and Margaret had the same taste in music as me which I really like.
Alexander was only two years older than me.
He likes baseball too, and we have the same sense of humor.
Maybe these people would actually like me.

The next few days were a whirlwind of activity.
I got to hang out with the Havery's just about everyday and really get to know them.
As it turns out they like me as much as I like them, and they're gonna be my new foster family.
"You only have an hour, so make it count okay?"
"Okay, I'll meet you back here then."
Erica had brought me back to my old neighborhood in the Valley so I could say goodbye to everyone.
I headed down the street till I got to Benny's house.
All the boys would be at the Sandlot so I figured I'd say goodbye to Maria first.
Quickly I reached up and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"Maria it's me!"
The door opened and MAria quickly brought me into a hug.
"It's so good to finally see you again. Benny was so worried when you past out and then when all the social workers came and asked me questions!"
"I know Maria I know, let's go sit down."
We ended up sitting in the living room and I told her about what had happened and my new foster family.
"Illinois? That's a long way from here."
"I know, but it should be good for a change, plus I really like these people. I'll right you and the boys all the time, I promise."
"You are way to wise for your years Eliza."
I smiled "one of us had to be, did you expect any of the boys to grow a brain?"
She giggled "I suppose your right."
I glanced at the clock, half an hour left.
"I have to go now, they're at the Sandlot right?"
She nodded and pulled me into another hug.
"Out of everyone here I will miss you the most, second only to our Benny. You've found your family Eliza. Hold them tight."
When we pulled away there were tears in her eyes.
"I will write you, and come visit when I can."
"Oh goodness I feel like I'm losing a daughter!"
"Not losing, just saying goodbye for a while."
I pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"You better write me as soon as that plane lands."
"I will."

When I got to the sandlot the boys were in the middle of a game.
They weren't playing with as much effort as usual though.
I opened the gate and stepped inside, slowly making my way towards them.
Smalls noticed me first, the Bertrum, and Squints.
"Liza!"
"Lizzy!"
"Lizzy!"
"Liz!"
"Lizabeth!"
"Beth!"
"Eliza!"
It was that last yell that meant the most to me.
Before I knew it everyone was hugging me at once.
"Heya guys!"
Everyone started to chatter at once but Benny called them to silence.
"So what's happening?"
"I don't really know how to say this. Um well I got a new foster family, and it's not just for a weekend, I'm going to live with them, in Illinois."
There was a bunch of 'forevers' and 'whats' and even a 'seriously'
"You're leaving." Benny mumbled.
"Yeah. Tonight."
"You won't forget us right?" Squints asked.
"Of course not. How could I forget my best friends?"
Erica's car pulled up outside the Sandlot.
"You have ten minutes!" She called.
I forced a smile.
DeNunez was the first to hug me "You be careful out there Liz. I hear they've got monsters in the corn."
"You know I will. I'll miss you."
I hugged the rest of the boys one by one, even Smalls.
We all made little jokes to try and cheer up.
When I got to Benny he hugged me tighter than all the rest.
"Don't do anything stupid. And don't stop playing baseball, and you'd better write me." He whispered into my shoulder.
"I promise. I'm gonna miss you the most, don't tell the guys."
"I won't."
We pulled away and I smiled "And I can't do anything stupid, I'm leaving the stupid here with you guys."
A few of them yelled in protest.
"Bye Benny."
Tears threatened to spill over my eyes.
"Bye Eliza."
He hugged me once more and then ran off with the rest of the guys as I walked back to the fence.
"Wait! Eliza wait!" I turned as Benny ran back over.
"What?"
He didn't respond just slammed his lips onto mine.
When we pulled away I was in shock.
"I know I got a girlfriend, but I just wanted to make sure your first kiss wasn't with some other guy from corn town."
He ran back over to the guys and I slowly got myself together enough to walk to the car and climb in.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as Erica drove away.
He did like me.
He liked me and now I was leaving.