Chapter 8

Allison walked into her mom's house.

Erika and Officer Kieth were sitting at the kitchen table with pictures of Allison on the table.

Her mom had clearly been crying. Allison asked what was going on and Officer Kieth stood up and started heavily walking towards her.

Officer Kieth spoke loudly and it startled Allison at first. "Where have you been? your mother has been worried sick about you! She called me over last night and we were just getting ready to leave and go to the station to file a missing persons report. you have a lot of explaining to do to your mother young lady. it was irresponsible turning off your phone and ignoring her the way you did."

Allison stood in shock for a moment and then started trying to explain. She told her mother she had texted her and said she would be with Brittany but her mom said she never got the text.

Allison showed her mom the thumbs up response she had gotten. Her mother became hysterical and started screaming and throwing glass dishes around the house. Erika didn't like being made to look like an idiot by her daughter.

Kieth ran to Erika and wrapped his arms around her trying to calm her down. Allison's mom was still screaming.

"I bet you were with that b!tch Nora and her son weren't you? you wish she was your mother and not me! I saw you watching from your bedroom window. You're not going back to that school Allison Jane. You'll be lucky if we ever let you leave this house again!"

Allison again tried to calm her mother down by explaining that she was with Brittany where she had promised she would be.

She didn't dare tell her mother that she had actually gone to Jensen's house and stayed the night there last night.

Kieth let go of Erika after a few more minutes and motioned for Allison to sit at the table.

"Come sit with your mother and I" Kieth said "We have exciting news. we can put this argument in the past and move forward. We're going to be a foster family and take children that don't have homes to go home to."

Erika was excited again and started talking really fast. "Ally I'm sorry for getting upset with you. I just love you so much and after your father died I don't know what I would do if I lost you too. it's your choice if you want to homeschool again or keep going to public school I won't force you either way. Please all I'm asking is that you answer me when I call or text you. Also, I could really use your help setting up the spare room for your foster siblings. we're almost done Allie. we have our home study tomorrow and then we will be open for placements. doesn't that sound like fun? wouldn't you like to have younger siblings Allison?"

Allison didn't know what to say. She didn't want to make her mom angry again so she just nodded.

After a while Kieth offered to take the two out to dinner to celebrate.

While at the restaurant the conversation between the three seemed to go smoothly and flowed easily.

Kieth had never been married before and he didn't have any children. He was told by several doctors that he would never be able to have his own children. Kieth wanted to foster for good reasons it seems but Allison knew her mother didn't really care for children so what were her reasons for doing it?

It definitely wasn't about keeping Kieth or making him happy. She had dated very few men with children in the past and the ones that did have kids her mother always had the guy send them to the child's mothers house or grandparents house while they would spend time together.