The Foster Parents
A Story Every Day in 2024 April 1st 92/366
Eddie was sat on his own, waiting. He didn't like living here. He didn't want to go back where he came from either. When he watched TV, he saw families and they were always really smiley, eating tasty food and their houses looked nice. It was a fantasy world. He dreamed of being part of that some day. He'd never known a life like that.
Today was the day where kids met "outside people" who might want to take them home. He'd seen a programme where people went to a dog's home and sometimes went home with one. He was that dog today. He would be brought out and paraded and if he presented himself in the best light, someone might want to take him home.
"Eddie? There's someone here to see you," Tommy, the head of the home said. Eddie liked Tommy. He was always kind, never grumpy. Tommy was like one of the dads on TV.
"Hello, Eddie," a lady said. She was smiling at him. She was with a man, who was also smiling. Eddie didn't smile. He'd been here before and was wary. He was jaded for a five year old.
"My name is Amy and this is Dan." The lady, Amy, had come over to him and was sitting close but not right next to him. She smelt nice and Eddie looked at her directly. Warm, brown eyes; smiley lines. Sometimes they had lines on their face but Eddie could tell they were anger lines, like his dad's, etched by drink and impatience. This lady's though, Amy's, were softer, crinkling her eyes in a way that made them blaze with life, not anger.
He felt sad, thinking about his dad. He was glad he was away from him but he was his dad, all he'd ever known.
"Hi, Eddie," the man said and he squatted down infront of Eddie so they were face-to-face. "I'm Dan."
Eddie started to shuffle on his seat.
"You like cars?"
Eddie loved cars. He'd had some but they'd got left behind where his dad lived.
"Look."
Dan placed a yellow car in Eddie's hands.
Eddie loved yellow. He loved cars.
He lifted his head and smiled.
***
366 words
I hope Eddie gets to go home with them, don't you?
Thanks for stopping by! If you do read it, please do leave a comment as I love to interact with my readers.
92/366
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More stories from Rachel Deeming and writers in Fiction and other communities.
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By Rachel Deeming2 years ago in Fiction
Comments (14)
Loved this! Yellow car connection=perfect
Such an endearing story. Good job, Rachel.
😊👍 - A great ending for the little micro Rachel!
very nice
Beautiful, Rachel! My heart aches for kids like Eddie. Adoption and fostering can be so hard but can also be so wonderful
I can understand what the poor kid was going through. The dilemma of living in a fantasy world and the reality that was facing him. It was a dreadful thought. Very interesting story too.
Once upon a time I thought everyone should volunteer to become foster parents. Then we became foster parents to two brothers whose mother died while they were in our care for fifteen months & for whom neither parent did much of anything to become good parents to them. It wasn't easy suddenly going from a family of three to one of five. It wasn't easy dealing with the acting out every time they came back from spending time with their mother. (Their father rarely if ever showed until her funeral.) We weren't the best foster parents & we made a lot of mistakes, but it was still hard after fifteen months a distant relative entered both her heart & home to them. We learned that foster parenting isn't for everyone. But there are those who are marvelously gifted & we should recognize, celebrate & support them. Blessings.
Oh gosh. I’m so glad this had an optimistic ending as I thought this was heartbreaking. Thought this section was so good (and terrible at the same time) Eddie didn't smile. He'd been here before and was wary. He was jaded for a five year old. Great story Rachel.
So sweet! Hope Eddie gets his happy ending (or maybe happy new beginning would be a better way of thinking of it).
That was lovely. I hope Eddie get to go home with them, and they truly are as nice as they seem.
The ice breaker. Lovely and hopeful in the face of all to common hardship and cruelty. This is a lovely, encouraging story, Rachel. I’m assuming that you and your family are planning an Easter Holiday. I hope that it is both relaxing and rewarding and that it gives you the breathing space to recharge.
You know I don't like kids but stories like this hit me so hard 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I'd prefer for babies or kids to die rather than have a terrible childhood or life. So yes, I wish Eddie goes home with Amy and Dan 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
You've been bloody busy! ❤️
Oh, I'm a little touched. My own boy was a sucker for cars at five. Going on holiday? Me too. Not taking a laptop. Envisaging a total vocal break for a couple of weeks, but who knows.