with adoption if she wanted. She couldn’t believe her luck; usually foster kids didn’t get to drive because it was rare to find a family willing to take on that much responsibility. But it was clear by that point she was a good fit with the O’Rileys. She said yes to the adoption.
Not long after she began driver’s ed, Saundra’s sister and brother-in-law were arrested for drug use. Natasha, their seventeen-year-old wild child, was in danger of being placed with the state because none of their other relatives would take her. Saundra and Bradley stepped in, inviting her to stay with them temporarily. Nothing was specifically said to Kim, but she knew the plans for her adoption would be shelved until Natasha was gone.
Kim ripped the letter from the notebook and crumpled it to a ball. She had enough on her mind without dragging all this back up. The last person whose face she wanted hovering in her mind’s eye today was Natasha.
“W OW, REALLY ? T HAT’S ALL YOU HAVE?” Corrie stood beside the boxes Kim had piled near the front door.
“Pathetic, isn’t it?”
“No—I’m impressed. And a little jealous, even. There are a lot of benefits to being able to travel light.”
Kim sighed. “It just reminds me that I’ve never settled anywhere. I really hope that changes now.”
Corrie folded her arms and opened her mouth as though to speak. It took her a moment before she finally launched in, her gaze resting on the boxes but occasionally flicking up to Kim. Kim had never seen Corrie uneasy before. “I know we haven’t known each other very long, and that we’re not close or anything. But, I don’t want to hate myself later for not saying something. I’m still a little worried about you, Kim. I just have a bad feeling.”
Kim avoided Corrie’s eyes when they finally fixed on her and busied herself with smoothing out a bubble in the tape holding one of the boxes shut. She didn’t want her last conversation with Corrie to get nasty, but she also didn’t want to get into a discussion on the subject when Rick was on his way over. “I appreciate the concern, honestly. But seriously, there’s no reason for it. And—not to sound rude or anything—but it’s not like you really know me. And you certainly don’t know Rick.”
Corrie was silent for a moment, her eyes trained on the boxes. “I suppose that’s true. I’m sorry I didn’t try to get to know you better.”
Kim let out a little laugh. “Oh Corrie, we’re so different I don’t think we’d ever figure out how to be real friends. We worked well as roommates and I’m fine that that’s all we were. I’m not your kind of people.”
Corrie was about to reply when the intercom buzzed. Kim’s stomach lurched as she reached for the button. “Hello?”
“Hey, I’m looking for a new roommate; know anyone who might be interested?”
Kim laughed louder than necessary to show Corrie just how excited she was about this move. “I’m all packed and ready to go!”
“Awesome, let me up.”
Kim hit the button that opened the foyer door and turned back to Corrie. “Thanks again.”
Corrie gave her a small smile. “You’re welcome.”
A knock on the door made Kim’s heart leap into her throat. She pulled it open and grinned. “Hey stranger. Move my boxes and I’ll pay half your rent.”
“Sounds like a good deal to me.” He gave her a kiss and smiled at Corrie. “Been nice knowing you. Thanks for your hospitality.”
“You’re welcome. Take care of her.”
Kim bristled but tried not to show it. “What am I, five?” She forced a laugh, then hoisted a box in her arms and followed Rick out the door.
K IM’S STOMACH FLUTTERED THE WHOLE way to Rick’s apartment. She noticed things she’d never seen before: the way the cluster of maples at the end of the building made a perfect shady picnic spot, the paint peeling from the gutters, the handprint cutouts in a window that belied the presence of children. My new home.
Rick parked
Not long after she began driver’s ed, Saundra’s sister and brother-in-law were arrested for drug use. Natasha, their seventeen-year-old wild child, was in danger of being placed with the state because none of their other relatives would take her. Saundra and Bradley stepped in, inviting her to stay with them temporarily. Nothing was specifically said to Kim, but she knew the plans for her adoption would be shelved until Natasha was gone.
Kim ripped the letter from the notebook and crumpled it to a ball. She had enough on her mind without dragging all this back up. The last person whose face she wanted hovering in her mind’s eye today was Natasha.
“W OW, REALLY ? T HAT’S ALL YOU HAVE?” Corrie stood beside the boxes Kim had piled near the front door.
“Pathetic, isn’t it?”
“No—I’m impressed. And a little jealous, even. There are a lot of benefits to being able to travel light.”
Kim sighed. “It just reminds me that I’ve never settled anywhere. I really hope that changes now.”
Corrie folded her arms and opened her mouth as though to speak. It took her a moment before she finally launched in, her gaze resting on the boxes but occasionally flicking up to Kim. Kim had never seen Corrie uneasy before. “I know we haven’t known each other very long, and that we’re not close or anything. But, I don’t want to hate myself later for not saying something. I’m still a little worried about you, Kim. I just have a bad feeling.”
Kim avoided Corrie’s eyes when they finally fixed on her and busied herself with smoothing out a bubble in the tape holding one of the boxes shut. She didn’t want her last conversation with Corrie to get nasty, but she also didn’t want to get into a discussion on the subject when Rick was on his way over. “I appreciate the concern, honestly. But seriously, there’s no reason for it. And—not to sound rude or anything—but it’s not like you really know me. And you certainly don’t know Rick.”
Corrie was silent for a moment, her eyes trained on the boxes. “I suppose that’s true. I’m sorry I didn’t try to get to know you better.”
Kim let out a little laugh. “Oh Corrie, we’re so different I don’t think we’d ever figure out how to be real friends. We worked well as roommates and I’m fine that that’s all we were. I’m not your kind of people.”
Corrie was about to reply when the intercom buzzed. Kim’s stomach lurched as she reached for the button. “Hello?”
“Hey, I’m looking for a new roommate; know anyone who might be interested?”
Kim laughed louder than necessary to show Corrie just how excited she was about this move. “I’m all packed and ready to go!”
“Awesome, let me up.”
Kim hit the button that opened the foyer door and turned back to Corrie. “Thanks again.”
Corrie gave her a small smile. “You’re welcome.”
A knock on the door made Kim’s heart leap into her throat. She pulled it open and grinned. “Hey stranger. Move my boxes and I’ll pay half your rent.”
“Sounds like a good deal to me.” He gave her a kiss and smiled at Corrie. “Been nice knowing you. Thanks for your hospitality.”
“You’re welcome. Take care of her.”
Kim bristled but tried not to show it. “What am I, five?” She forced a laugh, then hoisted a box in her arms and followed Rick out the door.
K IM’S STOMACH FLUTTERED THE WHOLE way to Rick’s apartment. She noticed things she’d never seen before: the way the cluster of maples at the end of the building made a perfect shady picnic spot, the paint peeling from the gutters, the handprint cutouts in a window that belied the presence of children. My new home.
Rick parked
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