Chapter 3
Meetings and Greetings....
I drove up the driveway around 3 O'clock. I was tired from driving all day, and really needed to relax. I grabbed the bag with basketball and soccer. I also grabbed the baseball and softball bag. Then i headed to the front of the main house. I guess it was a ranch, but i didn't care. A house was a house. A women in her late forties opened the door.
"Hi. You must be Ember. Come on in. You must already know that I am Emily", She said " Now I have to tell you something...I have thirteen boys.
"Ok, well then now wow. um.. I don't want to talk about my past. To anyone."
"Fair enough. BOYS!!!"
I looked outside to see twelve boys playing in a pool, paying no attention to Emily.
"Where's the thirteenth one?" I asked.
"College."she said."OUT OF THE POOL!"
"Want some help?" I asked.
"Be my guest."
I grabbed a basketball and threw it into the bushes opposite the pool. The boys looked around and got out of the pool. When they were all standing on the edge of the pool, I ran of the back porch and made a beautiful cannonball. The splash hit them, and by the looks ontheir faces when I came up, they had no idea what was going on. I tried to keep a straight face, but they were so stunned it was hilarious. One of the older ones said "Hi,who are you?"
I got out of the pool and one of them handed me a towel."I am your foster sister."
"WHAT?!" they yelled in unison.
"Bye kids. I am going to the store."
"Ok, what's your name?" the same boy asked.
"Ember."
"Where are you from?"
"I-I-I-"
"You don't know where your from?"
I steeled myself. I was not going to show any emotion to these boys.
"This is my 174th foster home. Which one should I chose?"
"How'd you get here?"
"In my truck."
"Where's your stuff?"
"Guess."
"In the truck."
"My turn. What are your names?"
My interrogater spoke first.
"I am Brandon; eighteen years old." Then he told me the brother's names.
"Sean;seventeen"
"Danny;sixteen."
"Skylar;fifteen."
"James and Jimmy; fourteen."
"Twins, right?" I asked.
"Correct."
"Alex;thirteen."
"Joe; twelve"
"Connor; eleven."
"Nick;ten."
"Chris and Cam;nine."
All of a sudden Chris and Cam pushed me back into the pool. Then they kept me down until Danny and Sean pulled them off me. They were laughing when I came up. I was trying not to laugh but theirs was contagious. I burst out laughing and couldn't stop for five minutes. Then I jumped out of the pool and ran to my truck. I grabbed the rest of my sports stuff and said
"Where do i put this stuff?"
They looked at me like I had nine heads.
"You like sports?" said Alex.
"Yeah, what's so surprising about that?"
"You are the first girl we have ever met that likes so many spports."
"Ok, well were should I put it all?"
"We'll take it. Grab the rest of your stuff."
"Can I have some help?"
"How many bags of clothes did you bring?"
"One. I have other stuff though. Like art supplies."
"We'll help." said James and Jimmy."We like painting. Why don't we put your art supplies with ours?"
"Sounds good to me."
"I'll come too." I looked up to see Sean walking towards me.
"Whatever." I said
When we got to my truck the twins grabbed the art supplies and a couple othe things. Finally all that was left were some books and my clothes. I was reaching for my bag when Sean said"Let me take that." Our hands touched and I quickly pulled away.
No. No boyfriends. I can't take the chance that he will hurt me. I thought.
Instead I just grabbed my books.
"Did you buy all this stuff?"
"No.They were goodbye presents. Where am I sleeping?"
"I'll show you."
"Ok."
He led me too a room that took my breath away. The walls showed a sandy beach and a crystal clear ocean.
"Wow.Who did this?"
"James and Jimmy. If you hadn't come with all that art supplies, they'd be begging for everyone to get them more."
"Good thing I came then."
"Yeah."
"Sean! Come here! you have got to see this equipment!" someone called.
"I gotta go."he said a he was leaving.
"And I gotta unpack."
Once I finished unpacking I laid on my bed. At least that's done I thought falling asleep.
