Forever's a long time

Chapter 3

At thirteen G. Callen was being moved again. He'd done another year in a group home. He had never talked about the McPhersons. He had been questioned by the police and his social worker. But he wouldn't say anything. Mrs McPherson had had a mental breakdown and in between sobbing uncontrollably all she had been able to say was that her husband had hurt the child. Hoping still that the social worker would change his mind and send Callen back to the home where he had felt love for the first time, he admitted that he had hit Mr. McPherson with a broom. As it happened he had done just that a day before they had been discovered albeit not as hard as he stated, but he thought that at least he wasn't lying. However, to his despair, he had been told he could never go back to the McPherson's again.

After that he had refused to go to another foster home and had insisted on only staying in group homes. He refused to participate in any activities and apart from going to school, he started hanging out with what he knew Mr. McPherson would call the wrong crowd and he 'cussed' every chance he got.

Over the next few years Callen became a loner. He didn't hang with anyone else in the group home, he would answer back and constantly be late coming home from school, smirking as the house manager grounded him.

Mr. Parkins, his social worker, despaired at Callen ever becoming a useful member of society and would frequently mention this in case meetings.

Callen, now thirteen, sat at the end of a long table while his social worker sat the other end with education welfare, his school principal and the chairman of this particular meeting, an independant social worker.

Jon Lennox, Chairman on this occasion had watched as Callen had slunk into the room and slumped in the chair as far away from the others as he could get.

"Well," he said brightly. "Welcome to today's meeting. I am glad you could all join us."

Callen rolled his eyes and leaned back, putting his feet on the desk.

"Callen, sit up, we are here for your benefit so you may want to pay attention," Lennox said.

With a heavy sigh Callen dropped his feet to the floor and leaned forward, "Why you never listen to anything I say," he grumbled.

"Callen we are here for what's best for you and we are concerned about your attitude."

Callen threw back his head and laughed, "Tell it to my parents, maybe they'll send me to my room....Oh wait yeah, I don't have any and none of you give a damn where I am."

Parkins looked up, "Callen that's not true. We do worry, that's why we are here. You've been skipping school, lying, coming home after curfew and I now hear from your principal that you have been caught smoking at school."

"So...?" Callen took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and went to light one up as his social worker stood up and pulled the offending item out of his mouth and put it out.

"HEY!" Callen shouted annoyed, "Those are mine."

"Why are you behaving like this G?" Ms. Harley his principal asked.

"Like what?" Callen wouldn't meet their eyes.

Jon, realizing that Callen was pushing his boundaries, turned back to the others, "G. Callen's last placement in a foster home was three years ago am I right?" he asked.

Parkins looked at his records and nodded.

"How was his behavior in that placement....the McPherson's?" Lennox asked.

"I was good!" Callen snapped, "I was loved there and you pulled me away from it. You made me leave!"

Lennox looked at his notes, "I see...so you liked it so much you refused any more home placings."