Unwanted

5

The place was a booth at Jimmy's, a small restaurant that made signature burgers and milkshakes.

Everyday when Ian would walk Avery home from school, Jimmy would watch out for them as they walked by the restaurants window.

He would ask them to come inside and give them each a hamburger and a side of fries to share.

Most of the time, it's the only thing the two would eat for the day since Mrs. Trevino couldn't care less if they were cared for.

Jimmy had made it his priority to make sure they were both fed.

Then one day, he looked out the window and Avery was walking home alone. And a few months later, she didn't walked by at all.

He hadn't seen the child since her best friend got adopted and was taken in by a new loving family to and Avery had to move to a new foster home due to Mrs Trevino's lack of parenting.

So, when the now grown Avery walked into the diner, Jimmy only saw her as any other customer.

"How are you today?" He greeted and she gave him a soft but nervous smiles.

"Hi, can I have that booth over there." She pointed at the booth that the two children use to sit.

"Certainly, but a family just left and it hadn't been cleaned yet. Do you mind the wait?" He asked and she shook her head.

"I don't mind."

The old man nodded before grabbing a tray and a wet rag to go clean the table.

Avery waited patiently until he flagged her down and she walked over to the booth.

"Thank you." She smiled and he nodded before walking away.

She's hasn't been back here since the very day Ian found out he was getting adopted. Since the last day she was here with Ian, she's avoided the place altogether. Even when she became a teen and plenty of people from her school came here to eat, Avery never stepped foot here again.

Until now.

Taking a seat with her back facing the door, she rummage her purse before pulling out the small, damaged, stuffed teddy bear Ian had given to her.

She shook her head at its bad condition before thinking of all the times when she was a child and the small toy had brought her comfort.

Ian was the only person in her early childhood that had truly taken care of her. When he was gone, this teddy bear became the only sign of him she could hold on to.

That and February 2nd in fifteen years.

The diner door open but Avery didn't pay it any attention as she tugged on one of Mr. Cuddle's ears.

Since the day he left Greenville, Ian has been thinking about this very day.

He never wanted to leave Avery behind. In fact, many many months after moving into his new home, Ian often asked his mother and father if Avery could become his new sister.

He asked so much that the parents actually considered the option.

Mrs. Clark even came back to Greenville to tell Avery the good news.