Growing up

Three

The Chens, along with Brett, drove their way back home.

Brett looked extremely tense and awkward, sitting in the backseat beside Eddy.

Eddy couldn't help but laugh at his friend.

Mrs Chen (well, being the person she is) decided to break the silence.

"So...from what I have heard, you live around Queen street too?"

Brett nodded.

She was going to ask further, but seeing that Brett looked so tired, she decided not to.

The car drove into the street they lived on.

Brett looked extremely worried.

He was going to say something when he realized the Chens are just going back to their own home.

Mr Chen noticed his face too and as someone who haven't spoken to his newly adopted child before, he decided to talk to him.

"Erm...what's wrong?" he asked Brett when all of them got down from the car.

Brett said nothing but silently looked over to the right.

"Are you looking at the empty house one house away from us?" Belle attempted to find a chance to talk with Brett.

"It's not empty. I live there."

Now the whole family is genuinely shocked. The house Brett was pointing to was always acknowledged by them as the empty house, because no one was ever spotted to be living there.

Going into their house, Brett was welcomed by them like a guest.

Mr and Mrs Chen hurried to the kitchen while Eddy and Belle guided him to their room. Belle acting as the big sister gave him what he needed, as well as Eddy.

Eddy borrowed some clothes for Brett to change into. By the time Brett came out of the shower it was right at lunch time. 

The five of them sat down at the dining table, with Brett staring at the dishes astonishingly. It was the best meal he ever had.

After the dishes were cleared away, they sat down in the living room, seemingly going for a family meeting.

"So," Mr Chen said, "welcome home, Brett."

Brett fiddled awkwardly in his seat, not really knowing what to do.

"Erm, maybe we'll start with some information I got from CPS." Mrs Chen again attempted to break the silence.

All of them listened attentively to what Mrs Chen told them. 

"Basically, Brett gets to stay with us for a month to see if he feels comfortable here. And in this month, the first week is to adjust everything while the following weeks will be normal. And in between, caseworkers might pop in from time to time just to check in."

Brett silently nodded.

Then there were a few decisions to make. Well, a lot actually.

First of all, school. Brett decided to transfer from Maryville to Evergreen because well, his only friend for now is Eddy.

"Won't your friends miss you though?" Mr Chen asked him.

"I don't have any."

Now for violin related stuff. And it is extremely surprising to find out the fact that Eddy and Brett are both actually taught by the same teacher.

"I go on Thursdays. What days do you go on?" Eddy asked.

"Mondays."

"Good, let's keep it that way then." Mrs Chen happily wrote it down.