Read Online Beyond Innocence by Carsen Taite - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carsen Taite
Ads: Link
visits we usually got to stay a bit longer. When we moved, it was in the middle of the night, and we took only what we could carry in one trip. Didn’t matter much since we didn’t own much more than that.” She paused for breath. She’d blurted the details out fast, scared they wouldn’t come if she didn’t hurry them along.
“I’m glad you had Eric to take care of you.”
Serena was surprised by the insight. Those who knew the story―the agency worker and her adoptive parents—focused on what she didn’t have—parents, rather than what she did have—a brother who loved her without conditions. Their focus was likely the reason they minimized her loss once they were separated. “He was my world.”
“What happened?”
A simple question. Serena cast about for a simple response. She took a sip of her coffee as she gathered strength for the hardest part of the telling. “We finally managed to stay in one place long enough to feel like it was home, but as a result, Child Protective Services finally got wind of our mother’s antics. They made several home visits and removed us and filed papers to terminate our mother’s parental rights. I was ten. They placed us in a foster home, together at first.”
Cory nodded her head. “They always try to keep siblings together.”
Serena wondered if Cory had personal experience with the agency, and she wondered how much. “They don’t try hard enough.” She didn’t bother trying to keep the anger out of her voice. She reached for her coffee, but Cory’s hand met hers midway. She didn’t pull away, enjoying the light touch, the gentle comfort. Cory had the singular ability to still her mind from the whirling guilt, misgiving, and stress. In the calm, she was able to access the truth.
“I should be honest. Eric didn’t handle the environment very well. We were in three different homes together before the agency decided he was the source of the problem. After years of being in charge of himself and me, he didn’t take too well to being told what to do.”
“How old was he?”
“Fourteen.”
“It’s hard for kids to adjust at that age.”
“Do you have kids?”
Cory abruptly pulled her hand away and leaned as far back in her chair as possible. “Uh, no. None.” Cory seemed taken aback by the question. Another fact Serena filed away for later inspection. Her thoughts wandered to Skye, weeks away from having her first child, a child born on purpose, not by accident like she and Eric had surely been. Skye was clearly excited about the prospect of parenthood. Did Cory want children of her own, or did she share Serena’s fears about re-creating mistakes? The question seemed too personal. She ignored the irony in not asking and changed the subject.
“You just seem pretty familiar with CPS policies.”
“I am. Part of the job.”
“Of course.”
“So what happened when Eric could no longer get along in foster care?” Cory seemed to relax as the questions moved away from her and back to the original subject. Again, Serena noted the vague answers Cory gave when any subject turned personal, but let it go. She could ask Paul more about Cory’s background. After all, she had a right to know more about the attorney who would be working on her brother’s case, didn’t she?
“We gradually slipped apart. Eric was arrested several times. Petty thefts, but enough to wind him up in juvenile court. No foster family would take him after that, so he went to a boys’ home, which wasn’t a home at all; it was really a last stop on the state dime.”
“It’s hard to find permanent placement for older kids.”
“I know. The agency didn’t even post his profile on their adoption site.”
“But yours?”
“Mine was up for only two weeks.”
“I suppose you were beautiful even then?”
Serena felt the heat of the blush. Funny, Cory was blushing too. She glossed over the remark. She couldn’t afford to do anything but. No way was she going to
“I’m glad you had Eric to take care of you.”
Serena was surprised by the insight. Those who knew the story―the agency worker and her adoptive parents—focused on what she didn’t have—parents, rather than what she did have—a brother who loved her without conditions. Their focus was likely the reason they minimized her loss once they were separated. “He was my world.”
“What happened?”
A simple question. Serena cast about for a simple response. She took a sip of her coffee as she gathered strength for the hardest part of the telling. “We finally managed to stay in one place long enough to feel like it was home, but as a result, Child Protective Services finally got wind of our mother’s antics. They made several home visits and removed us and filed papers to terminate our mother’s parental rights. I was ten. They placed us in a foster home, together at first.”
Cory nodded her head. “They always try to keep siblings together.”
Serena wondered if Cory had personal experience with the agency, and she wondered how much. “They don’t try hard enough.” She didn’t bother trying to keep the anger out of her voice. She reached for her coffee, but Cory’s hand met hers midway. She didn’t pull away, enjoying the light touch, the gentle comfort. Cory had the singular ability to still her mind from the whirling guilt, misgiving, and stress. In the calm, she was able to access the truth.
“I should be honest. Eric didn’t handle the environment very well. We were in three different homes together before the agency decided he was the source of the problem. After years of being in charge of himself and me, he didn’t take too well to being told what to do.”
“How old was he?”
“Fourteen.”
“It’s hard for kids to adjust at that age.”
“Do you have kids?”
Cory abruptly pulled her hand away and leaned as far back in her chair as possible. “Uh, no. None.” Cory seemed taken aback by the question. Another fact Serena filed away for later inspection. Her thoughts wandered to Skye, weeks away from having her first child, a child born on purpose, not by accident like she and Eric had surely been. Skye was clearly excited about the prospect of parenthood. Did Cory want children of her own, or did she share Serena’s fears about re-creating mistakes? The question seemed too personal. She ignored the irony in not asking and changed the subject.
“You just seem pretty familiar with CPS policies.”
“I am. Part of the job.”
“Of course.”
“So what happened when Eric could no longer get along in foster care?” Cory seemed to relax as the questions moved away from her and back to the original subject. Again, Serena noted the vague answers Cory gave when any subject turned personal, but let it go. She could ask Paul more about Cory’s background. After all, she had a right to know more about the attorney who would be working on her brother’s case, didn’t she?
“We gradually slipped apart. Eric was arrested several times. Petty thefts, but enough to wind him up in juvenile court. No foster family would take him after that, so he went to a boys’ home, which wasn’t a home at all; it was really a last stop on the state dime.”
“It’s hard to find permanent placement for older kids.”
“I know. The agency didn’t even post his profile on their adoption site.”
“But yours?”
“Mine was up for only two weeks.”
“I suppose you were beautiful even then?”
Serena felt the heat of the blush. Funny, Cory was blushing too. She glossed over the remark. She couldn’t afford to do anything but. No way was she going to
Similar Books
