"Happy Birthday, Stephen!" Tracey said, bringing out a chocolate cake with candles and frosting. I smiled.
"Ten years old," Eric said. "And look at you."
I smiled. I'd grown taller since living with the Thompsons. And I wasn't so skinny anymore. Which meant I wasn't tired all the time anymore because Tracey was a good cook. Sometimes she sent me to school with a packed lunch, sometimes I got free lunch because I'm a foster kid.
My friends don't care that I'm a foster kid. And the Thompsons let me bring friends home, or go to friends' houses after school. But I have to check in if I hadn't made previous plans. I usually called from school, or asked as we walked by.
My shoulder healed pretty well, but sometimes on cold days it hurt some. Nothing too bad. Nothing I couldn't handle. The doctor said I might wind up with arthritis in it but that won't be until I'm old. Like 40.
Miss Arlene still visits me. At least one time a month. At first she came weekly to see how I was settling in.
Alexander got moved to another home not long after I turned nine. But Brian came to live here. His mom died and his dad disappeared. So he got put in foster care. He was six when he moved in. Now he's eight.
Mrs. Thompson coughed while I was blowing out my candles. She was coughing a lot lately. She was supposed to go see her doctor sometime this week and find out why she was coughing so much.
"So, Sport," Eric said. "What did you wish for?"
"I can't tell you," I laughed. "Then it won't come true!"
"Ah, ya got me there. Want to toss the ball around after dinner?" He asked me. Mr. Thompson taught me how to catch and throw a baseball. Then he signed me up for a baseball team and I learned how to play the game. I loved it! I wasn't great, but I could catch and throw and I'm a pretty good hitter. And a really fast runner. I can usually stretch a single to a double, depending on where I hit.
After we had cake and Brian and I did our chores, I dried the dishes while Tracey washed, and Brian cleared the table and wiped it down, Eric and I went out to the backyard and threw the ball around.
"Do you have any homework?" Eric asked me as we threw the ball across the yard.
"Some reading and questions. But it's stupid."
"Education is never stupid, son," Eric said. My heart always felt warmer when he called me 'son'.
"I know. But it's just so easy," I complained.
"Well, it may be easy for you, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do your best. When we're done here, up you go to finish that up, okay? Then shower and bed."
"Alright," I said.
We tossed the ball for about an hour. Eric was trying to teach me to pitch. I had the speed, not the accuracy so much.
"Alright," Eric said when the ball landed in the neighbour's yard. "I think that's enough."
I smiled sheepishly. I knew he'd be able to get the ball back from Mr. Erickson. He was a nice old guy who lived next door. His wife died five years ago and so he lived alone. But he has an amazing vegetable garden and he's always bringing over baskets of vegetables for Tracey. Which usually means lots of veggies at dinner. I didn't mind. They were good.
I went inside and upstairs to finish my homework and then took a shower.
Tracey popped her head into my room as I was pulling on my pyjama shirt.
"Homework done?" She asked. I nodded.
"And you're showered, obviously," she said. I nodded again.
"Alright," she smiled. "Sleep tight. Happy birthday, again."
I smiled and thanked her. And thanked her again for my birthday gifts. They'd gotten me some clothes, and a few books, because I read all the time.
I gave Tracey a hug good night. She left and I got into bed. It took me time to fall asleep sometimes because I got stuck in a loop thinking about my mom. It always seemed to happen at night. Tonight I guess it's because it's my birthday and I wondered where she was and if she even cared that it was my birthday. She'd never contacted me since the day I was taken away from her and Alex. She'd never shown up for any scheduled visits and she'd never sent so much as a note. It was as if I no longer existed to her.
I sighed and turned over. Eventually I managed to fall asleep.
When I woke up in the morning, the sun was out and it looked like a nice day. I got up, got ready for school and headed downstairs for breakfast.
Tracey had her appointment at nine so breakfast was cereal. Fast and easy. No complaints from me. I ate my cereal, said goodbye and headed off to school.
It was a pretty normal day. I played soccer with my friends at lunch recess, and sat bored to tears in my class.
I waited for Brian after school because sometimes some kids picked on him a little and so I walked him home. I protected him as if he were actually my brother. He was an okay kid.
When I got home, I saw Arlene's car in the driveway. And Eric's. I frowned. I didn't think we had an appointment today and I know it's not a visitation day where I'd go sit in a room for two hours waiting for my mother to show up and then leave at the end when she didn't. And Eric doesn't get home until closer to six usually.
Brian and I walked into the house and dropped our bags by the door. Tracey was crying. Eric looked upset and Arlene looked sympathetic.
"Stephen, I'm going to need you to go pack up your belongings," she said.
"Why?" I asked. "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry! I'll be better!"
I pleaded with Tracey and Eric.
"Oh, sweetheart, no," Tracey said, getting up and coming over to me. She wrapped me in a hug.
"Then why?" I asked. I'd been here almost two whole years. I liked it here.
"I have cancer, sweetheart. I've had it before and now it's back. We can't take care of you and Brian anymore. Brian's social worker is coming, too. I'm so sorry, Stephen."
I pulled out of the hug and went upstairs. I shoved all my stuff into a duffel bag I had. On my windowsill was the ET toy I'd gotten when I was still in the hospital before I came here. I tossed it in my bag, too.
I lugged my bag downstairs, picked up my backpack and indicated to Arlene I was ready.
"We're really sorry, Champ," Eric said. I didn't look at them. "Hey, keep practicing your pitching, huh? If you can get your accuracy you'd be a great pitcher."
Tracey tried to hug me again but I just backed up out of her reach. Arlene apologized for me but I wasn't sorry. They were supposed to be more or less permanent. But they were shipping Brian and I off anyway.
Arlene and I left.