The Foster Girls

by Lin Stepp

  They both cried then, and Patti came up and threw her arms around them and cried as well. The men shuffled around in discomfort.

  Patti’s son Will interrupted the scene at last. “Mama, are you all going to cry all day? You’re getting Melanie upset. She doesn’t understand what you’re crying about.”

  Patti pulled away from Vivian and gestured for the little girl to come over, giving her a brief hug. “It’s okay, Melanie,” she assured her. “We’re just crying because we’re all so happy to meet your Aunt Vivian.”

  Everett Delaney offered Vivian a somewhat awkward but fond hug then. “We’re real glad to welcome you into the family, Vivian. We have a little florist shop over at Dandridge. Usually we don’t deliver over in Sevierville, but we’d made an exception for a friend the day Scott saw our van. Your father grew up in Dandridge, Tennessee, which is not far from here, and someday, if you’ll come to visit with us, we’ll take you around and show you all the places he knew. There are a few aunts and uncles you might want to meet, as well.”

  He brushed away one of Vivian’s tears as if she was one of his own children. “ If you came to Tennessee looking for family, Vivian, I think you’ll find you have a right strong group of kinfolks here.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” Vivian looked around at her new family in wonder, her face lit up in pleasure.

  Scott noticed his mother waving at him from the patio and interrupted the ongoing reunion. “Well, the Jamison family is getting hungry and dinner is ready. Let’s all go down to the patio to eat and we’ll get more acquainted over lunch.”

  “How about a piggy back ride down the hill?” he asked Melanie. “I’ve got a niece about six years old that looks to be just about your size. And she’ll be real glad to see you with all the boys in our family.”

  He tossed the little girl up on his shoulder and took Vivian’s hand in his as they started off down the hill.

  “You’re not mad at me, are you, Vivian?” He said this quietly so no one else could hear.

  “I’m absolutely furious,” she answered him in a hiss. “But I love you for this, too, Scott Jamison. I can’t believe you saw that van and tracked all this down for me.”

  Scott shrugged. “Well, I didn’t know when I started up my conversation with Patti that day that I’d gotten so lucky. I figured I might have found a remote Delaney link for you to start working on with your genealogy research, but I didn’t expect to have found the mother lode right off.”

  Vivian took off her sunglasses to give Scott a direct look. “Well, today is a day I’ll never forget – getting officially engaged, receiving my ring, and getting acquainted with two new families at the same time. And with no notice that I would be doing any of it! You really are something else, Scott Jamison.”

  “Want to give the ring back and call it quits?” Scott asked teasingly.

  “Not a chance.” Vivian tucked her ring finger under her arm with a possessive gesture. “You’ve gotten us in too deep now – announcing all this at church, bringing me out here to your family’s home, and getting your mother and Aunt Mary started on wedding plans. Plus, now you’ve brought in a whole Delaney family as witness. No sir, buster, you have sunk both our ships now. There’s no going back for us. We’re in this for the count.”

  “That’s just what I wanted to hear.” Scott smiled and then adjusted Melanie on his back so he could lean over to give Vivian a quick kiss. “Let’s go join our families, Ms. Delaney-Mero-Leeds and soon to be Mrs. Jamison.”

  Vivian kicked out at him playfully for that, but Scott avoided a hit by taking off at a trot down the hillside, Melanie laughing merrily at her unexpectedly bumpy ride.

  Chapter 22

  Three months later on an early August morning, Vivian sat on the front porch writing. It had rained the night before and cooled things down from the steamy summer days.

  All three of Vivian’s regular companions kept her company today. Dearie, the cat, was curled up on a cushion on an old rocker nearby, Fritzi, the little collie, lay napping under the porch swing, and Sarah Louise Taylor sat cross-legged on the wooden porch floor, not far from Vivian’s feet, drawing and coloring pictures in a children’s sketchbook. Vivian stopped for a moment to watch her. Sarah had her tongue in the corner of her mouth in fierce concentration, trying to make the picture she worked on one of her best. Vivian knew this was a distinctive characteristic of Sarah’s after watching her over the summer. She gave so much serious effort and concentration to everything she did. Plus she was always quiet while Vivian wrote, respecting the silence needed to produce a good story.

  Yesterday, when Ellen announced Chelsey had a doctor’s appointment today, Vivian volunteered to keep Sarah. Having Sarah around the farmhouse most every day was more the norm than a novelty now. She and Sarah had grown close.

  Vivian’s life had settled into a warm, comfortable pattern over the summer. She felt a sense of home she had not known since she was very small. Scott was occupied full-time with the camp during the days now and sometimes at night. But Vivian, comfortable on her own, didn’t need to be entertained to be content. She had her own work and was well into another Foster Girls sequel in which Marybeth and Isabel were opening a little retail boutique. It was fun to work on.

  Ellen and Vivian, and the girls, Chelsey and Sarah, had become a happy foursome over the long summer months. They spent part of many of their days together. Ellen and Vivian took the girls swimming, shopping, on hikes and picnics, and to events at the camp, and Vivian kept the girls on Ellen’s soap-making days.

  One day when they all stopped by the camp kitchen to visit the staff, Mrs. McFee had commented, “Lord, Vivian, that child Sarah looks almost like the spittin’ image of yourself with that dark red hair and blue eyes.”

  Sarah had spoken up primly at that. “Scott says our hair is chestnut, Mrs. McFee, and not red. And Scott says I look just like Vivian did when she was a little girl. Vivian has a picture of herself when she was six in her bedroom. I’ve seen it, and I really do look like her.”

  Mrs. McFee winked at Vivian. “Well, I’m sure that’s so Sarah Taylor. Didn’t I just say it myself, after all?”

  Later, back at the farmhouse, Vivian and Sarah examined that young photo of Vivian that Scott had been talking about.

  “Well, Sarah. I guess you do look a bit like I did when I was small – including having those freckles!” Vivian tapped the scattering of freckles across Sarah’s nose, making Sarah giggle.

  “You know what?” Sarah asked Vivian, leaning up against her leg as she’d done since the first day they’d met.

  “What, Ophelia Odelia?” Vivian smiled and wrapped an arm around Sarah’s shoulder automatically.

  “You look like my mother,” the child said softly, looking up at Vivian with her heart in her eyes. “Mother’s name was Eleanor, and she looked a lot like you. She had chestnut hair like us and she had blue eyes, too.”

  Vivian’s response was gentle and she stroked the child’s hair. “Well, that’s a sweet thing for you to say, Sarah. Because I’ve seen some pictures of your mother, and she was very beautiful.”

  “So are you,” Sarah assured her vehemently. And then she whispered, “I wish you were my mother.”

  That wish went down deep into Vivian’s heart, and she often heard the words replayed in her quiet moments. Perhaps because of that thought, Vivian had started to spend even more time with Sarah. Also, she started offering to take Sarah and Chelsey on outings when she went out with Scott.

  Scott had offered a good-natured complaint about it one day. “Lord, woman. As if I don’t have enough children to deal with all day long at the camp. I want time just with you.”

  “Please, Scott? Just this once?” She gave him a pleading look. “We’ll be together later, you know. And Ellen and Quint need some time alone sometimes, too.”

  Scott conceded then, as he usually did, and helped her to show the girls a wonderful time. His energy and imagination never stopped, and his charisma and
ease made him a natural with children. Sarah Louise now idolized him as much as Chelsey did. He could hardly get into the door of the Greene’s on their Thursday night get-togethers before both girls launched themselves on him for hugs and piggy-back rides and then a tussle on the floor. And Scott was always game.

  “Are you having a break time in your book?” Sarah asked Vivian, noticing that she had stopped writing for a while.

  “Yes, I’m thinking things over between scenes.”

  Sarah nodded, as though that seemed perfectly sensible to her.

  Vivian smiled. “What are you drawing, Sarah?”

  “I’m trying to draw the flower I’ve picked,” she said, pointing to a somewhat wilted sunflower lying on the porch in front of her. “I want to have a sunflower fairy sitting on the top of it in my picture.” She made a frown at her paper. “But I can’t get the fairy’s legs to look right.”

  Vivian looked over Sarah’s shoulder. The child really had a fine artistic gift for her young age. “Why don’t you just draw a long skirt over her legs? Maybe a flowing yellow skirt? You haven’t colored your drawing in yet, so it would be easy to add a skirt right now. Then you can erase her legs underneath and just not worry about drawing them.”

  “I could do that,” Sarah said. “But someday I need to learn how to draw good legs.” She studied her drawing thoughtfully. “Legs are hard.”

  “So are hands.” Vivian agreed. “I always had trouble with hands, too. But you will get better with both the more that you draw. Everything gets better with practice.”

  Sarah looked up with interest. “Like writing? Did you get better and better at writing with more practice?”

  “Yes, I did. And I started my first stories when I was not much older than you.”

  “I see stories in my mind.” Sarah bit her lip thoughtfully as she confessed this. “I wish I could write so that I could try to put them down.”

  “What kinds of stories do you see?” Vivian was genuinely interested in this new aspect of Sarah Taylor.

  “Lots of kinds.” Sarah shrugged. “But today I’m seeing a story about a fairy who lives in this sunflower.”

  She pointed to her drawing. “My fairy’s name is Susanella, and she got lost from all the other sunflower fairies in Sunflower Field.” Her young voice was animated as she told her story. “You see, Susanella was carried off in the night time by an owl who flew her far away and then dropped her accidentally down into a deep forest. Susanella flew and flew, but she couldn’t find her way home. Then she found this one sunflower to live in for a while, but she still needs to find her way back home to Sunflower Field.”

  Sarah paused to frown and think. “I’m trying to think how she can get back to her field. It doesn’t seem likely that the owl will fly her back. He had planned to eat her, you know.”

  Vivian tried to remain serious and not giggle. “What if another kind of bird flew her back, perhaps in return for a favor?”

  “What kind of favor?”

  “Well, let’s think. What can your Sunflower Fairy do well?”

  “She sings most beautifully,” answered Sarah right away.

  “Well, perhaps Susanella could sing a mother bluebird’s babies to sleep and give the mother bird a nice break. Then the mother bluebird will gladly fly her back to her field as a thank you.”

  Sarah’s face lit up with a smile then. “That’s a good idea!”

  “I’m glad I could help you,” Vivian said.

  “You should write some fairy books for children to read, Vivian.” Sarah picked her crayon back up and started to color on her fairy drawing. “You always tell me and Chelsey the bestest fairy stories ever. And I know lots of your stories you make up right in your own head all by yourself.”

  “Well, I’ll consider your suggestion, Sarah. And thanks for your confidence in me.”

  Actually, Sarah’s idea was not a bad one to consider, Vivian thought. She certainly had enough background in the field.

  The sound of a car interrupted their talk, and Vivian looked up to see Alice Graham from the Wayside Agency pulling into a parking spot near the front of the house. She was Sarah’s social worker.

  Vivian waved a warm greeting, but Sarah got up quickly and hid behind Vivian’s chair.

  “I don’t want her to take me away,” she whispered to Vivian.

  Seeing Sarah hide behind Vivian, Alice called out to her in reassurance. “I’ve just come for a visit, Sarah. It isn’t time for a change yet. But I’m working on finding a nice family for you.”

  Vivian watched Sarah frown while Alice made her way up to join them on the front porch.

  Alice smiled at both of them as she pulled up a chair and sat down. “I was out in the area and decided to drop by and see how Sarah was getting along. I called Ellen on her cell phone, and she told me that Sarah was over here visiting with you.”

  Vivian could still feel Sarah’s discomfort.

  “You know what, Sarah?” Vivian proposed. “That new doll we bought for the dollhouse was feeling lonely this morning. You know how it is to be new.” She paused. “Maybe you could go up and check on her, maybe play with her for a little while? I’m sure Alice wouldn’t mind.”

  Sarah brightened and she looked to Alice for an okay.

  “I think that’s a good idea,” Alice said.

  And Sarah made her escape.

  Alice settled back into her chair and crossed her legs to relax. “It’s part of my job that the children are either glad or sad to see me come.” She shook her head. “Actually, it’s better if they’re sad to see me show up. That generally means the foster placement is a good one and that the child is happy. When I see too much eager hope when I arrive, I worry things are not going well for the child, that they are hoping to leave.”

  “I wish I’d had someone as thoughtful as you checking on me when I was a foster child. ” Vivian’s reply was wistful.

  “It’s hard to be alone without your own family,” Alice replied.

  Vivian remembered her manners. “Want a cold drink? I keep a cooler out here with drinks in it.” She flipped open the top. “Take your pick.”

  Alice looked into the cooler and pointed. “I’ll take that diet lemon-lime one.”

  Vivian fished it out, and got a bottle of water out for herself.

  They two women sat for a minute, enjoying the day, listening to the hum of bees around the flowers and the sounds of children’s voices floating over from the camp.

  “It’s nice here,” Alice observed. “Will you and Scott stay here when you get married?”

  “Yes.” Vivian smiled. “We both love it here. It’s a great house. Scott will keep the director’s house, too, but he’ll probably let his assistant directors use it during summer camp sessions. The camp is growing, and some more directors are needed. Having the house free will give Scott space for them. Plus, it will sweeten the employment pot, as he says. Help him get the best people.”

  “You know, I think I may have a prospective placement for Sarah,” Alice said, changing the subject. “I’ve wanted to get her settled by fall so she wouldn’t have to change schools. Besides, it worries me how attached she’s getting to the Greenes and to you, Vivian.”

  “I haven’t meant to make it harder for her.” Vivian felt a rush of anguish around her heart to think she had made anything more difficult for Sarah.

  “Will you get to place her somewhere around this area?” she asked Alice. “So I can see her sometime?”

  Alice took a grateful sip of her cold drink. “The family is over near Cosby. A nice couple that has one child but couldn’t have another. They thought Sarah might complete their family.”

  “What are they like?” Vivian swallowed uneasily. “Do you think they’ll understand that Sarah is special, really bright … that she has gifts that need to be encouraged? Look at this picture she’s been working on, Alice. Very few six year olds can draw like that or think the way Sarah does. She told me an entire story about the fairy, Susanella, she
’s been drawing this morning. She’s so creative ….”

  Vivian found tears welling up around her eyes to think of Sarah leaving at all.

  “You’re fond of her.” Alice interrupted Vivian’s words, studying Vivian thoughtfully. “In fact, you’re more than fond of her, Vivian. You’ve grown to love her. Why don’t you foster Sarah yourself? You could. I’d have no trouble approving that. And if you want, you could adopt her yourself, as well. With your education and financial situation, there would be no roadblocks to you having her. I don’t want to move a child like Sarah around any more than I have to. You know what that’s like.”

  Several weeks ago, Vivian had told Alice some of her past as a foster child as the two had started to develop a friendship.

  “Do you really think I could?” Vivian knew her voice was eager. “Do you think I could foster Sarah and maybe adopt her? I don’t think Scott would mind. He’s crazy about Sarah and Chelsey both, and he’s wonderful with children.”

  “Well, I’d do some serious talking with him before we even hint to Sarah that staying with you might be a possibility. She’s already told me she wants to be with you … in fact begged me to let her stay with the Greenes so she can be near you. She says you remind her of her mother.”

  “She’s told me that, too.” Vivian smiled at the memory.

  “It’s nice to be loved by a child,” Alice observed. “But it’s hard on children when they have to leave people they love, go to a new place and new people they may or may not have as much affection and affinity for.”

  Alice took Vivian’s hand then. “If you’re not going to think about keeping Sarah, I think it would be a good idea if you begin to step back from spending so much time with her, Vivian. Help prepare her for her new home and family. I’ll let you go visit the Perrys so you can tell Sarah that you know them, so you can tell her how nice they are. She needs that from you, Vivian, if she can’t stay here. This is one time I know a move will be hard on a child. There will be heart pain because of how attached she has become to you.”