* * *
Putting the tray down, I placed Shante's plate in front of her as she settled herself into her booster seat.
"Thanks for helping me, Sara."
"You're welcome, Shante." She picked a bunch of different foods, and her plate was packed. I wasn't sure she could eat that much.
"When I'm done, I can get dessert right?" Shante asked as she took a big bite of macaroni and cheese.
I set the tray down and sat next to Shante. "Yes, I'll take you to get dessert," I promised.
"Cool. Tomorrow Melanie said she's going to take us roller-skating. I've never been roller skating before. Will you help me?" Shante looked at me, her big brown eyes begging me to say yes.
"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I won't be here tomorrow. I'm going with my uncle."
"How come she gets to go with someone she doesn't even know, and I can't even call my mom?" Crystal demanded, setting down her plate overflowing with fried shrimp and fish.
"Everyone is different; we can't compare cases. You know this," Melanie said as she set her and Caitlin's plates on the table. Rhonda and Myra followed behind her. Myra's plate was covered in greasy pizza. "Where’s your fruit or vegetable?"
"There’s pineapple on the pizza. See, Melanie," Myra said holding up her plate for inspection.
Melanie pursed her lips. "Well, I suppose since it's dine-out, I can let that be enough."
Myra beamed and dug into her food.
"Are you going to live with your uncle?" Caitlin asked.
"I guess so, eventually." I wasn't sure how to answer.
"You're so lucky," Rhonda said. Her mom was doing better, but she needed to get and keep an apartment and job to prove she could provide for Rhonda and Myra before they could move back with her.
"You don't want to leave do you, Sara?" Shante asked.
"Of course she does," snorted Crystal. "Who in their right mind would want to stay here?"
Leaning down, I bumped Shante's forehead with my own. "I don't want to leave you, Caitlin, or Melanie, but I'm thinking of ditching Crystal right now. What do you think, should we make a run for it?"
Shante giggled, nodding her head, her mouth too full of food to answer.
"Okay, calm down or you'll choke on your fried chicken." Shante grinned at me, the gaps in her teeth showing half chewed chicken. Gross.
I would miss this once I left, as odd as that sounds. I always knew that life in a group home was temporary and that people would come and go, but I planned on being the one to stay. A few months ago I sat in a meeting and told all of the people involved in my case, yet again, that yes, I did want to stay at Hope House and no, I didn't want to go to foster care or get adopted.
Now I didn't know what would happen, or what was coming next. I used to have a plan, but now everything has changed. All the adults were happy and seemed to think this was a good thing, but I wasn't sure.