Somewhere between the back patio and the house…we lose Michael. Raul and I open the door to Ms. Fuller’s bedroom, where the computer is…but are stopped in our tracks when we see her sitting there. Ms. Fuller: May I help you two? We didn’t want her to know why we were there and we never…

We finish our video game and hurry outside. Raul leads us to the detached garage, rather than the abandoned lot out back. I suspect that he’s still not 100% ready to trust Michael to not tell on us. There’s no car in the garage, which surprises me. Instead, there is a small sofa, radio, and…

In the few days that I’ve been here…I’ve gotten used to a certain routine. But, I guess that routine doesn’t apply on holidays. I wake up to an empty room and walk into an equally empty kitchen. Ms. Fuller isn’t there filling our morning with song as she usually is. I walk into the living…

We notice that Ms. Fuller has decorated the house when we return home from school. The decorations are pretty, but I can’t help but think that Ms. Fuller is taking a big risk putting out decorations, because people in our neighborhood love to steal. I enter the house and see that Ms. Fuller is holding…

Tomorrow is Winterfest and I guess it’s true that sometimes adults get sad around the holidays because Ms. Fuller’s song is full of sadness this morning. Ms. Fuller: ♫ I can’t stop loving you. It’s useless to say. So I’ll just live my life, in dreams of yesterday. Those happy hours…that we once knew. Tho’…

Since I had to wait until after drama club to finish my rice crispy treats, Ms. Fuller gives me two once I return. I sit down on the couch and happily finish them, before Raul approaches me, asking me to follow him. It’s a bit mysterious, but I sort of like a mystery…so I do…

I forget about my decision to dislike Ms. Fuller when I’m awakened by her beautiful voice the next morning… Ms. Fuller: *from the kitchen* ♫ Alarm goes off at seven, and you start uptown. You put in your eight hours for the powers that have always beeeeen. Till it’s five p.m. ♪ Claudia seems to…

I sit outside drinking my punch and enjoying the slight, but still pleasant chill of the first day of winter…until I’m called back in by Ms. Fuller announcing that dinner is done. I walk back in the house and everyone who seemed to have scattered and disappeared earlier is suddenly there. It looks like no…

This is it. Unless someone gives mama a get outta jail free card, this is now my home. I admit that it’s the nicest place I ever lived, but…I still don’t see how I could make it home. Ms. Fuller: Do you remember which room is yours Alida? Alida: Yes Ms. Fuller: Good. Claudia should…