Mama Nadine has my birthday cake lit and ready for me first thing in the morning. Without even waiting for everyone else…I go over and blow out my birthday candles. I age up to a teen. Raul and Mama Nadine are the first to wish me a happy birthday. Raul: Lucky you! You get to…
I remain silent the whole ride back to Del Sol, despite Miss Hillary’s attempts to get me to talk. Suddenly, the things that excited me on the way up feel meaningless…none of it matters anymore. Miss Hillary parks the car in my neighborhood and we get out. She stands there watching me for a while,…
I forget everything that I was afraid of moments ago as soon as I see mama. Alida: MAMA! She gets up from her chair and I run over to her giving her the biggest tightest hug that I can manage. After the hug…she stands back. Lea: Let me look at you. You’ve gotten so big….
I wake up to some unexpected news the next morning. Ms. Fuller: Your social worker, Miss Hillary, is coming to get you today. Alida: But…I’ve been good! Ms. Fuller: That’s not why she’s coming. She’s coming to take you to go and see your mother. Alida: *in shock* My mother? I never expected to hear…
The next morning is Saturday…and Michael is still a bear. It’s also New Year’s Eve, so Ms. Fuller decides it’s a good day to try and eat up all the left-overs so she can begin cooking some exciting new recipes in the New Year. This morning we have a choice between left-over eggs, bacon and…
The rain returns as we arrive home. It’s not coming down as hard as it was yesterday, but it’s raining hard enough to threaten to ruin Raul’s now completed project. Raul heads inside to play video games and I come in to join him. Michael sits down with us, but I can tell that he’d…
We wake up to another very special day. It’s Raul’s birthday! Ms. Fuller wakes up first thing and bakes him a cake. Then it’s time for Raul to blow out his candles. Ms. Fuller: Claudia…honey – can you please turn that music down for a moment? Claudia is going through a loud music phase…which is…
The rain is heavier than ever when I return from drama club. The heavy wind made quick work of demolishing my umbrella…so I hurry into the house as fast as I can to avoid being completely soaked. Raul approaches me right away. Raul: Mama Nadine is busy with Darwin right now! Let’s go look her…
The next day, we wake up to an ordinary school day. Ms. Fuller wakes us up with a song as usual, but this time she prepares breakfast on a brand new stove that she says Father Winter left for us. She also tells us that he also brought us a new chemistry table set for…
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…
