#fosterdaughterreader

It was the day after Thanksgiving and all of us kids staying at Ms. Shaw house were sitting in the back room, designated as a room for the kids to play and watch tv so that the adults could have the main room. There was only one tv and only a handful of things to actually do so all six of us were currently gathered around the couch and floor watching Jessie and Caleb play Mario kart on the old Wii system.

The holiday itself was a joke. Typically on Thanksgiving, one would eat enormous amounts of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and so much more to the point everyone needed to rest for a while to recover from the large amounts of food they had eaten only to do it again later with desserts. That was not the case for you. Ms. Shaw was by no means a woman who loved to cook. Her food was not bad, but it was nothing special either. She'd rather choose simple meals to serve everyone rather than spend hours in the kitchen cooking a high-quality meal. So for Thanksgiving the seven of you had to share a small rotisserie chicken, scalloped potatoes, and mixed vegetables. There was no overeating until you felt bloated it was just another meal and everyone left to do their own things afterwards.

Jessie yelled in excitement after she nailed Caleb with a red shell right before the finishing line on the last lap causing her to win the game. "Alright who up next?" Caleb said offering the remote up. Mrs. Shaw got tired of all the arguing over who got to play on the game console so she got rid of all the single player games and demand everyone had to take turns, to play the winner so to speak, or else she would remove it the game system completely. Seeing as there wasn't much else to do the threat was enough to make everyone cooperate.

As custom though the oldest get first call to play and they typically hogged the system for hours passing the controllers amongst themselves before they would hand it off to one of the younger kids, but they didn't complain knowing if they did no one would get to play. They would rather watch the older kids play in hopes that maybe after several rounds they would get a chance than go back to staring at the walls.

"Y/N?" Caleb asked gesturing the controller in your direction. Being 15 you were the next oldest however you learned a while ago to keep to yourself. If you were to play it would just cause unwanted attention. Unlike many group homes there were no bullies who picked on and beat on the other kids but you never really felt welcome in the group and when you're playing all attention is on you, everyone being a backseat driver telling you what to do, when to do, and yelling at you when you made your own choices, it took all of the fun out of playing. You would rather spend your time working on your word search book.

You shook your head and Caleb handed the controller off to the first kid who jumped up. However, before the next game could start Ms. Shaw came in and stepped in front of you all blocking the tv and then turning it off, "Dining room, now."

Everyone let out a sigh and began putting things away and making their way to the dining room for the meeting that was about to come. Typically family meetings weren't a great time. In the past, you've all been yelled at for not helping out enough around the house, not sharing the game system, or for Ms. Shaw to tell you there would be some changes around the house due to lack of state funding. It was rare for her to share good news in these meetings, so no one was eager for this meeting.

Ms. Shaw was leaning against a cabinet when you walked in and once everyone was seated at the table you waited for the lecture to start. You expected her to sigh and then begin with her speech that was intended to make you feel guilty for how you've been treating and neglecting her and her house despite everything she has given and done for you all.  Except she never did. She stayed where she was, leaning against the cabinet. As you sat there in awkward silence as the room began to fill with tension, everyone including yourself began to think over the last few weeks, replaying everything that you could've done to cause this.

After five minutes or so the doorbell rang and without saying a word Ms. Shaw pushed herself off the cabinet and left the room to get the door.

"Who did what?" Caleb sneered but kept his voice in a whisper.

Everyone looked around the table at each other wondering the same question. You would have figured if anyone did something it would have been Caleb, he was the one to cause mischief around the house.

When Ms. Shaw returned, she was not alone which did not make anyone feel any better when they saw who accompanied her. Kyle Winters, the case worker who placed you all here with Ms. Shaw. He was kind and friendly to all the kids he worked but no one was happy to see him. He typically only showed up when things went wrong, when a kid was being removed from the home and relocated.

The thing is if a child were to be relocated it would be a private conversation between the child, Ms. Shaw, and Kyle, it wouldn't be a public thing in front of everyone which made your heart race faster in your chest.

The only explanation your mind could think of was that Ms. Shaw was no longer interested in running a group home meaning everyone needed to be relocated. You weren't too attached to the other kids but you had been living with most of them for four years now, it would be unlikely you would all be placed in the same home and the thought of having to start all over in a new home upset you.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Kyle said in a cheery voice as he entered the room.

But he was not greeted to the same tone from any of you instead he was welcomed by a collection of mumbled hellos.

Ms. Shaw took a seat on the side while Kyle stood at the front of the table. "Come on, cheer up it's the most wonderful time of the year!" He said enthusiastically but everyone sat in silence. "Alright I hear what you're saying, or rather not saying. Get on with it, am I right?" He said with a chuckle. "I can tell by your faces you're all worried why I'm here but I promise you I come with exciting news."

"For a while now my coworkers and I have been working on a new program, it's taken us a while to get it up and running but I'm happy to say we've finally got it finalized for this Christmas. We really want to give you guys the chance to celebrate Christmas as you use to before your lives got turned upside down, a Christmas that state funding cannot provide for." He said sparring a sad glance to Ms. Shaw. His intention was not to criticize her and others for not taking the children in their care to get a Christmas tree or buy them Christmas gifts and other holiday festive activities. He was grateful to have people like her to even take these children into their homes.

"So what does that mean?" Caleb said in an annoyed tone. He like everyone else was used to the state making promise that they couldn't keep.

"It means we been working hard for years to find some really nice people who want to help you guys and who want to give you all the Christmas you deserve."

"Whoopee." Caleb said in a sarcastic voice, "A few donors giving a few hundred dollars which will allow us to get a new pair of pants. Yay." He said with a roll of his eyes. Jessie gave him a hard nudge with her elbow in response. As the oldest, she had a responsibility to keep the others in line.

"It's alright, I understand the skepticism. But these people are more than donors they are willing to take you guys in and allow you to celebrate Christmas with their families."

"WHAT!" You all shouted. Your fears rang true, you were going to be relocated into some stranger's home.

Kyle held up his hands in defense, "Guys, guys relax this is a good thing. As I said we've been working hard and we've found a family that we think will be right for each of you."

"So what's going to happen?" Jessie asked trying to be a calm voice of reason for the younger kids.

"You guys will have two days to pack what you would like to take to your temporary homes. You guys are going to move into your new homes on November 29th, that way you guys have a chance to settle in a little bit, and then you will live with your assigned family until the end of the month. On January 1st you will move back in here."

Everyone sat in silence taking in the new information and wondering what the next month could mean for all of you.

"I will warn your right now." He said using his stern tone that he hated to use. "We have worked hard to get this program up and running and these families have given a lot to welcome you into their homes for the holidays. Meaning I will not tolerate any of your usual shenanigans and attitudes that you usually play when you get put in a new home. Be yourselves, but don't be rude and cruel just because you feel like it. These families have graciously welcomed you into their homes to give you guys a happy holidays and I don't want you guys to ruin it because you're mad about being moved."

After he finished explaining the program, he pulled you all into the office one by one to talk about your new home assignment.

You were nervous when you walked in and anxiously fiddled with your hands. Kyle shuffled the files around before pulling out yours and opening it. "Alright Y/N we have placed you in a home in Texas."

"Texas?" You repeated in a shocked tone. That was so far away from where you lived now, in Minnesota. You were now even more nervous about having to leave the state and fly on an airplane for the first time.

Kyle hummed in acknowledgement, "Um-hm. You will be staying with the Padalecki Family; Jared and Gen and their three children, Thomas, Sheppard, and Odette. You will be picked up here at 6:30 am on the 29th and you will fly down to Texas with a case worker and be taken to your new home. Pack only what you think you will need for the next month; we won't be mailing out any items you leave behind. Anything you don't bring will be right here where you left it. Do you have any questions?

You shook your head simply not knowing what to ask.

"Alrighty then, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and make lots of fun holiday memories." He said closing your file. You moved to stand up before he spoke again. "Oh, and Y/N I really hope you like them, I really think they will be good for you. And I know you put up your walls when you're around new people, but give them a chance will you. I promise you they will be good to you.