“What loss?” This time the question came from Jett.
I sighed.
“Grandpa, Jett, I think you two better sit down and hear what Miss Robinson has to say.”
* * *
My heart was hurting.
The tears that I had witnessed shining in my grandpa's eyes when he learned his daughter had died, devastated me. And Jett. Well, he kind of shut down and went silent. I wasn’t sure how he was feeling about the news.
But when they both learned of Autumn, it was easy to see the anger sparked in both of them. And as the conversation went on, another thing that became clear is they felt the same as I did and I had total support from both of them when it came to bringing Autumn home.
Janet had been there for a couple of hours going over a lot of information and setting up some steps that needed to take place once she was aware that I wanted to take legal custody of my sister. I could tell it was what she hoped for and gave me a pleased smile telling me that the first thing they always try to do is place a child with family members.
There would be a process for sure, but I was going to take every step needed. Even though Janet assured me that Autumn was in a safe temporary foster home, I couldn’t help but worry about her.
While we were asked many questions, we rapidly fired off our own right back and the social worker did her best to answer everything we threw her way. But it was when I asked about how Autumn herself was doing and more about her past that had all my feelings raging out of control.
I hadn’t found myself crying over my mother yet at any point and to be honest, and as awful as it may sound, I didn’t know if I would. I couldn’t grieve what I didn’t know and I’d already spent many years grieving what I never had. I’d come to terms with that and if at times sorrow over it seeped in again, I pushed it away.
However, when I learned that the neighbor had told the police that my sister wasn’t talking and she’d never heard her speak before, I broke down in tears as sorrow pierced my soul.
When Janet left, Gramps, Jett, and I all sat in silence for some time. Then I pushed out of the cream-colored sitting chair I’d been sitting in and squared my shoulders. Plans had been put in place with the social worker and I had a lot to do.
“Are you sure you both are okay and on board with me being Autumn’s guardian and bringing her here?” I knew the answer but I had to ask, it was their home too. Neither of them had batted an eye when I made it clear in the meeting we just had that it was what I wanted.
Grandpa Walter gave me the stink eye. “Missy, you shouldn’t even ask that question. Right, Jett?” His gaze bored into Jett’s giving him the eye now that told him not to contradict him.
I almost laughed. Jett loved Gramps and rarely questioned him at any time, but he was eighteen with shitty moods so it could happen once in a blue moon.
Jett threw his hands up in the air showing he was put off by the question. “Hey, Autumn is my sister too. Of course I want her here.”
My brother, sour moods, and all still had a big heart.
“So it’s settled. Now we get to work.”
God, I needed Lyric more than ever right then.
And once again the thought scared the bejesus out of me but it didn’t make it less true.
When my phone chimed with a text message thirty minutes later and I read the message, a thrill and also relief washed through my entire body.
Lyric: I’ll be over soon and I can bring dinner. I have to run home to shower and change real quick first though.
I was itching to see him so I wondered how I could speed up the timetable and make that happen. Smiling to myself, I texted him back.
Ruby: I already have soup in the crock pot and have bread to bake. You can shower here if you want to?
I stood in the kitchen, twisting my hands together waiting for a reply.
Lyric: Any chance it will be a shower for two?
He added an emoji with a winky face at the end and I giggled.
Ruby: That can be arranged.
I sent the same winking emoji back at him. I watched as three dots bubbled and then another text finally came through.
