Another Foster (Private)

[Shy-Diapers]

Sarah and Alex Jones were both in their mid thirties. They both knew they wanted children, though they knew Sarah’s body wouldn’t tolerate a pregnancy very well, so they decided to foster and eventually adopt. They had many short term placements initially before they got their first long term child. Raquel was placed with them shortly after birth and was adopted three and a half years later.

While Rocky was in her toddler years the couple decided not to accept any new placements in order to fully integrate her into the family permanently. Only a few months ago did they tell their agency they were ready to start accepting placements again. After declining some older children and an infant, the couple decided to accept an urgent placement for a 6 year old named Kaley. 
 

Alex and Sarah sat down with their daughter on the couch one sunny morning in June. “You know that you didn’t grow in my belly when you were a baby, and that we adopted you after you lived with us for a very long time.” Sarah started out. “In a few hours there’s going to be another little girl coming to live with us, just like you did when you were a baby, only she’s six years old, right around your age! We don’t know how long she’s going to be living with us, but while she is we’re going to be taking care of her just like we do you. We hope that you’ll be very kind to her because she might be nervous or scared.” She went on to explain, trying to break the difficult concept down into a child friendly and digestible way.

“What do you think about all of this Raquel?”

[justagirl4fun]

Raquel had known something was up - after all, Sarah and Alex had to have a room ready for any placement and had gone through the home study to be approved - but was a bit surprised when they explained that a new child was arriving shortly. She twirled one long, black curl around her finger as she processed the information. "Ummmm...I think that it's okay," she finally said, sounding a little unsure. 

[Shy-Diapers]

Sarah nodded and put a gentle hand on her daughter’s shoulder, smiling softly at her. The couple had been meaning to tell her that they were open to receive placements again, though they thought they had more time. Neither of them could have expected to get a placement so soon. “Daddy and I want you to know that this won’t change how much we love you at all.” She emphasized. You’re gonna be a great sister to Kaley, we know it!” She said smiling. They had always wanted more than one child, but always decided to let life happen by itself. 
 

A few hours later a social worker arrived with a small girl with very fair skin covered all over with freckles. She had strawberry blonde hair that desperately needed a wash and brush. She had a small backpack with a couple pairs of clothes, a stuffed mouse, and a lavender quilt. Kaley was dressed in a dingy dress and too small sneakers, her green eyes trying to take in the new environment and people, still trying to process what was happening. 
 

When it came time to discuss things with the worker that they didn’t want Kaley to hear, Sarah turned and knelt down to the two girls. “Raquel why don’t you show Kaley the playroom while we talk. You two can get to know each other while Daddy and I talk to the social worker. After that we can talk about what to eat for dinner.” She encouraged her adopted daughter, hoping the two could hit it off immediately.

 

[justagirl4fun]

"Okay, come on Kaley," Raquel said as she grabbed her foster sister's hand and started skipping off towards the playroom. "I got lots of fun stuff in there! A rock climbing wall, a trampoline, a swing..."

Alex watched until the girls were out of earshot before turning back to the social worker. "So, what can you tell us about Kaley?"

[Shy-Diapers]

Kaley grimaced when Raquel started grabbing her hand. She followed reluctantly however and looked around the large playground in amazement. She didn’t think she’d ever had this many toys in her entire life, let alone at one time. Though she originally was treated and cared for well by her father, as she got a little older and more difficult to care for, he became less kind and loving, turning to abuse and neglect. Without speaking a word to the younger girl, she quickly ran to the first toy that caught her eye and grabbed as many of the magna tiles that she could carry in her arms and sat down with them. She sat there for a while just examining and turning them over, having never played with them before but being drawn to the colors. 
 

The social worker smiled until the girls had left the room. “Well, in all honesty we don’t know much about her. She was removed from her biological father’s care after a neighbor called CPS. As I said on the phone, she’s six years old, though that’s about all that we know. She hasn’t spoken a word to anyone since arriving in custody. She seems like a relatively easy child. I mostly just wanted to see if you two had any questions. Like I said, we don’t know much but anything I know I’ll tell you.”

[justagirl4fun]

"Wait, those are better over here," Raquel asserted as she grabbed the tiles Alley left behind and dropped them on a low, square table with a clatter. Then she closed the door, drew the curtains, and turned off the light. "Watch this!" She arranged some tiles before flipping a switch on the side of the table and grinned as the table lit up. "Isn't it cool. My dad made it."

 

"Oh, okay. So no medical issues we need to worry about? Or behavior problems? Nothing like that?" Alex asked.

 

[Shy-Diapers]

Kaley watched Raquel silently, unsure what she was doing, running around the room. She stared at the lit up table for a moment before going back to the magna tiles in front of her. Figuring out how they worked fairly quickly, she started building small cubes with them, stacking and lining them up next to each other. Despite Raquel showing no hesitation to talk to her, Kaley stayed silent and hardly even looked at her new foster sister. 
 

The case worker shrugged. “Her father said she’s well, quite the handful and not the brightest. Though he chose different words.” She said with a forced smile. “Though it’s always a toss up on if parents like him are reliable sources of information. Other than that we’re not aware of anything.” After confirming that the couple had no other questions or concerns, she left, leaving the couple alone in the living room. 

[justagirl4fun]

"You can play here, too," Raquel said after a few minutes, thinking the new girl had misunderstood her.. She smacked the table with an open palm and grabbed at at Kaley. "See? Plenty of room for you."

"Well, that was...helpful," Alex quipped to his wife once the social worker had left. "Should be interesting with a kid that doesn't talk."

[Shy-Diapers]

Kaley grimaced when Raquel grabbed at her, not liking the sound of the smacking on the table. She pulled away and continued to build with the tiles in front of her. She was perfectly content by herself with the tiles at the moment, not caring for the light up table. 
 

“Yeah… Maybe accepting this placement wasn’t the best idea.” Sarah responded with a small sigh. She was starting to wonder if reopening their home was the right decision. “Well…I’m sure she’ll talk more when she settles. I mean she did just get placed with three complete strangers…” She said, trying to be hopeful. 
 

“It’s getting close to dinner time.” She said as she glanced at the clock. “Let’s go see what the girls want to do.” She took a deep breath and tried to keep an upbeat attitude and smile, not wanting the girls to notice her hesitations. 

[justagirl4fun]

Why won't she play with me? Doesn't she like me? Raquel frowned as her mind raced and, abandoning the tiles, climbed in her sensory swing - basically a large piece of stretchy fabric suspended from the ceiling. Soon she was spinning, the motion and the pressure from the fabric helping to calm her thoughts.

"No, it'll be fine," Alex asserted, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. "We can do this. We already have connections for therapy and all that, we just have to get through til we can get her evaluated. It'll be okay." When they got to the playroom he opened the door and frowned when he saw how dark is was and that Kaley was playing alone. "Raquel, mommy told you to play with Kaley. You're not being very friendly right now." When his daughter didn't reply he turned to Sarah with a raised eyebrow. "Okay, maybe fine isn't quite the right word..."

[Shy-Diapers]

Sarah sighed when she saw the girls playing completely separately. She chose not to scold her daughter since her husband had already done so. She turned the lights back on and opened the curtains, giving her husband a small worried expression. “So, it’s about time to start thinking about dinner.” She said smoothly, hoping the girls wouldn’t notice her uneasiness. “Kaley honey, what do you like to eat?” She asked, sighing when the girl barely even looked at her, choosing to continue playing instead. “Raquel, what would you like for dinner? We can make something here or we can get takeout or go to a drive thru.” She asked, hoping whatever her daughter chose, Kaley would like. 

[justagirl4fun]

"Chicken nuggets," Raquel answered without hesitation. Due to the SPD she'd had an oral aversion, refusing most foods through her toddler years. While years of feeding therapy with an SLP had done wonders for expanding her palette, she tended to regress back to her safe foods - chicken nuggets being the main one - when she felt stressed or overwhelmed.

Alex shrugged, not being surprised by her choice. He approached Kaley slowly and squatted down in front of her. "Kaley, honey, do you like chicken nuggets?"

[Shy-Diapers]

Sarah chucked. “I should’ve expected that answer!” She said with a smile. She headed to garage freezer and got out a large bag of frozen chicken nuggets, along with some French fries. She poured them out onto a baking sheet and put them in the oven. 
 

Kaley gave a small nod, though she still avoided looking up at Alex. She stayed connecting the magna tiles to each other, not building anything more creative than a large box. Upon getting closer to her, it was obvious that the girl was in need of a bath. She had dirt on her body and her hair was a tangled mess crudely pulled back into a ponytail, the girl’s dress also smelling a little as she’d been wearing it for the past week or so. 

[justagirl4fun]

"Sweetie, how would you like to take a bath before dinner?" Alex asked, knowing he had about half an hour before dinner would be ready. He wasn't sure what she had in her bag, but if it was as dirty as the clothes she had on he hoped she'd accept a pair of pajamas they had waiting for her.

[Shy-Diapers]

Kaley shrugged, still not looking at her new foster father. She fidgeted slightly as she started running out of tiles in her immediate grasp, the anxiety and new surroundings starting to sink in the second she wasn’t engrossed in something else. She wasn’t in love with the idea of this man who was still a stranger to her giving her a bath, but getting clean and changing clothes did sound nice. 

[justagirl4fun]

Alex stood up and offered Kaley (autocorrect keeps changing that to Alley) a hand. "Come on, let's get cleaned up and by the time we're done dinner will be ready. Rocky, go help your mother set the table." He waited a moment and, when his daughter didn't show signs of moving, cleared his throat. "Raquel, I mean it. Go."

The girl popped out of her swing with a sigh and hurried past her father and Kaley without making eye contact.

[Shy-Diapers]

Kaley stood up obediently and though she didn’t like it, she allowed Alex to hold her hand. She stared out the window once she stood up, purposefully not looking at anyone. The small girl who barely moved so far flinched a bit when Alex cleared his throat and had a more stern tone. She didn’t react beyond that though, continuing to stare aimlessly as she fidgeted her feet, her shoes being uncomfortable and too small. 
 

Sarah was washing some fruit at the sink when Raquel came to the kitchen. “Hi sweetie.” She said cheerfully. “Where’s Daddy and Kaley?” She asked curiously, unsure why her daughter left the playroom. 

[justagirl4fun]

"Let's leave these down here," Alex said as he knelt down and took Kaley's shoes off. He dropped them by the door with everyone else's shoes and led her upstairs to the bathroom, where he started filling the tub with warm water. "Wait right here." He hurried to the master bathroom and grabbed a bottle of Sarah's lavender bubble bath and added a cap full to the running water upon his return. They didn't let Raquel use bubble bath because her pediatrician had advised against it after treating her for three urinary tract infections in under a year, but he thought it might help Kaley relax. "Is it okay if I take this off?" He asked as he reached for the hem of her dress.

"Daddy's gonna give her a bath. He told me to come help you," Raquel said as she dragged her step stool over to the sink. "Mmm, blueberries!" She popped a berry in her mouth, then grimaced and gagged a few times before choking it down. "That one was squishy," she said with disgust as she hopped off the stool.

[Shy-Diapers]

Kayley obediently let Alex take her shoes off. Though she didn’t seem to react to it, it did feel nice to get them off, she’d been wearing them all day. When he left the bathroom to grab the bubble bath she finally raised her head a little, watching curiously where he was going. She had the faintest hints of a smile on her face when she smelled the lavender bubble bath. Still remaining silent, she lifted her arms as Alex grabbed her dress. Standing there in just her dingy underwear that looked like they could’ve once been a crisp white, it was more easy to see the bruises and sores on her small frame. 
 

“Well why don’t you help me set everything up on the table?” Sarah suggested kindly. After chuckling at her daughter’s reaction, she set the fruit aside to dry while she grabbed some plates and cups for everyone but Raquel. “Which plate and cup do you want to use?” She hoped the small choice of picking her cutlery would help her daughter feel more in control. 

[justagirl4fun]

Alex forced himself not to gasp at the sight of her bruises. "Okay, let's take these off, too," he said as he reached cautiously for the waistband of her underwear. Not knowing what she might have gone through he didn't want to rush anything and end up scaring her.

"The dinosaur ones!" Raquel responded gleefully. She loved dinosaurs more than anything. Once Sarah procured the desired items she happily set the table, Kaley temporarily forgotten.

[Shy-Diapers]

Kaley stared at the filling tub while she was being undressed. She stayed silent, but obedient while Alex removed her underwear, squeezing her eyes shut. Once she was undressed and nothing bad seemed to be happening, she opened her eyes and looked up at Alex for a short period of time. Despite this, she clearly did not make eye contact and after a moment seemed to instead be looking past him. 
 

Sarah smiled and got the requested items out for Rocky. Once the plates and cups were set, she grabbed some napkins and set those out as well. “Thank you for helping me sweetie!” She said cheerfully, she checked on the oven timer, and found that it still had a while to go. “There’s still a while before dinner is ready. You can go play for a while if you’d like.” Sarah offered, figuring her daughter wouldn’t be content to sit still at the table while she waited. “Just be sure to come down when we call to eat.”

[justagirl4fun]

Alex lifted Kaley into the tub and tossed in a few bath toys. He figured before he washed her she could play a bit and he could work on detangling her hair. He grabbed a wide tooth comb and got to work being as gentle as possible. "Let me know if this hurts, okay?"

Raquel returned to the playroom, turned the light back off, and scooped up the Magna Tiles Kaley had been playing with. Using all the tiles, she built a huge tower on the table.

[Shy-Diapers]

Kaley took the bath animals and was carefully lining them up on the edge of the tub, seemingly in a specific order. The second that Alex started to comb out her hair she started crying. She stayed quiet and stared at the line of toys, big tears streaming down her face. She wanted to scream but for some reason sometimes she just couldn’t. Her eyes glazed over a bit as she zoned out to tolerate the hair combing. Kaley couldn’t remember the last time her biological father had brushed or combed her hair. Despite it being very straight and easy to manage, he just didn’t ever do anything other than force it into a ponytail or put a hat on her. 
 

Sarah sighed and went upstairs to the room that would be Kaley’s. Having only gotten the placement call shortly before talking to Raquel, the couple hadn’t had time to get the bed prepped. She pulled out a new cotton sheet set they had bought a while back. While making the bed Sarah wondered again if accepting Kaley was really the best choice. It already seemed like the girls weren’t getting along too well. Once the bed was done she smiled a bit. The sheets were dark blue with white constellations, the comforter a blue and purple gradient, and to finish it off, she arranged the matching pillowcase and sham. 

[justagirl4fun]

"I'm sorry, I'm trying to be gentle," Alex apologized. Realizing he wasn't getting too far he finally poured some warm water over her hair, making sure to tip her head back first, and worked a generous amount of conditioner into the tangled clumps. When the worst was dealt with he washed her hair and conditioned it again, running the comb through before rinsing it out. Then he grabbed a washcloth and squirted some of Raquel's fragrence free bath wash on it. "I'm going to wash you now, okay? Or do you want to do it yourself?"

[Shy-Diapers]

Kaley remained completely silent the remainder of her bath. She made no movements or reactions to anything the entire time. She let Alex wash her without protest, not knowing how to do it herself. By the time it was over her eyes were no longer glazed over. She was feeling better than before now that she was clean, though she still didn’t say anything to Alex. She allowed him to dry her off and everything. She watched him curiously again at this point, but still not making eye contact.