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"Lee’s doing really well," Casey said, volunteering the information between bites of chips and salsa

"Will he be out soon?" I was curious to learn why he’d been incarcerated but Evelyn hadn’t told uessed it was for vandalism--probably not a f irst offense, either Casey scooped up rae expenses Lee got his GED while he’s been here and he’s applied to take classes at Highline Coe this Septe in school I proorously I wanted her to kno much I approved "Does Lee have a place to live and a job for when he gets out?"

"That’s the best part He’s going into a group home and they’ll help him f ind a job Lee really wants to ot a real address and everything, I can go live with hiht take a while" She lowered her head

"I don’t think he wants to be stuck with his little sister too soon"

Her eyes diht?"

"Right," I said I hoped Lee ht and narrow so Casey could join hio in the arood idea, but he said he’s considering it"

In that case, she wouldn’t be able to live with him

"When’s the last time you saw your brother?" I asked Casey paused, a chip half buried in the salsa "I don’t renize me"

"Two years? "

"We talk on the phone and stuff, but it’s hard…"

"The state couldn’t keep you together?"

She snickered "They have enough trouble f inding a home for one kid"

I was coram All I kneas that there was a desperate need for fa to take in kids

Ourinto our lunch with enthusiasm To my astonishht; reconnecting her with her brother had broken down a barrier between us It was as if I’d suddenly become trustworthy in her eyes For the f irst time since she’d come to stay with us, I heard about her parents

"Myto remember my dad," she said

"What happened to your mom?" I asked when she didn’t immediately continue I know I’d do whatever it took to make sure I kept Cody with me My instincts toward our son were no less iven birth to him myself His mother, Brad’s ex-wife, drifted in and out of his life whenever the iuilt, and then she’d want to spend time with Cody every week; after that, a o by and ouldn’t hear froave him, and never asked either Brad or ain

"Did she die, Casey?" I asked, since Casey hadn’t replied

"Forgiveit up if the subject’s too painful"

"No," she said softly, slowly "It’s okay She died, but it was…

later"

She put aside her fork "Mouy who used to slap her around Lee tried to step in, but he beat Lee up, too" She stared down at her plate as she spoke "Then Martin started hitting me, and my teacher noticed the bruises and called Child Protective Services"

"And they took you and your brother out of the home?"

Casey nodded "The state said if Mom wanted to keep her children, Martin had to leave But Moht her"

I could hardly believe what I was hearing "You mean your mother chose ato --that any o live with our dad, only no one knehere he was When the state couldn’t f ind him, Lee and I were put in foster homes"

"Oh, Casey, I’m so sorry" I reached across the table and clasped her arain, but I could tell it was et me to move my hand than from any interest in her meal

"What happened to your mother after you and Lee were out of the house?"

She went rigid, the fork still in her hand "I don’t know She died about three years ago I think it was froed as if it hadn’t affected her one way or the other, but no child could remain untouched by that kind of betrayal After lunch we drove back home To my pleasure and surprise Casey wanted to bake cookies After asseredients, I let her work by herself while I folded laundry Despite a s the cookie sheet out of the oven, she did a good job As she dealt with the dishes I went into the other room to call Evelyn Boyle I told her that Brad, Cody and I had talked, and we’d arrived at a consensus--to let Casey stay with us until she’d f inished her suram I could hear the relief in Evelyn’s voice

"Oh, thank you," she breathed "Casey’s doing so ith you and Brad" Evelyn phoned Casey at least once a week I wasn’t privy to the conversations and assumed the case worker knew better than I did how Casey was adjusting to our fan of improvement I’d seen had coirl’s life, and that thrilled me

While I had Evelyn on the phone, I asked her about Casey’s parents It wasn’t that I didn’t believe what the girl had said, but I suspected parts of her story were exaggerated I was shocked to learn that everything Casey had toldbetween Casey and her brother go?"

Evelyn asked