“If at any time you change your mind.” She smiles at me. “We just pull your application and forget it ever happened.”
“No.” I shake my head. “This is my chance to make an impact on someone’s life,” I state. “I mean, I know that I’m just the middle person, but if I can help, why not.”
“Being an emergency foster caregiver is something that not everyone can commit to. It’s the phone calls at three a.m. in the morning, and you have an hour to get things ready. It’s at a drop of a dime you can have up to three kids living with you until we place them in either foster homes or group homes.” Julia reminds me of what I would be getting into, the same thing she’s been telling me since I asked her about it when she dropped Maddox off and called me.
“I’m okay with that,” I say. “I mean, it’ll be an adjustment for sure, but I think I can handle it.” I wipe the tear coming out of my eye. “If I can help the kids for even a little bit.” I shrug. “It’s the least I can do.”
She smiles at me. “After you fill out the application, there is the background check to go through.”
“I think we are good for that.” I smirk at her.
“You think?” She laughs.
“I mean, there was that one time in New Orleans that I flashed my boobs,” I admit, closing my eyes. “But the cop let me go.”
“I want to say I’m surprised”—she shakes her head—“but I thought it would be a lot worse.” A smile is on her face. “Let’s get this application filled out.” She hands me the application, and I grab a pen and start to fill it out. When everything went down with Maddox, it was like a light bulb went off in me. It was like another piece to the puzzle was put in place.
My phone buzzes at the same time the front door opens and slams shut. Julia and I look up at each other, not moving as we look toward the hallway. My father comes into the room, and he looks like he’s on a tear. I’m about to get up when he looks at me and then Julia. “Hey, Max,” she says, and all he can do is look back at me.
“What the fuck is going on with you and Dylan?” His voice is more of a roar, and in all my life, I’ve never ever heard him so angry.
“Um …” I get up, not sure what to say. Not sure what was said to him. My hands shake as I push away from the counter. The front door opens again, and I hear the click and clack of flip-flops.
“Oh, good,” my mother says, looking like she ran here. “I’m in time.”
“I think I’m going to go,” Julia says, getting up. “As much as I really, really want to be here for this conversation.” She grabs her bag. “Do you want me to call anyone?” she whispers to me, and I just shake my head. I knew that this conversation would have to take place. I just didn’t think it would happen so fast and so soon. Julia comes to me and gives me a hug. “I’ll call you later,” she says softly. “Or call me if you need me.”
I nod at her as she escapes the room. I wait until the front door closes before I turn to my father. “Now, are we going to have this conversation calmly?”
“Yes,” my mother says.
At the same time, my father says, “Absolutely not.”
“Max Horton,” my mother says, putting her hands on her hips.
“Not now, Allison,” he says, putting his own hands on his hips. “Alexandra.” He uses my full name. “I’m waiting for you to tell me that all this shit with Dylan is a joke.”
“I can’t do that,” I reply, taking a deep breath and then letting it out. “It’s not a joke. I’m in love with him.”
“Can everyone stop saying that fucking word?” He puts his hands on his head. “Stop using that fucking word.” He stares at me.
“Okay, well, what would you like me to use?” I fold my arms over my chest. “I like him,” I say with a smirk. “A lot, some would say it’s love.”
“Alex,” my mother warns me, and I look up at the ceiling.
“This is never going to happen,” my father says. “Never!” he yells.
“I don’t care,” I finally say. I was never the type of kid who would act out. I mean, I didn’t always listen, and I didn’t always get caught, but when I did, I would always say what they wanted to hear. Even if half the time I was only sorry I got caught. “I’m not going to change the way I feel.” I shrug.