Fosters: Blackhawk (6 page)

Getting across the bridge I hear weird sounds
coming from the front of the van.  I so do not need this
today.  I make it to the exit ramp, glide down it and pull
over.  I'm supposed to meet Sally, Tess and Danny in twenty
minutes.  I pull Sally's card and ask her to pick me up on her
way.  I'll call the garage for the van so I can get
Joey.  I don't get an answer.  A motorcycle pulls up
beside me.  An older version of Cloud looks down at me.
 "Hi Steve it's nice to meet you.  I'm CJ Lescault."
 

He smiles, "That noticeable?"  

"It's the hair."  I tell him smiling. 
He laughs.  

"You give me your keys I can have it
fixed.  Baxter's have one in your garage.  This is
spare." He says.  

I decipher and nod handing him the keys.
 "Baxter's have a van in my garage?"  

He looks at me, "Yeah.  Was dropped last
night.  Didn't meet Danny at the house?"

"Not yet.  I was on my way there when the
van decided it wasn't.  Tess and Sally are picking me up."
 I just get it out and they pull in behind me.  

Steve nods to me and goes to the car.  He
opens the passenger door and helps a beautiful woman stand
up.  She looks like a fairy, she glows.  When he closes
the door I see Tess is very pregnant.  I walk over to her.
 

Steve surprises me. "Tess, CJ.  She's
safe."  Tess nods.  I'm safe?

"I'm so excited to meet you CJ.  Victor has
been telling me about Brantley and Christian.  I need to meet
Christian."  She hugs me squishing me against her huge belly.
 

I laugh.  "It's nice to meet you
Tess.  Congratulations are in order." 

"Twins.  She has dreams.  Needs to
meet Christian."  Steve says.  

Sally coughs. "Tess is a seer.  She has
visions.  She had one about Christian, she's anxious about
talking to him.  She says he will understand.  Some
people don't understand, we take them seriously."  

I smile at Tess.  "I understand and take
them seriously too."  

"I know."  Tess says with the biggest
smile.  I laugh.  

"Let's get to the house and see what the
Brothers have been up to."  Sally says. 

"I have to get Jeremy's court papers and my bag
from the van."  I tell them jogging back to it.  Grabbing
my things I hop in the car and Sally drives me home.  A dog is
sitting on the floor at Tess' feet but she doesn't say anything
about him and I never have a chance to ask.  She talks the
whole way, she's so excited for me to see what's been done. 
Sally looks back at me from the mirror and smiles.  Tess is
cute.  

Pulling up I notice the porch and ramp. 
Tears fall down my face; I walk over to it and walk up the
ramp.  Its permanent, the boards we had are gone.  The
house is painted and looking so clean.

Danny comes over to me and smiles.
 "Thought she'd like a little more independence."  

I have my hand over my mouth, I nod because I
can't talk.  She's going to love it and the independence to
come and go on her own.  

"Let's walk the outside first.  The yard is
fenced and security is installed on the perimeter as well as in the
house"  He hits a button and the garage doors go up.  A
van is indeed sitting in the garage.  "Petey has your van;
he'll fix it as a spare.  The Baxter's sent this over last
night.  It's registered and insured meaning you can drive it
today."  He walks past it.  

"Solar panels were added so you have a utility
room out here.  It's coded with Christians birth year."
 He opens a keypad puts the numbers in and the door beeps,
it's a utility room just like he said.  "John from Baxter's
will run your maintenance on anything solar.  He'll call a
couple of days in advance then just show up.  He won't need
anything from you to do his job."  I nod. 

"The PD wanted to help so they brought bikes and
shit.  They go overboard so we put all the extra in the safe
room here."  He moves a shelf down on one side and the wall
opens up.  "When you get a new kid you have new toys, the one
going home can take his things with him.  If you ever have a
need to get to a safe place and you're close to the garage, this is
where you go.  This button here closes the door on the
inside.  You open it with this button here.  They're
colored to make it easy to remember."  I nod as he points to
red and green buttons.  This is unbelievable.  "I
wouldn't tell the kids about this one.  I have a couple for
them to use.  The PD will add more to your room at Christmas
time.  They'll call in advance and deliver when the kids are
at school." Holy shit!  I nod again.  Tears are still
falling down my face.  

He walks out the back door to a basketball
court.  He points to outdoor bins.  "Balls and shit are
in there.  On the side here is a place for skates or
skateboarding.  Geek looked up your contract with DSS and saw
what you're allowed to have.  The Brothers made sure you’re in
compliance." I just look at him.  

"He looked it up?"  My voice sounds
funny.

He smiles.  Damn he's handsome when he
smiles like that.  "He's a computer Geek.  That should
say it all."  He starts walking to the back door.  

I nod thinking of the computer geek getting into
DSS files.  Looking at the playhouse and a platform that has a
ramp, "She's going to love it."  I say crying.  

He nods.  "I thought she'd like an area all
her own, it has a chair hammock and rails that will go on later
today.  It will be painted the same color as the house but
light blue inside."  

"Thank you so much."  

He keeps walking into the house through the
kitchen door.  The kitchen is new.  "We're going to stop
right here for a minute.  You're going to see new things about
every room.  We did this because of what you do.  You're
going to want to say thank you for every single thing because
that's what women do.  I get that.  This was the
Brothers, the PD and the Baxter's way of saying thank you for
taking good care of the kids.  Every group I mentioned has
members that lived in care including me and Mitch.  We know
what the bad homes are like.  We appreciate you making a good
one.  This is us trying to help you keep it open and happy for
years to come.  Yeah?"  

I laugh, "Yeah.  I'm still going to say
thank you though."

"I got that."  He smiles.  I see Tess
and Sally looking around.  He walks through the kitchen
pointing out features, he doesn't stop, as he passes the laundry
room I see a new washer and dryer.  Holy shit!  He stops
at Joey's room and waits for me.  I walk through the door and
stop.  Holy fuck.  She has a carriage bed.  Her
bedroom is a fantasy room.  Oh my friggin word. "Everything is
HA, she'll be able to reach and control everything in here. 
I'll show her when she gets here.  She has her own bathroom."
 He walks over to a new door and opens it.  I cry, it's
all accessible.  "Mitch had a waterproof chair
delivered.  She has guys that use them in the pools at their
place.  She said it will be perfect for Joey."  

"It's beautiful."  I say softly.  

"She has a safe room but it's her so I can't
show you."  He smiles.  He walks to the wall switch and
flips it.  Lights go on sending a soft glow through the
room.  A wall has balloons with twinkling lights.
  

"She's going to freak.  She so deserves
this.  Thank you for making it happen."  I try to take it
all in.  

"Her bed adjusts like a hospital bed.  I'll
show her how to work it."  He walks out.  I scramble to
follow him.  

"Living room, family room and kitchen got
wainscoting to help with the chair scrapes.  TV and gaming
system is a drop down.  The Little Brothers will explain it to
the kids."  I nod looking at everything as we pass it
by.  Holy crap.  We climb the beautiful staircase. 
This is what I imagined it would look like.  

He stops at the top.  "I demolished
everything and started over.  This is your meeting room."
There's a couch, table and chair.  He continues walking.
 "You have two spare bedrooms.  We moved your assistant’s
things into the first one."  He opens the door and walks to
the closet. "This is another safe room.  This is one you can
share with the kids."  He turns the hanger bar and the wall
swings in.  He points out the buttons and closes it. 
Showing me the bathroom attaching the rooms he walks out to the
hall.  

He flips a keypad.  "This is Joey's birth
year.  It opens your storage room.  The old ladies went
shopping and filled your bins.  They're organized by
size.  The other wall is paper, cleaning and hygiene
products.  Bedding, towels and curtains are in the closet."
 The room is huge and has shelves like a store.  Holy
shit!

He walks out and down the hall toward the back
stairs.  "This is a girl's room in the event that you get
girls.  It has a safe room in it.  I'll show it to
Christian and Brantley."  I walk into a castle room; it's
beautiful with swings hanging from the ceiling and window
seats.

"It's beautiful."  I'm in awe of his
imagination.  

"My daughters have the same room.  It was
pretty easy to do."  He smiles and walks out.  I follow
him back to the hallway.   "Bathroom."  He points in a
door, I get a quick look but he doesn't stop.  "Boys room."
 He walks in and I follow.

"Holy shit!"  The room is huge.  House
boats are against the walls at the corners.  

He walks to a big one.  "This one has two
twin beds for Jeremy and Jacob."  I look in and cry. 
They're going to love them.  Around the walls are plank
walkways.  He shuts the light off and the room glows. 
Flipping the switch he shows me the toy bins in the wall.
 "I'll tell you where one safe room is in here, it's for Jacob
and Jeremy."  Going back to their house boat he moves a piece
of wood and a door opens at the bottom behind it.  "It has a
sensory chair and soft lighting.  If they get scared this is
where you can find them."  I nod.  He walks out to the
hallway.  I follow him down stairs.  He turns toward my
office.  "Bathroom."  He points.  He stops at my
office and I see a new desk and couch, chairs, file cabinets. 
Oh my word.  The walls have boards with all my
paperwork.  He goes to a wall and turns a light.  "Safe
room."  Closing the wall he points to a closet.  "Office
supplies.  Mitch had a new computer uploaded with your
information.  There's a laptop for the other house on your
desk."  He walks out.  Holy shit!

He opens a new door and walks in.  "My wife
helped me with this one.  She is the director of the Women's
Center.  She thought you needed a place to unwind after tough
days."  

"It's beautiful."  It's like the rest
overwhelming and unbelievable.  He keeps walking into my own
bathroom.  Holy shit I have my own bathroom with a whirlpool
tub.  I laugh and sob at the same time.  With my hand on
my mouth I look at him.  "Thank you."  He nods and walks
out.  

I follow him into the dining room; Tess and
Sally are sitting on the beautiful seats looking out the brand
friggin new bay windows.  "It's a lot to take in I bet."
 Tess says.  I nod still with my hand over my mouth.
 "The Club threw you protection.  That means they'll be
there for you when you need them.  They won't let you
fall.  Sally and Cloud will help."  Sally slaps her arm.
 "Ok, ok!"  

"Is there anything CJ needs to know Tess?"
 Danny asks her, he's trying to hide his smile.  

"Trouble is coming, Christian knows but won't
say.  He's having trouble understanding so he's not sharing it
with you.  The house will keep them safe.  You have to
trust Cloud and the Brothers."  She's watching me.  Just
like Christian.  

I nod.  "That is more than he told me but
basically the same thing."  

She nods at me.  "He belongs to you like
you belong to him.  He won't do anything to hurt you but he
doesn't understand everything he sees.  I can help him with
Danny, Sally and Steve's help.  We will guide him like they
guide me."  I look at Sally and Danny.  They're both
smiling.  

"Tess is able to control what comes in; she's
become strong because of that control.  You can trust her to
shield and teach Christian.  She knew about him before we
walked through your door and tore up your house."  Danny says
with a smile.  

Tess giggles, it sounds musical.  "You'll
need a dog like Max.  Sally can help with that."  

I just look at her.  A dog?  Sally
laughs.  "Max is a service dog.  He protects Tess and
helps her stay calm during her visions."  

"Will Christian need that too?"  I never
heard of such a thing.

"Oh yes.  He already has strong.  He's
going to need it as he gets stronger.  That's going to happen
fast.  Danny needs to tell you about security."  She
looks at him.  I turn and look at him.  

"Are you ok Tess?"  Danny asks, he looks
concerned.  

She looks at me.  "You're right about
Rob.  Don't let him stay."  I nod not really
understanding.

"Max is on her lap."  Sally says
softly.  Danny nods walking over to her.  

Tess: "Danny needs to tell you about security."
 

Danny: "What's happening Tess?" 

Tess: "I don't know the man.  He's here in
the house.  The kids know him.  Christian says
something's wrong.  Different.  He doesn't
understand.  It's for grownups."  

Danny: "Where are the kids Tess?" 

Tess: "They're in bed.  It's nine. 
They're in bed but Christian doesn't understand.  You need to
tell her about the security.  Cloud isn't going to make it if
you don't tell her."  She has tears falling down her face.
 

Danny: "Does she need the safe room?"

Tess: "She won't be able to make it to the safe
room.  She's not working. Nothing is working right."  She
sobs.  I hold my breath.  "You have to tell her so Cloud
makes it." 

Danny: "Do you know the day Tess?  Can you
see the calendar in the kitchen?"  

Tess: She's sobbing as if she's hurt.
 "Tuesday.  Help her!  Nothing's working!"