(1) Welcome Home

I hope you all fall in love with the Sinclair family the way that I have.

Please follow me, vote, and leave a comment. I love any and all constructive criticism.

I have a lot in store for Makennah and her hottie. Stick around, he's coming in soon 😉

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Makennah Claire Thomas stood on the front steps of the rich suburban mansion under a low lighted porch. Hesitantly, she knocked on the front door. On the brink of dusk, the neighborhood lay quietly and peacefully like something she had only seen in a movie. In the neighborhood where Makennah was born and raised, shootings, yelling, cussing, and fighting regularly kept her up at night.

Her shady, uncaring social worker dropped Makennah off in front of her fancy schmancy new home without even pulling into the driveway or unlocking the door to the rusty musty van. Makennah manually unlocked the door and tumbled out, slamming the door after her. Her social worker barely muttered two words before she peeled off and left Makennah alone in the driveway with her two bags and a pillow.

As the woman aged (ungracefully), her social worker grew more antsy and less talky. Makennah should have been accustomed to the treatment she received. However, she was still pretty pissy as she wandered up the driveway by herself to meet her brand new family.

There was no way for Makennah to guess what this family could be like. Looks were deceiving from what she had learned from her time in the system. A fancy house, nice cars, and trimmed lawn in a nice safe neighborhood didn't necessarily mean that the family on the other side of the brick red front door would treat her with kindness and respect.

Before she could finish mentally preparing herself, the front door swung open where a petite lithe middle aged woman with shoulder length brown hair styled in perfect flawless waves bounded over the threshold and grabbed Makennah in a fierce hug. Eyes wide, Makennah stood stick straight with her arms glued to her side as the woman squeezed her body tighter than she had ever been squeezed before.

"Oh my gosh, I am so happy to meet you!" Drawing back, the woman smiled as bright as the sun and rubbed her hands up and down Makennah's arms. "Wow, you're a pretty little thing aren't you!" Shyly, Makennah managed a smile that she knew came out like a grimace and tucked her hair behind her ears. Suddenly recalling that she never introduced herself, the woman smacked her forehead dramatically with the palm of her hand and reached for Makennah's ratty bags. "I didn't even introduce myself. I'm so sorry! I'm Carolynn!" With full arms, Carolynn couldn't shake Makennah's hand, but Makennah knew she would have tried otherwise.

With lips sealed tight, Makennah stepped inside and moved out of the way for Carolynn to close the door.

"Come in, come in!" Carolynn dumped Makennah's bags at the bottom of the stairs and urged Makennah inside. "Will, honey, come here please!" Carolynn called nonchalantly into space while she proudly placed a hand on Makennah's shoulder as if to show her off.

Makennah bit her tongue and avoided shying away from the woman's touch. She didn't like to be touched. At all.

"Oh, you're here!" A slender, fit man with a runner's body rounded the corner from the kitchen in professional attire and a loosened navy blue tie. A pleasant smile bloomed on his face when he took in Makennah. "Makennah, right? We're so happy to have you. I'm Will." Offering his hand, Makennah slid her fingers into his grasp and pumped his hand once or twice. She was a little distracted by the beauty of the house before her.

She knew he asked for clarification about her name, but Makennah wasn't quite ready to engage in conversation yet. She was willing to just be silent and listen.

Carolynn sidled up next to her husband and looped her arm through his. She smiled sweetly in his direction. "Now we know you don't have any siblings, so we hope the boys won't bother you too much. They can be a handful, but we promise to keep them out of your way."

Her social worker didn't inform Makennah of jack squat about her new foster family, so Makennah just nodded and acted like she knew what they were talking about. Carolynn mentioned boys. An icy finger of fear slithered down her spine as unpleasant memories of past family's with young teenage sons replayed in her mind. If this family was anything like them, Makennah was in for quite a rough ride until she was relocated again.

"There are four boys. Matt, Nick, Josh, and Jonah. They're hanging out in the basement. We didn't want to bombard you all at once. So maybe you can meet them later," Will explained. "Matt, Nick, and Josh are all in high school like you. Jonah is ten, a total bookworm. He shouldn't bother you too much."

Looking at the two of them, Makennah considered that maybe they had very attractive sons. Carolynn's beauty was incomparable, and Will matched his wife's good looks with a clean white smile and locks of greying hair that added an extra sizzle to his charm rather than unattractive old age. Makennah never would have guessed that they had sons in high school considering how young Carolynn and Will looked themselves.

"We would love to show you around," Carolynn said sweetly. Makennah knew better than to trust first impressions, but Carolynn seemed to be putting her best foot forward. "We know this can be awkward, but we sincerely hope you'll make yourself at home. What's ours is yours."

Makennah was supremely thankful that Carolynn didn't add anything like "you're family now" because they all knew that was a lie. She was merely an outsider. Just passing through. A weary traveler laying their head to rest for a few weeks before they got sick of her and sent her somewhere else.

Will wrapped his arm around Carolynn's shoulders and ushered her first out of the foyer and into the family room. "This is the living room. We typically utilize this room more than the boys. They like to hang out in the basement which we'll show you later."

Although the space was immaculately clean probably for her sake, Makennah doubted that it looked much different on a day to day basis. Gorgeous leather furniture clustered around a massive flat screen tv mounted on the wall above the fireplace between two tall crystal clear windows, draped with willowy white curtains. A modern patterned hunter green and cream rug fashioned on the floor in front of the fireplace and offered some comfort. Fashionable throw pillows decorated the furniture along with a fuzzy blanket. Although Carolynn decorates the space to be modern, little family touches littered the area. Unread books on the table, an empty glass cup on the coffee table, a pair of reading glasses on the stand, and family pictures on the walls and side tables.

Makennah soaked it all in without getting accustomed to it. She wouldn't be here for long.

"Next is the kitchen," Will guided her onward with his words.

Wordlessly, Makennah followed them deeper into their massive home. Like the family den, the kitchen was spotless, shiny, and smelling of fresh cleaning supplies like lemon, citrus, and bleach. Other than an oversized bowl of fruit in the center of the large island with bar stools on one side, there wasn't a speck of dirt anywhere or anything cluttering the counters. Not even a stack of mail.

"Here is our list of things we need to buy at the store." Carolynn motioned to a dry erase board on the fridge. "If you ever need anything, no matter what it is, write it up here and we'll get it."

"We can show you around the pantry and the fridge a little later. Do you need anything to drink?" Will asked kindly.

Makennah shook her head. She just wanted to get this over with, go into her new room, and cry.

"Back in that corner is the office," Will pointed in that direction but didn't show her there. She took that as her cue to stay out. "Down here, as you can hear, is the basement. The boys are playing video games ."

"Getting in all their playing time before school starts in a week," Carolynn joked and Will shook his head disdainfully.

Indeed, Makennah heard their shouts and laughter from the basement. Multiple voices spoke over one another, willing someone to hear them. It was an odd sound. It was happy. Something foreign to Makennah in her own home and the other houses she visited.

"Through here is the dining room," Carolynn led the way this time. "Typically we eat dinner here when the boys don't have games or practices."

Following Will and Carolynn through the arched doorway, Makennah circled the huge oak dining table in the center of the room to pretend to study the art on the walls. Really, she just wanted some distance and space between her and the Sinclair's.

"Lastly we would love to show you to your room and let you get settled in." When Carolynn's voice dropped an octave, Makennah sensed some hesitancy and nervousness so she glanced in her direction. Carolynn wrung her hands back and forth while she gazed at Makennah. "You have your own room of course. And your own bathroom. We wanted to give you as much privacy as possible. I don't really know what your style is, so I just kind of put it together. We repainted the walls and redecorated a little. Of course, you're more than willing to change anything....the color, the bed, the decorations, anything seriously. You won't hurt my feelings. I want you to feel comfortable."

Makennah's heart warmed up a little at her response. Even if Makennah hated it, she doubted she would say anything. Truly, she believed that Carolynn would go out of her way to redecorate but she wasn't even sure how long she would be staying. She didn't want to waste their time or money. Nevertheless, Makennah finally spoke for the first time. "I'm sure I'll love it. I'm not picky."

Even though Makennah was the one in the foster system and really was the one who needed comforting, she knew that new families often wanted and even desired her acceptance or approval. Carolynn was no exception because her shoulders relaxed and she smiled sweetly when Makennah finally acknowledged her with her words.

"Will, why don't you go check on the boys and I'll take Makennah upstairs?" Carolynn offered.

Without waiting for direction, Makennah circled around the table to the foyer to grab her bags. Makennah expected the husband and wife to whisper amongst themselves about her in her absence, but her excellent ears didn't pick up anything. Instead, Carolynn followed on her heels and gestured for Makennah to climb the stairs first.

"I pinterested a few things...teen bedrooms and stuff like that. We've never had a girl in the house before" - never had a foster child is what she meant. Makennah knew their history - "so I'm not up to current trends. Went to Target and bought a whole bunch of stuff." Carolynn carried on, muttering under her breath about how she put the bedroom together. Makennah wondered if she was a nervous talker.

At the top of the stairs, Makennah stopped and waited for direction. Carolynn swept her arms around the space. "These are the boys rooms, and that's their bathroom. Our bedroom is downstairs so we can hear if the boys try to sneak in or out." Turning towards her, Carolynn winked.

Makennah smirked a little for Carolynn's benefit. What she meant was, in case Makennah tried to sneak out. No worries...she was an expect. They would never hear her.

Makennah really just wanted to be alone at this point.

Carolynn pointed behind her and Makennah spun around. Another very small set of stairs led up into an open door in a dark room. "So that's your bedroom right there. You can go up." Waiting patiently, Carolynn held her hands together and smiled warmly.

Sighing, Makennah ascended the last set of stairs, set down her bags, and flicked the light on.

If Makennah wasn't extremely good at hiding her feelings, she would have gasped out loud.

It was beautiful.

Wandering inside, Makennah spun in a circle, taking the space in.

"This was the attic. But we remodeled it. We always said we would make it a unique space, but we could never agree on what to do with it. The boys asked that we convert it into a den or something but they already have the basement. When we got the confirmation that you would be coming to stay with us, I started putting it together right away for you," Carolynn explained. "What do you think?"

First of all, the bedroom had a queen sized bed which Makennah had only dreamed of. The attic space was evident with the slanted ceilings, now painted white like the walls. The light colored hard wood floor was mostly covered with a fluffy dark grey massive rug that matched the dark colored head board on which dozens of fluffy comforting pillows rested against. The white comforter begged for Makennah to lay down and take a nap, like on a cloud.

Even better, a hammock seat hung from the ceiling with a bohemian pillow and blanket hanging from the seat in front of a tall window covered with similar whispy drapes as the family room downstairs. Two white night stands stood beside the bed and matched the long aged rustic looking dresser on the opposite side of the room. A TV was mounted on the wall above the dresser which propped up a few cute decorations and an empty jewelry stand.

The whole room gave off a modern hipster vibe which Makennah had never seen before in person, but she really liked it. She dragged her hand along the bed and fingered a throw blanket that was casually laid along the foot of the bed as a decoration.

"I like it," Makennah answered finally.

"I know there isn't a lot of color, but I figured you could add a few of your own touches."

The room was already very well put together besides a few blank spaces on the walls. She didn't mind though. The space was so beautiful.

"You did a good job. It's beautiful," Makennah complimented. Whoever got to have the room after Makennah would be a very special foster girl.

"Thank you! I really like it too! But as I said, you can change anything," Carolynn assured her. "This is your bathroom and closet."

The same slanted ceiling in the bedroom was in the bathroom too. The space was pretty small but the white walls made it look more spacious. There was a glass shower with a circular window above it on the wall and a matching porcelain toilet and sink. A gold oval mirror hung on the wall above the sink along with a matching rustic little table with drawers. A tall skinny ladder set stored away many new fluffy white towels.

Beside the bedroom door and bathroom was the closet. It matched the length of the bathroom but it was a little wider. There was no way that Makennah had even half enough clothes to fill the closet. Nevertheless, the size blew her away. She never even had a closet before.

"These are really nice," Makennah said. Way too nice for a girl from the hood.

"I really hope you like everything. You can get settled in now and we'll leave you alone. If you're hungry, help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Just dig around and find whatever." She wouldn't. "We told the boys to leave you alone, but don't be surprised if it gets a little loud up here when they're getting ready for bed. They all share a bathroom which can sometimes be problematic." Carolynn rolled her eyes like a mother prone to breaking up fights. "Anyways, you can meet them all tomorrow. Do you need anything?"

Makennah shook her head. Silence. To be alone. But she wouldn't say that.

"I wrote down all of our phone numbers, wifi password, Netflix password, and things like that on a slip of paper on a notebook on the bedside table. Text me if you need anything, okay?"

Makennah nodded. "Okay."

Makennah waited a minute or two until she head Carolynn retreat downstairs before she closed her bedroom door and locked it. That little lock took all of the tension out of her shoulders. Ultimate privacy rested in a locked door. Now no one could bother her at all.

In such a beautiful space, Makennah felt like a dirty intruder. For the time being, she tossed her bags into the closet and closed the door. In the bathroom, she fiddled with the shower until she figured out how to turn it on and let the water heat up. She stripped off her clothes and locked the bathroom door. Unsurprisingly, the shower was stocked with brand new shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, shower gel, and razors along with a pretty pink loofa.

Clenching her jaw, Makennah stepped under the stream of water and willed her hands to stop shaking. It wasn't the family. It wasn't Carolynn. It wasn't the house or the bedroom. It wasn't the city or a new school. It wasn't the fact that her social worker was a POS. She had been down this road before. A new foster family was no big deal.

She was shaking because she was alone again. Truly alone. No one knew her or understood her. Once again, her mom had completely screwed up not only her life but also Makennah's. For the first time in years, Makennah believed that her mom was finally getting it together. She had a job, a decent boyfriend. She paid the bills and gave Makennah money to do whatever she wanted.

And then she messed up again. Her mother was the most selfish person she had ever met.

One or two tears escaped from the corners of her eyes. She shook her head, wiped away the tears, swallowed back the lump in her throat, and ripped the shampoo bottle off the shelf. Cleaning away the filth of her social worker's van and the disgust of her old life, Makennah mentally prepared herself to be good enough for the Sinclairs.

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Let me know what you think! Please comment!

Xoxo

W. Carolina