Hidden Burdens (working title)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Now that Lucy knew Kimmy was a foster kid, more questions had surfaced the next day at school, including why Kimmy didn't live with her mom and dad. She already knew Kimmy had a brother when she had asked and Kimmy could simply nod her head. But the parent question was extra difficult for Kimmy to answer. Not just because she couldn't answer verbally, but because Kimmy didn't know why, either.

Ben had called Lucy's mom while the kids were in school, so by the time Kimmy went back on Wednesday, she was ambushed.

"Guess what, Kimmy!" The girl had a wide grin on her face. Even if Kimmy could speak, Lucy wouldn't have given her a chance, anyway. Though she probably knew what Lucy was excited about since Ben had informed her already. "We're having dinner at your house tonight, and tomorrow, you're coming over to my house. Isn't that awesome?"

Even though Kimmy looked calm on the outside, inside, a wave of intense emotions swept over her. Just like she had never been invited over to someone's house, Kimmy had never had a friend over to her house either. Those butterflies fluttered throughout her stomach just thinking about it.

Later that afternoon, they still had to do Quiet Hour while Ben made dinner, who threw together a casserole from one of his cookbooks.

Kayla came home early and was able to double check the girls' homework and helped Kimmy with hers.

By the time Lucy's family arrived, homework was finished and dinner was almost ready.

Kimmy had to be there when Kayla answered the door to let them in.

Lucy was the first to greet her, who was most excited and already was asking to see her room.

Kimmy looked up at Kayla on what to do next, which she encouraged her, adding to make sure the girls stay on Kimmy's side and not to bother Claudia. So Kimmy turned and led Lucy upstairs.

When they reached the loft, Lucy asked, "Is that your playroom?"

She looked from the loft and back at Lucy to shrug.

Lucy's brother had followed the girls upstairs and raced over to look through the shelves and bins of toys. "Cool, you have Nerf guns!" He pulled out one of the toy guns and aimed it as if he was fighting in a war, noting a friend of his also had them.

"You're not allowed to play with those, Reagan," Lucy told her brother, sounding more and more like Miguel.

Speaking of, Miguel had heard the commotion and had come out of his room to see what all the fuss was. The scab beside his eye was still healing, of course. "We don't have any of the darts," he said when Reagan had asked him. "Those are old Nerf guns from when Ben was a kid and those don't fit the new ones."

"Why don't they just buy the new ones, then?" Reagan asked.

Miguel shrugged. "These toys were either from when Ben and Kayla was a kid or given to them by people for all the kids to play with. They only buy new toys for us separately. Like when we first come here."

Kimmy remembered the shopping trip with Ben when he had offered to buy her a toy. The book and her rabbit were still the only toys that personally belonged to her. Maybe that's why she was so jealous of Miguel in the first place. All the shopping that took place during her first week really was a rare occasion. Other than grocery shopping, they hadn't shopped for anything else since.

Lucy still tried to order her brother to put the Nerf gun back, threatening to tell their parents if he didn't. Kimmy watched Reagan, secretly relating to him when he argued for her to stop.

"You're not the boss, Lucy," he told her.

"I am the oldest." Lucy held her hands on her hips as if she was actually his mom instead of his sister.