Bonnie Murdock (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
is_the_motion) wrote2015-05-19 09:53 pm
is_the_motion) wrote2015-05-19 09:53 pm
(no subject)
"Murdock." the colonel smiles, embracing Bonnie in a hug. "Never thought I'd see you in the fostering world again."
Bonnie and Lucy have left the three Evans kids to talk to the military couple who run the group home.
"You did hear that Terry has an offer of a permanent placement?" the colonel adds.
"Yes, she seemed nervous about culture shock." Bonnie says.
"They're good people, they're willing to put a lot of work to helping her fit in." the colonel says. "And they've got the whole summer to help her catch up on school if she'll do it."
Bonnie nods, in a non-committal way. Privately, she suspects Terry would be a handful.
"The boys asked me if they could come home with us. Stuart informs me that you're plannin' to separate them."
"Well, we may have to." the colonel sighs. "They both have a place at Rydell but they're a nightmare at their current school. The teachers only let them stay until the end of the year because they're scared if they don't they'll get burgled."
"Is that likely?" Bonnie raises an eyebrow.
"They've not threatened it in so many terms, but word gets around." the colonel says. "I know you're a veteran at this, Bonnie, but you'd be taking on an awful lot. Stuart is the brains of the operation, he's not smart so much as a workaholic. He plans robberies, he sells essays to younger kids, they have a racket going where kids pay them to be under their protection; if anyone messes with a kid under their protection that person winds up robbed. Ted can pickpocket you so fast you won't notice he even moved, and he's a master at locks. He robs without remorse."
"How did they end up such prolific thieves?" Bonnie asks.
"Well, they lost their father in the war, and after that they really didn't get a lot of parenting, same with Terry." the colonel says. "Their mum went off with her new guy a few years later, left the older sister to pick up the pieces. They stole for food, for clothes, whatever they needed. But I don't think they're beyond redemption, if they could learn a new trade."
"Well, that's kind of what I do." Bonnie says. "Lucy, how would you feel?"
"I know if we do take kids in, they're not going to be easy." Lucy says. "Do you think they'd rob us? Do they rob with weapons?"
"They don't tend to use weapons and they don't tend to rob foster placements unless they know they're about to leave." the colonel says. "But they're brazen; they finally ended up in juvie by robbing the sheriff."
Bonnie tries not to laugh. Because it is just a tiny bit funny, albeit so totally wrong.
She looks around, as Terry knocks on the door, and most innocently holds out her wallet.
"You dropped this." she says, handing it to her, then skipping off. Bonnie looks at Lucy with an eyebrow raise.
"You should check that." the colonel says. "She's got light fingers too."
Bonnie looks through the wallet, and can't see anything missing. Hmm.
***
The next week, after meeting with the social worker, Bonnie hears that Terry has gone to her new placement. Despite her misgivings, part of her is a little relieved that the little girl gave her new family a chance.
Convincing the social worker to let her take care of both Ted and Stuart proves much more difficult; though once she offers to take them her suspension from fostering seems no longer to be so deeply on their minds. They seem happy with the house, and with Lucy, and fairly keen to get one of their two most difficult teenagers placed.
"We're not saying no." the social worker says eventually. "We're going to try and come up with some safety rules to see if we could make it work. In any case, the boys don't want to be moved before the end of the school term, so you got a bit of time."
"You sure you're up fer this?" Bonnie asks Lucy, as they leave.
"You kidding?" Lucy grins. "A couple months ago I lived in a box, now we're half way to being a proper family."
"You're part of my proper family however this works out." Bonnie says, slipping a arm round her and giving her a squeeze.
Bonnie and Lucy have left the three Evans kids to talk to the military couple who run the group home.
"You did hear that Terry has an offer of a permanent placement?" the colonel adds.
"Yes, she seemed nervous about culture shock." Bonnie says.
"They're good people, they're willing to put a lot of work to helping her fit in." the colonel says. "And they've got the whole summer to help her catch up on school if she'll do it."
Bonnie nods, in a non-committal way. Privately, she suspects Terry would be a handful.
"The boys asked me if they could come home with us. Stuart informs me that you're plannin' to separate them."
"Well, we may have to." the colonel sighs. "They both have a place at Rydell but they're a nightmare at their current school. The teachers only let them stay until the end of the year because they're scared if they don't they'll get burgled."
"Is that likely?" Bonnie raises an eyebrow.
"They've not threatened it in so many terms, but word gets around." the colonel says. "I know you're a veteran at this, Bonnie, but you'd be taking on an awful lot. Stuart is the brains of the operation, he's not smart so much as a workaholic. He plans robberies, he sells essays to younger kids, they have a racket going where kids pay them to be under their protection; if anyone messes with a kid under their protection that person winds up robbed. Ted can pickpocket you so fast you won't notice he even moved, and he's a master at locks. He robs without remorse."
"How did they end up such prolific thieves?" Bonnie asks.
"Well, they lost their father in the war, and after that they really didn't get a lot of parenting, same with Terry." the colonel says. "Their mum went off with her new guy a few years later, left the older sister to pick up the pieces. They stole for food, for clothes, whatever they needed. But I don't think they're beyond redemption, if they could learn a new trade."
"Well, that's kind of what I do." Bonnie says. "Lucy, how would you feel?"
"I know if we do take kids in, they're not going to be easy." Lucy says. "Do you think they'd rob us? Do they rob with weapons?"
"They don't tend to use weapons and they don't tend to rob foster placements unless they know they're about to leave." the colonel says. "But they're brazen; they finally ended up in juvie by robbing the sheriff."
Bonnie tries not to laugh. Because it is just a tiny bit funny, albeit so totally wrong.
She looks around, as Terry knocks on the door, and most innocently holds out her wallet.
"You dropped this." she says, handing it to her, then skipping off. Bonnie looks at Lucy with an eyebrow raise.
"You should check that." the colonel says. "She's got light fingers too."
Bonnie looks through the wallet, and can't see anything missing. Hmm.
***
The next week, after meeting with the social worker, Bonnie hears that Terry has gone to her new placement. Despite her misgivings, part of her is a little relieved that the little girl gave her new family a chance.
Convincing the social worker to let her take care of both Ted and Stuart proves much more difficult; though once she offers to take them her suspension from fostering seems no longer to be so deeply on their minds. They seem happy with the house, and with Lucy, and fairly keen to get one of their two most difficult teenagers placed.
"We're not saying no." the social worker says eventually. "We're going to try and come up with some safety rules to see if we could make it work. In any case, the boys don't want to be moved before the end of the school term, so you got a bit of time."
"You sure you're up fer this?" Bonnie asks Lucy, as they leave.
"You kidding?" Lucy grins. "A couple months ago I lived in a box, now we're half way to being a proper family."
"You're part of my proper family however this works out." Bonnie says, slipping a arm round her and giving her a squeeze.