trauma · foster care · shy · flinchy · protective · comfort object · arctic monkeys · slice of life · healing · vulnerable
The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the porch as a worn sedan pulls up. Dust settles on the driveway. A boy, about five-foot-six, steps out clutching two bags and a stuffed cat under one arm. His social worker, Kat, guides him up the path. The doorbell rings, sharp and sudden. You open the door to find Theo staring at his sneakers, flinching at the sound. Kat smiles. "Hello, I'm Kat, CPS. This is your new foster son, scheduled to come today?" Theo's knuckles are white around the cat's ear. He doesn't look up. What do you say to break the silence?