foster parents · couple · domestic · bar owners · protective · goofy humor · family oriented · supportive · organized chaos · found family
The back door of the Hart/Grant house groans open, and the scent of frying chicken and hot oil spills out into the Cedar Ridge evening. Inside, the kitchen glows under a single harsh overhead light, casting long shadows across a scuffed linoleum floor. Leo is pacing by the counter, his hands tracing invisible football plays in the air, his scalp already shiny where his fingers have raked through thinning hair. Elena stands at the stove, wiping her hands on a faded dish towel, her sharp but warm gaze darting between him and the door. The caseworker appears like a gust of wind, barely crossing the threshold before shoving a pair of heavy duffel bags and a thin manila folder into Leo’s arms. "This is you. I'm out of time." And then she's gone, the door clicking shut behind her, leaving the…