The next day, Mrs. Graine from CPS came to Miranda’s house and explained the procedure of what would happen to her and Austin. They were told what they could and couldn’t bring. They were to be put in a temporary foster home until after their father’s trial. "You’ll be staying with the Kinsley family. There are seven children." Miranda rolled her eyes at Mrs. Graine secretly. Austin had been silent the whole time. He had not shown much emotion since before the guys had left the day prior. "Are we gonna get to talk to JC Randy?" Austin whispered to her.
"Not for awhile Tin. I don’t know how long it’s going to be. Probably not until sometime after graduation. I’m going to quite busy graduating 2 years ahead of myself." She assured him. "I’m sorry sweetie. You know I’ll try though right?"
"Yep. I know Randy." He smiled at her and then rested his small head against her arm.
"Here we are, children." Mrs. Graine said pulling the van into a long driveway. It was a very large gray house. Of course it had to be with nine people living there, well now eleven. Mrs. Graine knocked on the red door and was greeted warmly and quickly ushered into the house. A lady looking to be about 5’6" or 5’7" walked out of, what Miranda assumed to be the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Hello, Mrs. Graine." Mrs. Grain nodded. "Well you must be Austin." She replied crouching down to his level. He smiled at her and she slowly raised herself from the squatting position and stuck her hand out to Miranda. "And you’re Miranda?"
"Yes. That’s me. Thank you." she answered sweetly.
"I suppose you want to get going Mrs. Graine. I can take over from here."
"Thank you, Mrs. Kinsley. You know where to reach me if there is any trouble at all."
"Yes, but I’m almost certain there won’t be a problem at all."
"Goodbye you two."
"Bye." They answered together.
"I’m sure you two would like to meet the rest of my family."
"Sure." Miranda replied. She took Austin’s hand and followed behind Mrs. Kinsley silently, just taking in all her new environment had to offer. They walked down a flight of stairs.
Mrs. Kinsley started to speak, "This used to be our basement…our very large basement, but we needed room and this is where we acquired it. All the boys are down here. All seven of them." Miranda thought, Seven boys! God damn! I wonder how old they are. She was pulled out of her thoughts by Mrs. Kinsley. "BOYS!!!" Six guys came rushing into the room and fell into a heap of arms and legs in front of a door that had not been opened. It was soon opened and another body was added to the pile. "Get up! I asked you to come out here not hurl yourselves out here." Mrs. Kinsley said sternly.
The all got up, some of them holding body part which may have gotten bruised in the battle. Mrs. Kinsley walked over to a guy appeared to be about 6’3" in height, towering over her. "This is James. He’s 21 and almost out of my house." she chuckled lightly. "James this is Miranda and Austin." James waved and headed back towards his room. Miranda learned their names and ages to be James, 21, Ben, 18, Tom, 16, Brett, 15, Anthony, 14, Alex, 12, and Sean, 9.
"Nice to meet all of you." Miranda replied after a period of silence. She knew she had seen Tom somewhere before but she couldn’t place it.
"It’s almost time for dinner. Why don’t you get yourselves washed up." They all headed towards the bathroom downstairs. Anthony took Austin while Mrs. Kinsley pulled Miranda to the side, "I’m so sorry dear, you don’t have to call me Mrs. Kinsley, Marjorie is fine."
"That’s all right."
"Well, I must go check on the roast. Wash yourself us, the boys will help you with anything you need." Miranda watched her head upstairs before following the direction the boys had traveled earlier. She found where they had placed her stuff and threw her coat in that room as well. She exited the room and bumped into Tom. "Oof! I’m so sorry."
"It’s okay, Miranda. I believe that’s how we met, right?"
"I knew I knew you from somewhere, but I can’t figure out where!" she exclaimed, flashing him a smile. He returned the smile.
"You mean you don’t remember Freshman year, Mrs. Kierstead, 9th period everyday?"
"Tom!!! It never eeven occurred to me and I knew your last name and everything. Ahhh! You left to go to CBA and I didn’t have a date for the last dance! Thanks a lot mister." She said poking him in the stomach. "Ooo, abs, very nice. I have to get ready to eat." As she walked around him she heard him chuckling lightly to himself.
Miranda walked upstairs by herself and found her way to the dining room. "Miranda, sweetie this is Mr. Kinsley, but you may call him James if you so choose." Miranda smiled and took her seat across from Tom. She grinned and placed the nice new napkin in her lap.
"This is very good Mrs. Kins…err…Marjorie."
"Thank you dear. Are you all finished?"
"Yes, would you like any help with the dishes."
"Oh no. I can handle them, besides some of the boys wanted to take you out tonight." Miranda looked around the table and noticed all eyes on her.
"Umm sure I guess."
Mrs. Kinsley cleared the table and the went upstairs with Mr. Kinsley. Miranda decided to put Austin in bed before it was time to go. "You don’t like this do you honey?" she said when they were alone in the room.
"No, I want to live with Jon and Justin, and JC and all them guys. They were my friends Randy."
"You got to give it time Tin. I’m sure all of these boys are nice. I know none of them are your age but that’s okay. You still got me." she replied, smiling.
"I love you Randy." Austin said, rolling over on his side.
"I love you too, Tin. Sweet dreams."
"Are you ready Miranda?" Tom asked. Miranda nodded as she slipped her lightweight coat over her shoulders.
"Where are we going exactly?" she questioned eyeing the three boys.
"A sixteen and older club."
"But, Brett if I remember correctly you’re only 15 right?"
"Yeah, but I get in all the time. It’s no biggie."
"Oh. Well then, let’s go."
:::Meanwhile:::
Lance sat back on the hotel bed rereading a part of the letter Miranda had left for him over and over again. "I really wish I was as confident as you. Maybe then I would know what I want and you wouldn’t be waiting. I’m truly sorry…" Damnit! Why can’t she realize I don’t care if she doesn’t know what she wants! Hell, I don’t even know what I want!
*Knock, Knock*
"Come in," he replied while quickly shoving the letter under the pillow on the bed. "You almost ready to go?" Justin asked entering the room.
It took Lance a while to answer, "Umm, yeah let me just grab my coat."
Lance wandered to the closet aimlessly. "Thinking ‘bout Miranda again?"
"Huh? What? What made you think that?"
"Lance we know you got the hots for her, but I think your emotions are running with it and taking it further then it should be at this point."
"No, Justin. That’s not it at all. Who else is coming with us?" Lance asked.
"None of them. JC wants to sleep and Chris and Joey are in a heated battle of Mortal Kombat. I was thinking we could go to that new 16 and older club. Neither of us drink so what’s the point of going to a crowded club with old people."
"Sure, I really don’t care whatever you want."
:::At The Club:::
"This place is slammin’" Justin remarked as him and Lance sat at their table sipping their sodas.
"Yeah." Lance replied plainly.
"What’s wrong Lance? You’re not even in stealth mode right now and the honeys are lookin’ pretty fly if I do say so myself."
"Nothing. Plus this is a slow song Justin."
"So go find someone to dance with would you?"
"That girl dancing with that guy looks like Miranda don’t it?"
"It can’t be Miranda she’s at her new house."
"Well, she looks identical."
"Man, do you want me to proove to you that it’s NOT Miranda?"
"No, that’s okay."
"Oh well, I’m going to anyway." Before Lance could say anything Justin dashed off in the direction of the girl Lance had been speaking about. He tapped the tall guy on the shoulder and asked, "May I cut in?"
"It’s not up to me bro. Ask her."
"May I…whoa! Miranda would you care to dance."
"It’s okay Tom, I know him. Tom this is Justin, Justin this is Tom." They nodded at each other before Justin took over his position. "So what brings you over to me?"
"Well, Lance insisted that the girl across the room was you. I said it wasn’t so I wanted to prove to him it wasn’t you so I came over to ask you to dance."
"Oh…Lance is here. Where is your table." Justin pointed across the room to a darkened corner in the back. "He saw me from all the way over there?"
"Yeah…well…umm err…yeah!" Smooth Justin, smooth.
"Oh, why didn’t he ask me to dance himself?"
"I don’t know he hasn’t been himself lately." Justin answered hesitantly.
"It’s because of me isn’t it?"
"I’m not going to lie to you and say that it’s not you at all but I’m not going to lie and say it’s all you. I think it’s a combination of things."
"I feel so terrible."
"Please don’t…I think Lance needs to figure things out right now and no one but himself can help him. All I know is Miranda, you bring out the best in him."
"Do you think if I at least tried to be his friend he would be partially happy?"
"I’m sure he would love that." They smiled at each other before Miranda
rested her head on Justin’s shoulder. The remainder of the dance was silent
as Miranda took in the words.