My brother and I got placed into the foster system when my father couldn’t cope with the loss of my mother, but I later discovered why he never came back for me.
My mother died when I was around ten years old, and my brother, Ari, was just six. It was a horrible time for my family, and my father didn’t deal with the stress very well. He was gone most of the time and only returned home for a few hours.
However, he was never here, even at home. So, I became my brother’s main caretaker and did my best to keep our house in shape. But it was one of the hardest things in the world. Eventually, we ran out of food because our father wouldn’t provide anything.
My dad didn’t deal with our mother’s loss well. | Source: Shutterstock
I had to ask our neighbors for food, and they started getting concerned. When my father didn’t get better, they called social services. “I don’t want to go. But what about my dad?” I cried to the social worker.
“It’s ok, sweetie. Your dad needs some help, and you guys need it too,” the lady said calmly.
My brother was also crying in a corner, refusing to go with her. “About my brother and me, will we stay together?” I asked her.
The social worker tried to be reassuring. | Source: Pexels
“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do my best so that you both end up together. But honey, you guys can’t stay here. You have to come with me,” the social worker explained. I was old enough to understand what was happening.
So, I calmed my brother as best I could and we got into her car. I just hoped my dad got better soon, and we could return home soon. Unfortunately, the social worker couldn’t keep her promise, and we were both sent to different foster homes.
I ran away several times from my placement to find my little brother, but I couldn’t and was promptly brought back to my foster home. “Lara, you can’t keep running away,” my foster mom, Lisa, said.
My foster mom, Lisa, said that my brother was in a great...
