Page 5 of Survivor
“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? You have to move past the pain, Taylor. That way, you can remember all the fun times you had with them. If you only think about the bad stuff, it can make the good stuff fuzzy, not let you see those memories clearly. Do you understand what I’m saying?” Frank asked.
Taylor nodded. Wow, all those doctors Valerie and Charles had taken him to were so stupid. Neither of them spoke again for a while and Taylor didn’t mind it, not at all. Taking another peek at the garden, he realized he didn’t know what Valerie’s favorite flowers were. “Frank, do you know what Valerie’s favorite flower is?”
Frank shook his head. “Sorry buddy, I don’t. But you can ask her.”
Yeah, he’d do that as soon as he went inside to get ready for bed. “Frank, do you think my mom and dad up in heaven would be mad if I called Valerie and Charles Mom and Dad?”
Frank cocked his head, looking at Taylor for a minute before he answered him. “Do you think your parents would have liked Valerie and Charles? That they would appreciate everything the Stones have done for you in their absence?”
Without hesitation, Taylor nodded. “Well, there’s your answer.” Frank smiled, patting Taylor on the knee before he stood. “Come onKid, let’s get inside before Val sends out a search party.”
Rolling his eyes, Taylor followed Frank into the house. Valerie was coming down the back stairs as they entered the kitchen. “I was just coming to find you. Shower, teeth and bed, in that order.” She mussed Taylor’s hair as he passed her.
He stopped at the top of the stairs, almost forgetting to ask about the flowers. “Valerie, what’s your favorite flower?”
His foster mom looked from him to Frank, then back at him. “Stargazer lilies, why do you ask?”
Taylor shrugged. “No reason, just curious.”
