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tece26

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1. Keri stood smiling down at the serious face on little Sam. The six year old boy was stubborn and wild, and drove her nuts, but she would never replace him. He held a special place in her heart.
2. “I am not eating that!” Sam announced in disgust.
3. “Okay.” Keri said picking up her plate and taking it into the sink in their New York apartment. “But I can’t give you ice cream later then.”
4. “Keri…” Sam whined, “I hate broccoli!”
5. “I know but you have to eat something healthy hun,” She watched as he folded his arms over his small chest. One of them covered in a bright blue cast.
6. “Do you want to stay with me Sam?” Keri asked coming back over and kneeling next to him.
7. He looked at her like she was crazy. “I am.”
8. “I don’t mean stay here with the foster program sweetie.” She paused, “I mean as a real home. After this last time you went to see your dad, I’ve have been given the chance to let you make a real home here, with me.”
9. His small face twisted as he thought about what she was asking.
10. It had been four years since that night in the park. Four years since Jake had died and she had lost her baby. The reality of that night still hurt, and she struggled sometimes with the drastic changes it had caused in her life. Sam was not one of them. She had grown to love the boy as much as she would have her own baby.
11. She had come to New York and finished school. Now she worked as a photographer for a great magazine.
12.  Mike had gone to prison on murder charges, and even though he would occasionally try to write or contact her, she refused to have anything to do with him.
13. Bobby and Shawn had never been charged for their part in Jakes death, but with their history it wouldn’t surprise Keri if they were in prison anyway on some other, possibly worse charge. She never found out for sure. As far as she was concerned she never wanted to deal with them or her old life again. She was moving forward.
14. Shortly after Jake died and she had been released from the hospital, Keri had found the money Jake had given for her to keep safe. She had toyed with the idea of using it to make his funeral nicer, but changed her mind. Jake had spent all his time earning that money to live, he wouldn’t have wanted her to spend it on a funeral no one would go too, when it could be used for better purposes. What that purpose was though had eluded her for four years.
15. Until now. Her magazine had asked her to do a story on foster homes, and she had met Sam. The similarities between Sam and the life she imagined Jake must have had were incredible. Keri had fallen in love immediately and looked into using the money to adopt the boy.
16. She had started as a foster home for the boy, working towards her goal with his social worker. Sam needed to know she was steady and safe. To pull him out of the abuse that Jake had lived, and died, in was the perfect way to spend his money. If Sam would accept, she wanted him to want to be with her.
17. “Sam?”
18. “Will I still get to see my dad?” He asked quietly.
19. “I don’t know sweetie.” Keri said honestly. “Do you want to still see him?”
20. Sam shrugged his small shoulders. Keri loved that she had been given the chance to adopt before he was filled with hate toward people. “I dunno. Can I still go to the same school? I really like my kindergarten.”
21. Keri smiled. “That’s good to know. I think we can keep that. I don’t see why not.” She waited a little while as Sam picked at his broccoli and took a small bite.
22. “If I say yes can I be done with the broccoli?”
23. Keri laughed and hugged him. “Yes, and we can go get ice cream to celebrate.”
24. Life wasn’t going to be easy, but she would make it better with sam.