Light Bulb

              I remember waking up to my little sister Chelsea crying. All I could think was where is mom? Why does she always do this? Once again I am waking up and taking care of my older sister and my younger sister.

             

              Later that day my mother comes storming in our little house. I could tell she was about to break down. She went straight to her room. I heard her sobbing on the phone to someone saying she was going to lose her kids. I knew what that meant, even though I was only seven years old I was prepared for what might happen. All I could think was please don’t separate my sisters and I.

             

              Where is my dad? He isn’t my real dad.  He is my little sisters dad, he treated me and my older sister just like we were his daughters too. My dad was never into drugs like my mother was. He worked long days at the flying J and even nights sometimes. The night before him and my mother got in screeching fight over my mothers addiction. Later that night she kicked him out.

             

              It was 2 in the afternoon and my mom sent my sisters and I over to the neighbors house. She did this all the time. There was never anything to do but sit and twiddle our thumbs and wait for our wondrous mother to come pick us up. The neighbors she sent us to were always doing the same thing she did. They would leave me and my sisters out in the front room while all the adults went into the back bedroom. Sometimes it felt like they were in their room for a lifetime. All the while I was making Chelsea bottles and changing her diapers. Tisha my older sister didn’t really understand what was going on. She was my older sister by a year and a half. She was always asking me if she could do something like, play outside or watch a movie. She looked up to me like I was the oldest. I would always try to make sure Chelsea was happy and had a clean diaper because, I didn’t want anybody besides me or my mother trying to pick her up and take care of her. I didn’t trust anybody with my baby sister.

             

              The day passed by very slowly. My mother picked us up at 4 pm and took us back home. Once we were all inside the house she went straight to her bedroom. Hours passed by and I knew it was once again my job to find something for my sisters and I to eat. Since I could barely reach the counter there was no way I could cook anything, it was going to be another cereal night.

             

              Around 8 pm my moms friend came over and went into my mothers room with her. They were in there for along time. I finally got Chelsea to bed when my mother and her friend finally came out. Since Tisha and I were already laying in the living room watching The Little Mermaid for the thousandths time, my mom said we could sleep there for the night. My mother and her friend must have thought we were sleeping but, I was not. For about 30 minutes I watched my mother and her friend sit on the couch with a light bulb in their hands. They were like zombies sucking the smoke out of the light bulb back and fourth over and over again.

             

              I finally fell asleep. But soon after I was wakened by very loud knocks on the door. My mother and her friend ran to the back room to hide the light bulb. The cops didn’t hesitate coming in they kicked threw the door like it was paper. My little sister woke up and started crying so I woke Tisha up and told her to come to the bedroom with me. I picked Chelsea up from her crib and took her and Tisha to the closet. I remember thinking, they are not going to take my sisters from me. Not even 10 minutes later, a lady in a dark suit came in our room and found us in the closet. She proceeded to bring us out of the room until my mother started yelling at the cops telling them that they can’t take her kids away.

             

              I watched the cops search through my mothers room. They had found the light bulb. The cops said they have been watching the house for sometime now. They asked my mother what was in the light bulb but, they already knew it was Meth.

             

             

              The nice lady in the dark suit took my sisters and I to a different house for the night. I was so thankful I was still with my sisters. We went to a wonderful place. The people there were very nice. It took me a while to get used to leaving my baby sister alone with these people but, after a month it started to be okay. At night I would lay in my new bed wondering when my mother would come and get us, and wondering when my vacation from playing mom would be over.

             

              The months went by fast. My sisters and I had become attached to the family who took us under their wing. My sisters and I traveled all over the state with them, because of doctor appointments and my foster mother had family in Portland. My foster parents also had family that was in La Grande. They had a two twin boys that were Tisha’s age and a girl named Kayla that was my age. Kayla became my best friend. Every time I was with her it felt like all worries were gone and  it felt like I could be a kid and have fun without worrying if Chelsea was okay. Kayla and I are still friends to this very day.

             

              A whole year passed and we were still living in the same foster home altogether. Throughout the year we had supervised visit with our mother. During these visits my sisters and I would go to the CHD to see her. We would sit in a what looked like a waiting room with windows. In the corner of the room was a box of toys that Chelsea would play with. A woman would escort my mother in and then go sit behind the glass windows and watch us. Every visit I could tell our mother was getting better. I could also tell how sad she was and sorry for what she had done. I missed my mother after every visit, but she was in rehab and I knew that it was the best thing for her at the moment.

             

              We were finally able to go home. By that time my mother was out of rehab and was clean for six months. My mom and dad were also back together and they bought a little house with three rooms and one bathroom. After we moved back in with our mom dad things were different, she let us play in our front yard and she would play with us. She also would take us places and throw us fun birthday parties. Before she would never do this. I was so proud of my mother. I even started to look up to her.

             

              My mother has been clean now for 11 years. I love her and she is now one of my best friends.