Chapter 5 Moving Day

"Ten minutes, lady, I have to pick up some equipment across town." The angry driver in a suit told me in a Scottish accent when I unlocked the front door. He was here to take us to Mike's house.

I glanced at the black limo parked in front.

"In a limo?" I asked.

"No, a van." He replied sarcastically.

I shut the door and called out. "Let's go kids!"

I saw Jay, Tommy, and Noah walking downstairs with their backpacks, Kimiko not far behind, holding Bunny and her backpack slung behind her.

"Limo? Get out of my way, Garcia!" Jay ran past Noah with excitement out the door. Noah smirked and went after him.

Peggy, the social worker we had been living with, walked alongside me.

Millie smiled and slid on her new black sunglasses. "There's nothing like moving to a new home in style."

Beth nodded with agreement. I held back from reminding her that it was a temporary arrangement. While the girls filed out, Peggy locked the door behind her.

"Are you sure about this Christine? I don't mind having roommates," Peggy said with concern. "Let's not forget the... something you used to have with Mike."

I sighed, remembering the kiss. "That was a long time ago.

As the kids climbed into the limo, the driver tossed their bags into the trunk.

I shook my head as we climbed down the porch. "You've done enough for us, Peg; sorry about the twins using up your shampoo."

Peggy swatted the air. "No problem, got it on sale."

The driver took my luggage, Peg and I climbed into the slick limo. My jaw dropped in the big space. The kids were already helping themselves to a basket of snacks and sodas. Noah was munching on a piece of beef jerky. Tommy crunched down on Oreos. Mike had clearly thought about making the ride comfortable.

"Whoa," I said, as I sat next to Tommy.

"This is so cool," Beth said as she ate from a can of Pringles.

"Chris, there's a champagne bottle in the fridge." Millie opened the small box that let out a little chill.

I shook my head, not wanting to drink in front of the kids. "I'll have a Pepsi."

"Same," Peggy said.

The driver slid into his seat and turned the key at the ignition.

"Yo, butler, put on some music." Noah called.

The driver grumbled. "I'm not a butler."

"But you got a fancy accent and everything," Noah pointed out.

The driver's response was to roll up the black blind.

"Noah," I hid a smile. "You've got an accent."

"American, but whatever." Noah shrugged and took a swig of his Mountain Dew. Taylor Swift's voice blared through the stereo, the boys winced, and Millie bobbed her head to the tune while Beth rolled her eyes.

I cleared my throat. "Alright folks, what did we prepare for last night?"

"Oh, be kind and respectful to the rich guy." Daphne said with sarcasm.

"Don't touch his stuff without permission," Millie said in a monotone.

"And remember to be on our best behavior," Kimiko said.

I nodded, glad they listened to my one-hour lecture on good behavior.

"Yeah, we should have binge watched Annie for more insight." Tommy snorted and fist pumped Jay as the kids laughed.

I rolled my eyes and exchanged a look with Peggy. "I'm not kidding guys. This is a great opportunity to reevaluate our lives and be grateful for what we have." I sniffed.

Noah narrowed his brown eyes. "Ah geez."

"Don't cry," Tommy shifted nervously next to me.

I felt my eyes sting. "I won't."

* * * * * * * *

"What the hell?" Mike groaned as he heard his doorbell ring. He tossed his covers aside and slipped out of bed, shoving his legs through denims. His head throbbed with a headache from the alcohol last night.

He glanced at his alarm clock, it was eight a.m and he didn't have to be at the Hotel until ten. He threw his head back and groaned again.

Mike walked out of his bedroom rubbing his eyes and marched downstairs to the foyer as the bell rang again. The bright morning light spilled through the windows.

He unlocked the door and found a little girl of Asian descent, holding a blue bunny with a slightly burnt ear.

"Are you lost?" He asked, stifling a yawn, thinking she wasn't real.

Her small voice was firm, "Nope." She answered. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

His lips curled down, the last thing he wanted was to argue with some strange kid...at least without having some coffee. Mike rubbed his temples, trying to ward off the incoming headache from the sudden wake-up call.

He heard footsteps and chattering, until he spotted a couple of teens, Christine and some other forty-ish woman appear on the porch.

"Uh," His brain struggled to process the picture.

"Mr Russo, good morning, ooh, late morning riser huh?" Christine stepped up to him.

He crossed his arms. "W... what's going on?"

She smiled after peeling her eyes away from his chest. "We're moving in."

Mike widened his eyes and stopped himself from blurting, today? Garrett appeared behind them, hurling backpacks and luggages. He forced a smile. "Yes, uh, come in, all of you?"

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr Russo." The other woman smiled at him, her eyes dropping lower. "You must work out a lot."

"Uh, yeah, I try to stay active."

"I'm Peggy Strauss, also a social worker." She spoke quickly as they shook hands.

As the kids and the ladies filed inside, the spacious foyer became noisy as the kids widened their eyes and admired the white painted interior, pointing at the silver chandelier above, and the swirling staircase.

He offered a smile at them and quickly glared at Garrett. "Am I missing something?" He asked in a hushed whisper.

The Scotsman shrugged with a bored look. "You said to pick 'em up today. At least, that's what you meant."

Mike frowned at Garrett's held up cell phone to display the thumbs up emoji from last night: Want me to pick up the foster kids?

"Thanks a lot." Mike grumbled before slipping a fifty from his pocket to the driver, who saluted before leaving.

Great. Now he'd have to tell Brooke to speed up the social media promotion. He grabbed a brown coat hanging on the coat tree and slipped it on, before noticing Peggy looked disappointed as he covered his bare chest.

"Are you aware your limo contributes to gas emission to the atmosphere?" A voice suddenly made him jump.

He turned right to see the teenage girl with dark eyeliner and a black choker around her neck, staring at him. Sheesh.

"Not that I'm aware of," He shifted away from her dark gaze.

Christine smiled at him. "Well, I'd like to formally introduce you to the kids, starting with the oldest. Noah Garcia."

Mike stared at the Latino kid she pointed at, dressed in oversized gray sweater and jeans, he gestured sign language at him to which the kids snorted at.

Huh? Mike suddenly realized he was wearing a hearing aid.

"What did he say?" Mike asked Christine. She shot Noah a quick glare.

"Uh, he says nice to meet you, but don't worry, he talks...a lot," She said with a forceful smile, to which the kids nodded with agreement.

Then Christine continued pointing. "Thomas Kent, Jayden Rawlings, Daphne and Millie Tennyson, Anabeth Gray and Kimiko Hamada."

Mike nodded at the kids who shot him a look of indifference. "Pleasure to meet you all. I understand you've all been through a tough time recently. I'm sorry for your loss."

The girl with the round glasses, uhm Daphne, raised an eyebrow. "Really? Your home has burned down with everything you own?"