[AN-Sorry for the long wait, I've been working most nights and only getting one day off, where most of the time I am doing errands and nothing else. I've been writing this story and another story in a notebook so that I can stay up to date on trying to post them online. I do not write the chapters on my phone as my phone doesn't allow me to and I wouldn't make any sense trying to do it that way. Please bear with me until I can get on a more permanent schedule with my work schedule. I will try to upload as often as I can, but please be patient. Thank you in advance!-BobWhite]

A New Day:

The next day I woke to a quiet house. A look at the clock on the night stand told me it was almost nine in the morning. I figured most of the family was out of the house by then. I got up and went into the bathroom on the floor. I took a shower and got dressed. While I was brushing my hair, Jude walked up the stairs and into the bathroom. He seemed to want to talk.

"Hey, Jude right? What's on your mind?"

"Do you remember anything about your father? I don't meant to pry, but you basically told us your life story las night."

"It's okay. Umm…not much. I only learned about what he had done about six months ago. I got tired of being sent back. I asked around and that's when I learned what he had done. If he hadn't been arrested, neither of us would be here."

"What do you mean? Actually, I was supposed to ask if you wanted any breakfast."

"I'm hungry, let's go down. And as for what I meant: my father was going to kill himself as well as me. He'd planned it for the day after he was arrested. The cops found me in the room he kept me in, a chain around my ankle, chaining me to the wall. I had a bucket for a toilet. I was never allowed to shower. The judge took one look at the pictures the Detectives took and terminated my father's rights to me. I've been a ward of the state ever since. I remember bits and pieces of my time with him, but none of it was good. I don't remember my mother at all. I learned later that my mom was one of my father's first victims. After I was born, she was gone."

"I'm sorry that happened to you. But my moms are good people and they will treat you very well and keep you safe no matter what."

"Thanks Jude. Where are the rest of your siblings?"

"Callie has group & Brandon had to work. Jesus is out with a friend and Marianna is in the Den with a friend; they're working on some dance moves for their Dance Team. Moms and I don't really have anything to do today."

"You don't have friends?"

"Well, my boyfriend moved away, well he moved to Los Angeles to live with his mom. His dad really didn't like our relationship."

"Oh, sorry to hear that."

"It's okay; we've decided to stay friends."

We stopped talking as we came into the kitchen. Lena and Stef were sitting at the kitchen table with coffee cups in their hands. Jude nodded at them and grabbed a water bottle.

"Hey, Jude, how about you go outside for a while; do something fun. We need to talk to Cassandra for a couple minutes." Lena asked.

"Okay, see you later Cass." Jude left out the back door, letting his nickname for me hang in the air.

"Looks like Jude likes you, he wouldn't have given you a nickname if he didn't." Stef said.

"What did you need to talk to me about?"

"So, we talked to Bill this morning after the kids were out of the kitchen. It turns out, the Group Home you and your friends were in, is being shut down. We wanted to know what you might have to say about the situation. The Manager was found to have multiple personal belongings from residents that were staying at the Home. Your laptop was in his possession; in fact he was going to give it to his daughter as a present for her birthday in a couple days. Having just taken you in yesterday, we need to speak with the kids first, but we want to bring your friends into the house. We wanted to know if that is what you wanted when you asked us to help you." Stef finished.

"I find it kind of suspicious that the Group Home would be shut down one day after I was removed."

"Apparently, one of the kids in the Home was a fake. CPS had ordered someone to go undercover in the house. The 'Kid' had reported everything he'd learned about the Home's Manager and the other residents in the home. This 'Kid' reported that the Manager knew who your father was and that he was trying to keep you from having friends. He was trying to bully you so that you would do something drastic. CPS closed the Group Home this morning. The kids are being removed as we speak. We told Bill that we would take your friend's in. He's going to bring them over later, after they collect their belongings. We've texted our kids and when they get home, we'll let them know that they are getting three more Foster sisters." Lena finished.

"Does Jude know?"

"I think he has an inkling. What were you two talking about anyways?" Stef asked.

"He wanted to know if I remembered my father at all. All I remember from that time is what I learned about six months ago."

"Do you know where your mother is?" Lena asked.

"She was one of my father's first victims. Apparently, he killed her a couple months after I was born. He was arrested when I was four. I don't really remember anything from that time period, which I think is a blessing."

"Jude shouldn't have pried into your life like that."

"It's okay, he was just curious. He was nice about it."

"So, because we are adding your friends to the house, all four of you will be put on the family plan on Monday. Until then, you can hang out with Jude for the time being. He's a big game player via the Xbox unless you don't like games like that." Stef said.

"My friend Jenna has a Nintendo 64 and we all play the Tetris game. She also has a couple other games. They're pretty expensive at the moment because nobody has the games anymore. If you look online for them, people want over a hundred dollars for them."

"Sounds like you need to find a place that sells them locally and are still in good shape." Lena stated.

"And we've looked, but there aren't any stores like that around here."
"Well, we can always look later. Jude, you can come back in now if you want." Stef said out the back door.

Jude walked back into the kitchen and smiled at his moms and Cassie. Then he headed for the living room to play some games. Before joining him, Cassie asked a question that surprised the moms.

"Do you guys have any puzzles? They have to be at least 500 pieces to over 1000 pieces. I've never really liked small puzzles."

"We don't at the moment, but I'm sure we can always get some if you and your friends like to do them." Lena said.

"We do. Are we going to be able to hook the N64 up to the TV down here? Or will it have to stay packed away?"

"I don't see why we can't plug it in. if not in the living room, then to a TV in another room. We can always clear out a room on the fourth floor and make it into the game room." Stef said.

It was another two hours before the rest of the Adams-Foster clan came home. They were immediately set down and told what was going on. Cassandra was in the backyard. She was sitting on the edge of the pool with her legs in the water. She knew that the kids probably didn't want three more sisters but the moms were kind enough to take them in. As the moms talked to all of their kids, Cassandra was listening to music and writing in one of her notebooks. She was making a list of stuff to do after her friends got to the house. They would all be sharing the third floor and would be using one of the rooms as a game room for the friends. The sound of someone coming outside prompted Cassandra to turn her music off and look around.

Lena and Stef had come outside to see how she was holding up. She could see the kids in the kitchen staring out. None looked mad but looks could be deceiving. The two moms sat down in the chairs and waited until Cassandra turned towards them.

"So, how'd they take it? The news, I mean?"

"They seemed okay with it. I think Jude gave them a heads up on what was happening. We'll just have to give it some time." Lena said.

"Bill called before we came out. He's on his way over with your friends. So, how about we go inside and start on lunch. That way it'll be done by the time they get here." Stef finished.

"Okay, but Haley is allergic to nuts, any and all kinds. We found out when we were eating cashews one day."

"Alright, no nuts in the lunch."

Cassandra stood up with Stef and Lena and walked into the house. She went up to her room and put her stuff away before coming back down to the kitchen. The kids were laughing about something when she walked in. Jude handed her some bread.

"We are making sandwiches; tuna fish."

"What about pickles?"

"What do you mean?" Jesus asked.

"The only good way to eat a tuna fish sandwich is with pickles chopped up and mixed in. It's the only way my friends and I will eat it."

"Sounds interesting." Brandon said.

"Then you add potato chips for a little crunch."

"I think you will get along just fine here." Stef said.

By the time lunch was made, Bill was at the house with Cassandra's friends.

THIS CHAPTER IS NOT FINISHED. JUST NEEDED TO POST AN UPDATE!