I really hate this stupid child welfare office. The hard plastic couch is stupid, the dumb posters on the wall are stupid, and hell, even the little water fountain is stupid. I am so sick and tired of having to sit here while the "adults" are in my caseworkers office talking about me. I have no control over my life, and I havent for the past seven years since my mom died.

Every time I end up here its so someone can tell me that they dont care about me enough to keep me. Not that I wanted some of those people to keep me, but I thought the Petersons were different. They seemed genuinely interested in me, even during those first few months when I refused to talk. I still dont talk much, but when I do I think I am being nice. Im not like those little kids who scream and cry and throw tantrums for no good reason.

But those kids do have a reason. They were separated from their brothers and sisters, their parents abused them, their parents died, or they were locked in a closet and starved every time they did something wrong. Everyone that goes through this office building has a reason. A reason to cry and be angry, a reason to kick and fight; a reason to hate people, life, and themselves. I have a reason too. I have a reason to be silent, to lock myself away, to hate human contact, to not eat.     

When my mom died I was only eight, so the full weight of everything never hit me until I was about 12. That was when Dave Karofsky, my foster fathers son, started to abuse me. Thats when I realized how I had no one in this world. Paul took me in for the sake of him and his fancy- smanchy businesses reputation. Dave hated me for just there. Then he hated me for being gay. Then he hated me for turning him into "a little queer". No one cared about me. No one loved me. So I can starve myself and no one will care.

The Petersons seemed to care though. When my caseworkers found out about the eating disorder they said I would have to be moved temporarily until I started eating again, and then I might be able to go back and live with the Karofskys. So now I cant eat, even if I think the Petersons do care about me. They have me in Cyber School because the files say public school was the reason for my "disorder", and they let me change my middle name from Austin to Elizabeth after my mother. So I snack here and there when no one is around, but if I start to eat again I would be sent back to hell.

The door next to me opened and Earl, my caseworker, stuck his head out. "Kurt, you can come in now."

I walked into the office and Anne Peterson, my foster mother, moved over a seat so I could sit between her and her husband Luke.

Anne had long brown hair that was starting to gray at the roots, and she a had short and fragile stature that made you question how she did so many energetic activities like ice skating and dancing without cracking like precious china. Luke was quite the opposite. He was tall and muscular from years of being a personal trainer. He had a shiny bald head and a bushy mustache that he sometimes shaped into a handlebar. They were both in their late fifties and were so quiet and kind, more than I could hope for in a foster family.

"Kurt, I was recently contacted by one of your mothers old teachers."

My eyes bugged out a little. One of the reasons I was in foster care and not with grandparents, for example, was because my mother had no history. No friends or family they could contact. It was like she didnt exist until after she was gone.

"Apparently, your mother ‘disappeared shortly after she graduated from high school in a small Ohio town called Lima."

I sat there in disbelief. My mom is from Ohio? And why would she just disappear?

Anne patted my hand as Earl continued "She was romantically involved with an older man and her family excommunicated her."

I never thought someones jaw could literally drop, but mine did.

"This man is Burt Hummel and I was able to contact him. He agreed to a paternity test and, Kurt, your dad is alive."

Holy shit. This cannot be real.

"No," I said in denial. "My dad died before I was born in a horrible accident overseas and his body was never recovered. Right?"

"If thats what your mother told you, it was a lie."

"I am Kurt Wiley, not Kurt... Hummel. My mom never lied to me. This cant be real!" I was tearing up a little and my voice was starting to sound extra squeaky.

"Dearie, its true. Your um... father says that he wants custody of you. He is a really nice man, he owns a little car garage and is married to a lovely woman and has a stepson. They are all really looking forward to meeting you." I could tell that all Anne wanted to do was hold me and comfort me, but because I really hated human contact, she settled for patting my hand again.

"WHY DIDNT YOU FIND THIS OUT SEVEN YEARS AGO?" I snapped at Earl. I was taken back a little by my sudden anger, but he deserved it.

"I knew had that coming. Well, Kurt, your mother erased her past. Even the teacher was surprised that she was even alive for eight years after she skipped town. I cant help the fact that Elizabeth didnt want anyone to find her or figure out her past. I am really sorry you had to deal with the system for all this time, but you have a real family now. Thats more than most of the kids here can dream of."

I have to admit, hes right. As I opened my mouth to reply with some snarky comment, Luke cuts me off. "Dont go getting mad at him for something none of us had control over. Why dont we go home and get you packed up. Lima is quite a drive from Chicago."

I stood on the sidewalk outside my new house. It was a nice little two story on a hill, just outside town. Lima was incredibly small; with a dinky little Italian place, a few shops and fast food places, lots of churches, and the elementary, junior- high, and high school making up the entirety of downtown. I wasnt quite sure how long I stood there, just staring at my new residence, until Luke handed me my suitcase from the trunk of the car. "Welcome home, for real. Lets say goodbye, then you can go meet your family."

I turned to Anne, whose eyes were already starting to glisten from unshed tears. "I really loved getting to know you Kurt. You really are an amazing kid and never forget that, okay?"

I nodded my head and turned to Luke, who held his hand for me to shake, which I did. "Kurt, you are a lot stronger then I think you know. You are safe from that crappy caseworker and that sketchy foster family you were with before us. Dont forget that, and try to eat some more. Youre safe."

"I... I... I love both of you like you were my real parents. Or grandparents," Luke chuckled at my small jibe at their age "And I promise to eat more. Thank you."

"Now go meet your family. And dont forget us. I expect an invitation to your high school graduation, college graduation, and wedding." Anne said lightly as she laughed a little. "We love you too, Kurt." She was crying now, because I had never once told anyone but my mother that I loved them. And I was crying too, because I never thought anyone could love me but my mother. But they did. I wiped my eyes and decided to do something rash before I would think too much and decide against it. I hugged them.

"Oh, Kurt."

I released them after a quick second or two, and picked up my suitcase. With a wave goodbye to the Petersons, I rang the doorbell of my house.

"Hello? Oh, hi dude, you must be Kurt." A giant- sized teenager said as he opened the door. "Im Finn." He stepped back and let me walk in, then turned around to yell at no in particular "KURTS HERE!"

Out of a hallway that mustve led to the kitchen, a pleasant looking blonde haired woman appeared, still in an apron and holding a spoon that had cookie dough on it.

"Oh, cookie dough!" Finn ran to the woman, who I assumed was his mother, and took the spoon from her hand.

"Finn, no..." But he had already started to lick the batter off. She sighed then rushed over to me. "Aww, youre so cute." She shook my hand. "Im Carole. Burt should be down the stairs any minute now. Do you like chocolate chip cookies? Im making some... or was going to if Finn eats all the batter."

So the Petersons didnt inform them of my ‘condition. Figures they wouldnt. But I am safe here from Karofsky.

"Um, sure."

"Here, I can take your bag for you." Carole took my suitcase and headed toward the stairs. She stopped in front of the hallway to yell "Finn, do NOT eat all the batter or you wont get to eat the actual cookies!" I heard something clatter against metal, so I guess Finn put down the spoon. He must really like to eat.

As Carole went up the stairs the man who must be father walked down. He was surprisingly older than I thought he would be, and you could tell he worked at a car garage, because he had that mechanic look to him.

"Kurt. You look so much like your mother. Im Burt, but please call me dad." He pulled me into a surprise hug, which shocked me a little so I just stood there and flinched.

"Hi." I dont know what I was expecting. Should I have seen him and been all dramatic, like in the movies where you suddenly feel like you really are home, or should I have started to cry from realizing that I am truly safe from all those years of bullying and abuse from Karofsky? I dont know.

"Wow, this is real. I never thought I would have a son of my own." Burt continued to look my skinny porcelain frame over. "Caroles making cookies, so once theyre done, how about we talk? I have some stuff I would like to show you. For now, Finn can show you around so you can get settled in. How does that sound?" He placed a hand on my back and led me further into the house. I just nodded my head. "Finn! Come give Kurt a tour." Finn came in from the kitchen with a grilled cheese in one hand.

"Shr." He slurred with a mouth full of food. "Dya wanna a grilled cheese? I can make another one."

"No thanks."

"Kay then, time for a tour! I can show you my room first!" He grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward a door. For someone as Frankenstein-like as him, he acted like a six year old.

My new room was pretty nice. It had clean white walls, one of which had shelves decorated with random things that gave it a sophisticated kind of feel. My bed was red with white pillows and sheets, all trimmed with red. On the one wall I had a comfy couch and even a vanity, so the Petersons must have suggested that they get one, considering my nightly skin care regime. The rest of the house was nice too. It hand a warm and cozy family feel to it, which I havent felt since I lived with my mother.

"Hey, Kurt, theres cookies!" Finn yelled up the stairs. I put down the book I was reading and ventured to the kitchen, which was amazing. Carole liked to cook, so there were really nice appliances. If I ever felt like baking again, I know I could have fun in there.

Finn had a handful of cookies as he walked out of the room, heading for his room in the basement. I took one off the cooling rack and sat down at the table with Burt and Carole.

"Hey, kiddo." I was a little surprised he was already starting to use those average father- son nicknames. "Like I said, I have some things I want to talk about, but first I want to give you this." He handed me a little cardboard box with ‘Elizabeth written on the front in sharpie. "When Elizabeth and I were together, I was very in love with her." I wasnt sure why Carole was still here if we were going to talk my mother and his ex- hmm. What were him and my mother anyway? "She was only nineteen, though, and I was 29, so most people looked down upon our relationship. Her family tried to forbid her from seeing me, but she was an adult so she moved in with me. This made them even angrier, so they excommunicated her, and a few days later she disappeared. No one was sure what happened to her, and the police did a horrible investigation, so eventually the town forgot about her. I guess now that she ran away when she found out she was pregnant with you." Wow, I was so not expecting that. "I was still hung up on her until I met Carole two years ago, but I always kept this little box of her more valued things she left behind, just in case she ever came back. Go ahead and open it."

I gently ripped the tape that was holding the box closed, my uneaten cookie lay forgotten next to me. Inside the box was a large collection of index cards, some stained with grease or other mystery oils, a red hair ribbon, and a silver necklace chain.

"These were hers?"

"Yes, those are her recipes, the ribbon from her cheerleading uniform, and the little chain she always wore. Funny thing is, she never put anything on it. Said it was a metaphor."

"A metaphor for what?"

"She never told me. She insisted that one day someone will know what it means, and that person could add charms to it. Frankly, I never quite liked what it stood for, because she always said ‘someone and not me."

"Thank you."

"No problem. Like I said, I kept them in case she ever came back around, and since she cant, you are the real person who deserves her things. Now, there is still some other stuff we need to talk about."

I just nodded, slightly worried by what ‘other stuff he wanted to talk about.

"Ive talked to the Petersons quite a bit, and they say youre cyber schooled?" I just nodded my head again. "Well, since its May you can stay with the school, but starting next year youre going to McKinley, where Finn goes." I just kept nodding my head because I really didnt care if I went to public school. "They also told me that you dont eat a lot because of some stuff thats happened, and you dont have to tell me what the stuff was, but I want you to eat more. You look too thin." So they did tell him. "Also, Im going to change your last name from Wiley to Hummel, because youre my son, and thats technically how its supposed to be. Finally, Carole and I just want you to know that even though these circumstances are a little... unusual... we still love you and I am so sorry you had to live such a complicated life. But were going to make the best of it, and I really hope you can feel at home here.  If I wouldve known that I had a son I would have taken you in the moment I could, because no one needs to deal with anything like that."

I blinked away a tear. The words were sincere and I could tell that they really did love me. "Thank you, I... thank you."

"Now how about you eat that cookie?" Carole piped in, her cheery voice making me smile.

I ate the cookie, and it was pretty damn good.