“I’m trying not too.” Alex’s voice is soft. “There are some good people. Markus is good. He wants to help me. But it’s his job and I know he has a lot of other kids to deal with too. The Reagan’s seem nice. Danny is a police officer and Alice teaches kindergarten. She’s gonna teach me to read she says.”

Alex’s voice gets a little softer. “I think I’m too stupid to learn to read though. None of the other foster parents tried to help. One taught me a little on the piano before Paul...” Alex’s voice drops a bit. “He did a bad thing. Paul was worried that her husband would hurt me but he didn’t!”