If I Told You, Would You Want to Hear?

摘要

It's a normal conversation, really. It's the first day of 11th grade. I've just met my biology-lab partner. He mentions his brother. Then he asks me The Question. It isn't earth-shattering. It isn't even unusual. The Question is: how many brothers and sisters do you have? After 10 seconds of silence I say, "I can't remember." I really can't. Does he mean how many siblings I have at this moment? Or does he mean every sibling I've ever had in my life? When I left home this morning, I had three siblings. When I come home tonight, I could still have three. Or I could have only two. Or four. And as for all the siblings I've ever had, the tally is nearing 250. Foster care is so hard to explain.