The Fifth Seat Was Never Mine

Summary

The four of us grew up in the county group home at St. Jude's.

When we aged out of the foster system, we pooled our paychecks to rent a three-bedroom apartment in the city. Our rule was simple: whoever clocked out first made dinner, and if someone came down with the flu, the other three took turns keeping watch on the living room sofa with ginger ale and a cold washcloth.

Austin, my boyfriend, had stood in the center of our empty living room the day we signed the lease, his arm wrapped tight around my shoulder, and told me, "This is it, Nora. From now on, this is our family.