5 Mmm... pork chops...

*Knock Knock*

I'm awoken by a gentle knock on my door.

*Yawn*

I open my eyes to a very plain and unfamiliar ceiling.

"Harry? Dinner is ready if you'd like to come down and eat." Mrs. Culver says through the door.

"Oh. Ok. I'll be right down." I call out.

"Alright."

I hear her step away from the door.

I take some deep yawns to remove some of my drowsiness and increase my brain function.

That's better. I wonder if Jeremy has left yet, or if he's staying for dinner.

I expand my empathic awareness to my limit to try to spot him, and I only feel Mr. Culver and Mrs. Culver in the kitchen. It seems Jeremy left.

Man, saying Mr. and Mrs. Culver is a mouthful...

Mindful?...

Whatever.

I wonder if I can call them by their names. I'll ask later.

It's at this moment that the monster inside my stomach decides to make itself known.

*Growl*

'I kind of want some pork chops...' I think to myself as I start down the stairs to go to the dining room.

--- Mrs. Culver POV (Before Harry's Arrival) ---

When Jeremy called a couple days ago asking if we were willing to take in a kid, we didn't even know what to think. It made it all the worse when he described a bit of what he's been through.

He told Arthur and I how he's been treated as a slave by his aunt and uncle. Beaten repeatedly over the years ever since he was dropped off in the middle of the night.

His room was a 6'x4' cupboard for goodness' sake!

I really hope he is ok at least, but Jeremy didn't give either me or Arthur too much reason to think he is completely fine.

---------

Waiting in the living area, Arthur and I wait for Jeremy to arrive with Harry.

We aren't kept waiting long as we hear the police cruiser pull into the driveway, I take a moment to prepare myself. I don't want to scare him in any way.

I hear Jeremy yell something from outside in a grandiose tone.

I laugh. What a dork.

I open the door and walk outside to see Jeremy standing at the front of the car with his arm up like he is presenting a castle. Yep. Very much a dork.

Harry's not paying attention to him though. It looks like he is thinking about something. After a moment though, he just nods, and focuses back to us.

As I was watching Harry, Arthur and Jeremy walked over to the car together and started their usual goofing off.

'Sigh. Men don't age past 16. They just get better at hiding their immaturity... dorks...'

I get Arthur and Jeremy to bring in Harry's luggage.

Walking over to Harry, I'm surprised to see him give me his hand and name. He seems like he has some confidence. And he is oddly well-mannered. Most children his age don't shake hands.

It makes me uncomfortable seeing such a serious looking 10-year-old though.

I gave him a quick look-over to see his clothes and his body.

He is wearing some old worn-out clothes that obviously aren't his size, and his body... well... let's just say he isn't a skeleton just yet. However, he definitely is underfed. I can see some bones poking out from underneath his oversized shirt.

I tell him about the plan that Arthur and I made to bring him shopping tomorrow.

'I'll make sure you get plenty of good food Harry. Don't you worry.'

He asks if we can head inside, and I agree.

I bring him with me through the door only to hear Arthur and Jeremy making funny noises over in the living area.

'The word of the day once again... dorks...'

I figure I should talk to them about Harry and so I suggest for him to look around and I go into the living room.

"Arthur, Jeremy. We should talk." I say in a no-nonsense tone. Thankfully, they listen.

"Yes, dear?" Arthur looks over.

"What is it, Rosalyn?" Jeremy asks.

"I want you to tell us everything you know about Harry, Jeremy."

There is no way I am going to not learn everything I can about him. I know he needs some help, and I am going to do my darndest to help him myself.

--- Time Skip ---

I sit there with tears in my eyes, while Arthur sits beside me, holding my hand. He looks calm, but I can see fury in his eyes.

He did tell us about some things over the phone, but it is something else to hear him tell everything he knows in person.

"That's all I know about him Rosalyn. There is probably more that didn't come out during the trial, but you'd have to ask Harry himself to find out. However, he seems to be distrustful of people, so he might not even tell you."

He looks down with his fists clenched.

"Not surprising considering how no one ever helped him before."

I try to think through everything I just heard about Harry and dry my eyes.

'So, he was insulted, beaten, and starved for almost his entire life. Did no one ever notice? Or did no one ever care?'

"Jeremy..." My voice wavers a little. "W-why did no one help him?"

His eyes squint a little.

"Well... from what we found, the Dursleys spread a rumor that he was some kind of criminal with severe mental health issues, so most people just ignored him or stayed out of his way. Not only that, but his cousin, Dudley, bullied all the kids at school to make sure no one ever even so much as talked to Harry. Harry never managed to reach out to anyone before he called emergency services and I went to talk with him."

'He must have felt like the whole world was against him. Jeremy is probably right; he likely does have trust issues.'

"Right. Thanks for telling us this Jeremy."

"No problem, Rosalyn." He gives me a weak smile.

"I'm going to go see if Harry needs anything. I think I'll show him around the house too."

"That's a good idea, Rosie." Arthur says.

I walk out of the living room and go down the hall. Harry is looking into the bathroom. I go up to him and ask him if he likes the house so far.

He jumps and yelps as he recoils away from me.

I apologize as fast as I can.

'I didn't think I was being that stealthy though!'

He takes a few deep breaths to calm down, and says he was just deep in thought.

Once he seems okay again, I ask him if he wants a tour of the house to see where everything is. He says yes, and I walk him around.

He walks with me without saying much of anything, and I point out all the rooms on the first and second floors.

I suggest he starts to unpack his things in his room, but he refuses and asks if he can help me with making dinner.

'Sigh... I don't want him to feel like this home will be anything like the Dursleys'.

I tell him that I wouldn't have it, but he asks if I'm sure, and says he really does like to cook.

'Well... if he actually does like cooking, then he can join me sometimes I suppose.'

I tell him he may join me later if he wants to and reach out to pat his head.

He recoils at my movements and takes a small step back. Though, once he realizes that I am just ruffling his hair a little bit, he just stands there stiffly with a look of surprise on his face.

'You are such a good kid, Harry. I know it'll take a little time, but I'll try to make you feel safe here.'

I turn around and walk down the stairs to start on dinner.

'I promise you that.'

As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I freeze as I hear a light laugh. I look back up the stairs, and though I can't see him, I know it was Harry, and it puts a smile on my face.

'I wonder if Harry will like pork chops.'