Kari Kennedy was packing up her belongings one last time as she had aged out of the foster system, and the foster family, the Roberts, and they had taken her in for the check. It wasn't like she had a lot to pack, because everything fit in one duffle bag that the foster family before the Roberts gave her, the Parsons, so that she wouldn't have to use a black trash bag anymore. She wasn't sure where she was going to go; she knew that she could stay with her best friend Serena and her family, but Kari would only feel like she was using her. It wasn't like she had any family to go to, as she was told a long time ago that she was found in a dumpster behind a crack house. Which meant that no one knew who her family was. And she couldn't stay in the foster care system like a lot of people her age, because she aged out during the summer, so she couldn't use school to save her.

After looking around at what used to be her room, she could say that she would miss it, but that would be a lie. The only thing she would miss was the security of a bed, since it certainly wasn't safe. As there was nothing safe about Joseph Roberts, and she feared for the future foster children they took in, especially if they were girls.

"Who did you give our address to, girl?" Patience Roberts stopped her before she reached the front door, and despite her name, she was anything but that.

"No one," Kari answered honestly, because it wasn't like she had anyone who would send her anything.

"Liar," Patience hissed before she shoved a small padded envelope in her hand and stooped away like a toddler.

Whatever it was, she would have to look later, because she needed to get out of this damn house, because Kari didn't want to spend another minute there.

Kari tumbled out the front door, betrayed by the physics of running out of it with the weighted duffel bag in front of her. Only when she reached the bus stop a few blocks down did she allow herself to stop power walking, legs going slack like a stretched out balloon.

She counted her change. She had enough for the fare downtown, and then maybe she’d get coffee and call Serena. She wasn’t sure yet, only sat there amongst the frost-tipped grass that crunched unerfoot, shivering on the sloped bench of the bus stop. When it did eventually pull up, long and orange and creaking in the winter sun, Kari boarded with a sense of lightness in her heart that she had not felt in a long time.

In hindsight, she did not have enough for coffee, especially downtown, where the only cafes were hipster upmarket places and Starbucks. Luckily, she remembered some stupid TikTok she had watched with Serena once, about being entitled to a free treat on your birthday, and after one long fought battle with the mall’s WiFi, she downloaded the app and unwrapped a banana nut muffin with joy.

“Happy birthday to me,” she muttered to herself as she dug her fork into the tender sponge. It was the tastiest thing she had ever eaten.

Her hands were still sticky as she dug out her phone, intending to dial Serena before remembering the envelope, still crinkling in her back pocket where she had shoved it. She had expected it to be some boring clerical mail relating to her turning 18, like telling her to register to vote, or some rambling joke from Child and Family Services about support that would never come. But this was different. The script on it was handwritten, and the envelope was heavy.

She peeled it open.

Ms Kari Kennedy,

Congratulations on your coming of age. We at the Lyrebloom Manor would be delighted to welcome you to our estate at your earliest convenience for the discussion of some exciting news. Please find enclosed funding for your means of travel, plus one other person of your choosing; as we are situated in Geneva, we realize that travelling the distance on your own may be daunting. We look forward to seeing you there.

Yours sincerely,

Dante Fellows

Kari flipped the letter over in disbelief, before going back to the envelope. Sure as day, inside were two first class plane tickets to Geneva, and about $500 in cash.

She rang Serena immediately.

Serena must've broken at least three major road laws to have gotten to Kari so quickly. They loitered outside the Starbucks Kari had emerged from, Serena scrutinising the paper with raised eyebrows that seemed to climb higher with each sentence she read. She blew her uneven bangs from her eyes, haphazardly cut with a pair of kitchen scissors.

"This is probably a scam, Kari. Things like this just don't happen. It's like those spam emails you get saying you've won a million dollars, but you have to send your bank details to 'claim' it." Of course, Kari had no idea what she was talking about. She hadn't had much access to technology, besides the old, worn Nokia her previous foster parents generously donated. But she let Serena make her point.

It didn't feel real, alright. But whoever these people were, they were rich and were clearly desperate for her to join them in Geneva. But why her, of all people? How did they know who she was? How did they find her? What was this 'exciting news' they had to tell her in person? She suspected that they meant to instill these questions in her upon reading the letter. Which would prompt her to follow their instructions and board a flight to Switzerland for curiosity's sake. Damn, they got her good.

"Serena. I've decided I'm going to meet this... 'Dante Fellows' guy in Geneva." Kari shook her head. That name itself felt fake, but she supposed rich people had weird names. "But... I'm... kind of scared of going alone." She mumbled, her ears flushing red with embarrassment. Growing up a child of the foster system, she had learned not to ask for help. Kari had witnessed firsthand what happened to children who asked for help in abusive homes.

But after meeting Serena at the one cheap high school some foster parents a while back allowed her to attend, she had slowly been opening up and letting loose around her.

"Are you nuts? These people probably want to kidnap you or something! Of course I'm coming, no question about that. I have to keep your butt safe." Kari snorted quietly, a small smile stretching her lips for the first time in ages. When was the last time she hung out with Serena? Probably weeks ago, when the Roberts' had been in a good mood.

Even though she could probably hold her own better than Serena, who had grown up in a loving household with no need to fight back, or run and hide, Kari let her have her moment. She liked the feeling of someone being in her corner. It felt good, too good to be true. But it was.

"Then I guess you'd better back your bags. Don't bring too much, I don't wanna stay any longer than a week or two, okay?" Serena nodded along to her words seriously, but she knew she'd probably overpack anyway.