Two Not Together

It was a trying summer.
No one knew quite what was wrong
With their father. So many

Boys (and a couple of girls)
Had been acquired as siblings
Just within the past few years,

Including a few fostered,
That the departure of Chris,
Who had a mother in town

With her own house, other kids—
Chris who was unofficial,
Not adopted or fostered,

A good guy, but just going
Back to his own family—
Didn’t seem that big a deal

At first, to all the others.
But their father was distraught.
Their father arranged meetings

With Chris, where one brother said,
Having witnessed it, Dad wept.
It was a long, gloomy month,

Despite fine summer weather.
Once they’d grown up, some kids would
Put two and two together.