Chapter 5: White Oleander

Summary:
In this chapter it talks about the first foster family that Astrid goes to live with. The mother is Starr and she has two children of her own, as well as two other foster children. While her case worker and Starr are discussing everything out, Astrid goes outside and meets the boys that also live there, although we only really hear about Davey. She is Starr's real mom and although she is she treats Davey like he is just another foster kid. Starr takes Astrid shopping and buys her some underwear, a bra, a new pink dress and pink shoes to match. As she is getting dressed Starr makes a comment how she is only 13 and Astrid drops everything. Between her mother's trial, all the sessions and questions, medication and case workers she had turned 13. She couldn't believe it.That Sunday, Astrid woke up to Carolee already dressed and that was because she didn't want to go to church so she snuck out the window like she always does at night to go out with friends and leaves. Astrid realizes she doesn't want to go to church either and fakes being sick. After Starr leaves for church Astrid has some time to just sit and talk to "Uncle Ray". CONNECTION: As Ray is talking about that he hasn't seen his real life in 3 years Astrid realizes that she may never get to see her mom again and someone may ask Ingrid in the future about her and she may act exactly like Ray( not care) and say she hasn't seen her in 3 years. It talks about how she finished grade 8 and she never really made any friends, she would just sit with Davey and study eachother on things. After awhile the case worker finally said she was ablt to visit her mom and Astrid was afraid she wouldn't want to see her. When she finally got to see her mother she was relieved that she she had missed her. She told Astrid she wanted them to keep in touch and not go through the case worker or she wouold never get her letters. After that they just sat and talked and Ingrid asked her how she was. She thought this was weird because her mom never used to want to know about her until now.

NOTES:
-only 13 when she is seperated from her mom and put in her first home.
-Starr takes in foster children because her own children were in foster care at one time due to her addictions.

New Characters Introduced:
Starr- former stripper, drug addict and alcoholic., mother of all the children.
Ray- still married, smokes weed in front of the kids, works as a carpenter making new house, just dating and living with Starr
Davey- loves outdoors, likes catching lizards, keeping them and studying them.
-Freckled boy, Starr's own child.
Carolee- smokes, a rebel, doesn't listen to her mom, keeps to herseld.
-has a boyfriend she is always gone with.
-HATES church.
-Starr's own child.