Greyhound

Fifteen

*I updated last night as well, so make sure you read fourteen first! It is an important one*
——

"Grey!" She smiles instantly, and without consciously choosing to do so, glad to be back in the high school gymnasium with that overwhelming smell of sweat socks and rubber balls.

"Hi Daisy." She smiles, accepting a large hug from the older lady.

"It's been a few weeks, it's good to see you again. I'm so glad we got word to you that we were meeting on a strange night this week."

"I'm glad we are having a Sunday night meeting. I need the support tonight." Amelia smiles softly.

"How have you been dear?"

"It's been a rough one, but I've only relapsed once since July and for me that is a huge win."

"I'm proud of you. Come on, let's get started so the group can get caught up on what's going on with you, and we can all help each other out."

"I'd love that." She nods, letting herself be pulled towards the circle.

"Let's get started." Daisy calls out getting the group to settle in.

"First off, welcome back to our sweet Grey. We have missed you over the last month, how was your trip?"

"It was interesting to say the least." She chuckles, "but by pure coincidence I ended up spending the last month nearly with Frankie, and that was nice."

"How is he?" Dodger jumps in quickly.

"He's good. His job is keeping him busy, but he is doing well. He's excited to be back here next month for meetings again too. We helped each other out a lot over the last few weeks with fighting our demons, though we've both slipped once each. But it was a lot easier to get back on track with the other there to support."

"So glad to hear he is doing well, and you are also. Would you like to start out our count today?" Daisy offers.

"Sure, um it's lower than I'd like, but I'm at eight days. I hit one-eighteen before I relapsed though, and my goal is to beat that goal and keep going." Everyone claps loudly for her, her body feeling alive as she is filled with a sense of support and triumph.

"That is great!" Daisy nods, motioning for others to continue the count of accountability around the small circle.

Grey sits back for the most part, letting everyone else talk, just enjoying the sense of calm she feels while being with the group and in such a safe space for the evening.

"Alright, why don't we end the night with the group song and then head out." Grey is almost sad as Daisy ends the meeting. Having enjoyed being back in the setting extensively.

"The group song?" She asks quickly.

"The one Berry showed us all quite a few months ago, it has come to mean so much to so many of us that we now try to play it at the end of every meeting to remind us everything is possible and we can get out of the situations we are in." Daisy nods, motioning for Berry to tune on the song.

"Wait, who is the song by again?" Grey asks further.

"It's called Gotta Get Out by 5 Seconds of Summer." Berry grins, pushing play before Grey can interrupt again. Not that she would have, her mind fully consumed by the light bulb moment that hits, realizing the reason for Ashton's completely awkward and uncomfortable reaction to the song.

It's his.

***

"Ms. Burton, the judge will see you now." Amelia looks up sharply from the invisible spot she was picking at on her skirt, her nerves already shot.

"Good morning Amelia." Judge Samuels smiles at her as she enters, her dark hair pulled up into a very tight bun, one Amelia can only assume leaves her with a tension headache every evening.

"Good morning." She smiles as she sets herself down at the large table, the judge, her parole officer, and two agents from CPS seated already. The parole officer there is more as a mediator or sponser than anything else.

"We are here today to address the issue of guardianship of one Ezra Grey Burton is that correct?" The judge asks quickly.

"Yes." Amelia nods.

"On November 25, 2018 the child was removed from your custody after reports of excessive alcohol in the breast milk the child was being fed?"

"Yes." Amelia swallows hard, her worst transgression in life had by far been the binge she went on following Ezra's birth. Although the amounts of alcohol she drank while pregnant were not a highlight of her life either. They were tame for her alcoholic self, but that also was not something to be proud of.

"One year later, today November 25, 2019 you have come before myself, two agents with child protective services, and the parole officer who took on your case to show your change and to make a plan for the next step in attempt to have parental custody returned to you. Currently the child is living with a family member I believe?"

"Yes. My cousin and her husband have taken him in." Amelia nods again.

"Reports have been sent weekly from you as well as from your parole officer indicating the changes you have made in the last six months since we met. At that meeting I told you I needed to see improvements on a grand scale to even consider the idea of granting custody back to you. Have those improvements been seen?" She turns to the others as she finishes, asking them to present the facts.

Her sober streaks and relapse are laid out in front of the judge, along with the information she got from her agent the previous day about what might be coming up for work, which luckily had been quite a few options. Amelia sitting uncomfortably as her worst habits and addictions are laid out so blatantly.

"Nine days? You relapsed nine days ago?" The judge looks somewhat disappointed.

"Unfortunately. I tried multiple coping mechanisms but all fell short. I was at a place where I had the inability to remove myself from the situation and it turned out badly. But it was one night, and as I sobered I felt the guilt and lacked the desire to bury that guilt in another drink."

"You managed over four months previous to this incident, prior to that only six weeks. What changed?"

"I was presented with a kind of support I did not have ever in life prior to July. And I say support not crutch for a reason. I made a friend at my AA meetings who was dealing with this as well, and his kindness helped me learn to trust myself and feel like I could definitely beat this."

"Your work has improved Amelia, I am very grateful to see that. The first six months were not good for you. I can see the desire to bring your son home to you. But I need more from you."

"More?" Amelia's heart shatters, the wish of having her baby back in her arms tonight slipping from her grips instantly.

"You have a lot of potential jobs lined up, I need to see you getting those jobs and keeping them. I need you to repeat the four month streak and then some, I need you to continue moving forward the way you have been. I believe you can do it. We will revisit this issue in three months, prove you can stay sober until February and we will seriously consider bringing your son home to you."

"I will. I need him home with me." Amelia assures.

"I will be the judge of that, they do give me the title for a reason. You are dismissed, we will be in touch soon with a date and time for the next meeting."

"Thank you." Amelia nods, standing from the chair feeling numb, she was so hopeful today would be the one that brought her baby home.

————————
Pour Amelia, not time to bring Ezra home yet.

Vote and comment!

I love you guys!!!

~M =)