'Til We Meet Again Book 1

Chapter 20

What is going on? Why are the police outside my house? Oh my god, my sister, I race towards the house and I see my dad getting dragged out of the house with cuffs and see this police lady holding my little sister. I race towards them "What is going on?" I ask in panic "Ma'am, please step aside this isn't any of your concern" The police officer tells me "No it is my concern, you are arresting my dad" His eyes widens "Are you aware that your father robbed a liquor store twenty minutes ago and made us chase him to the house where he barricaded himself inside his home trapping in your baby sister?" He asks me as he pushes my dad at another officer to put him inside the cop car

"No, I wasn't" I shake my head "What's gonna happen to him?" I ask him "He'll be taken into custody and will have a trial to hand out his sentencing at our state penitentiary" He left out a few details but I'm not gonna push it cause I don't feel like asking for more "What's gonna happen to me and my sister?" I ask the officer "You and your sister will meet up with our Child Protection Service team and will put you and your sister into foster care unless you have a relative then they will have custody over you and your sister" The officer explains, I hear the cop car drive off with my dad and the lady with my crying sister walks over to us.

I can't believe I'm about to say this "I do have a relative who can care for me and my sister" I tell the officer "Who?" The officer asks me as he now pulls out his small notepad and flips through the pages, he taps the pen against the corner of the notepad "Sylvia Carson" I tell the officer "And what relation do you have to Mrs Carson" He asks me as he takes down my mother's name. I see the female officer cradle my little sister and wiping her tears away gently, she is so good with her "She is my mother" I tell him "Is she suitable to take care of you and your sisters?" He asks me as he takes down more notes "Yes, she married a rich guy Brian Carson and now lives in a mansion with him" I tell him the address to the house "I know Brian Carson, good man" He smiles at me as he puts away his pen and notepad

"When we get to the station, you'll meet up with Child Protection Service where they'll ask you and your sister a series of questions and have your mother and your stepfather come down to the station and have them sign over the custody forms" He starts to walk us to the cop car and we all get in. Kristy snuggles up to me and rests her head on my shoulders "Everything is gonna be just fine, I promise" I whisper to Kristy as she silently whimpers.

After a long car ride to the station we see two females; one in a police uniform and the other one in a suit carrying her clipboard, I'm assuming she is Child Protection Services. We get out of the car and both me and Kristy walk behind the two officers in silents, they greet each other and I see the lady in her uniform smile at us "Hi, I'm Mrs. Monroe but you can call me Claire" She shakes mine and my sister's hand "What are your names?" Claire asks us in a friendly tone. Claire is so pretty, she has green eyes and blonde hair that's tied up in a bun, she also has light makeup on just a simple eyeliner, mascara, and a light pink lip gloss.

She looks like she is in her early thirties "My name is Amanda Vanderwall and this is my sister Kristy Vanderwall" I introduce us "What beautiful names for two beautiful girls, why don't we head inside and have you both situated comfortably" I nod, Kristy looks afraid as we walk inside "Don't be afraid, mommy will care for us" I hold her close to me. Poor baby, she is so overwhelmed with sadness she can barely talk.

We walk inside this room that's dark, she turns on the light and the room lights up, we situate ourselves on two armchairs with the table in front of us. Claire sits opposite us and lays her clipboard down on the table with her pen placed on top of the papers "I'm gonna ask you a series of questions in regards to your father" She says seriously "please be honest with me, you are in a safe place" She offers me a kind smile as she picks up the pen and takes off the top revealing the ballpoint of the pen "Does your dad drink alcohol?" She asks me "Yes, on occasions like dinner parties, going to the club with friends or just a regular Friday night" I tell her and she writes down my answer "When you said "a regular Friday night" can you please explain how often?" She asks me as she writes her question down

"He did it last Friday but only because he was stressed because of work and needed to cool down, I remember him becoming very drunk to the point he had left me at home alone with Kristy" She nods and writes down what I said "Is he abusive?" She asks me. I don't know how to answer this question, I could be honest about the abuse but considering how afraid I am of my dad might as well lie and move on to the next tortuous question Claire has up her sleeve "No, he is a good father" lies, lies, LIES "Has he ever sexually harassed you or your little sister?" She asks me "I just told you, he is a good father" She nods "Well, that's all the questions I have" She smiles at us "I'll take you both to the waiting room and call your mother and your stepfather to sign some paperwork and you both can go home" She gets up, we follow suit.

We make it to the waiting room and sit with everyone else in the room. Kristy sits on my lap and snuggles to my chest "I want mommy" Kristy finally speaks up "Don't worry mommy will pick us up soon and we will live with her" I smile at her "I don't want my daddy anymore, he scares me" Kristy tears up "I'm sure our stepfather is a good man" I try to be positive to ease her little mind, I hate Brian "Nooooo, no, no, I only want mommy" she starts to cry.

Mom better hurry up because Kristy is becoming restless. After about an hour of waiting, I see Sylvia and Brian storm inside the station "Where are my daughters?" I hear her yell basically grabbing everyone's attention "In here but first, you need to sign some forms before you can take care of them" Claire tells them "Of course, we'll sign anything, we just want to take our little girls home" I roll my eyes at what Brian said. I see Claire pass them forms and they sit down and start filling them out and I see them hand the forms back to Claire and Claire guides my "parents" for the time being over to us.

I stand up with Kristy "Mommy" She wiggles out of my arms and runs up to Sylvia "My baby, how are you? did daddy hurt you?" She asks in a baby voice as she hugs her tightly "Are you okay?" Brian asks me concerned "Yes I am" I nod, I want to keep it short "Don't worry, me and your mother will take good care of you girls" Brian hugs me tightly, I barely hug him back. This is gonna be a nightmare.