On the edge

First call

I put my earrings on "Lee I'm headed to work" I grab my purse. "LEE" I yell. "RILEY" I shout as I go into her room. She smiles at me "sorry mommy I couldn't find my notebook" I sigh in relief. "It's fine baby uh the bus is almost here come on" I grab her hand and we walk out of the apartment.

I wave as the bus leaves. I go to my car and head to work.

It beeps. "911 what's your emergency," I ask.

"My son he hit his head on the diving board and he's not breathing" I type in the incident. "What's your address ma'am" "242 Beatrice Lane I'm in Beverly Hills please hurry" I type it and hit send.

"Paramedics are on the way" "oh my god he's turning blue" she sobs. "Okay I need you to perform CPR on him do you know how to do that," I ask.

"30 chest compressions followed by two breaths" "okay" I talk her through it.

The LAFD comes and she hangs up. I sigh "everything okay" "ya, "I tell him. "Alright" I get another call.

A jumper. I bite my acrylic nails as I wait in anticipation. "NO NO NO" he yells. My eyes widen. "She jumped she jumped" the line goes dead.

I run a hand through my hair.

"Pink seriously" "what I like it, it's bad?" I state. "No, it's cute so cute you pull it off like you do every color" "whatever," I say as my line beeps.

"911 what's your emergency"

"Yeah I'm in the drive-through and they only gave me six nuggets in my nine piece and this bitch manager won't give me my extra nugs" she complains. "It's against the law to call 911 with a non-emergency eat the damn food stop being a bitch and get the hell off my line" I hang up.

I get another call. "911 what's your emergency" "yeah hi I live in an apartment on 876 Mcain I'm in my bathroom and I think I hear a baby crying in the wall" I scrunch my face. "How's the baby on the wall," I ask confused. "No no no not on the wall IN the wall" I type that in. "There's a baby inside my wall I think someone flushed a baby down the toilet" good god this days been stressful.

The next day I made Lee breakfast. "Hey baby how was school" "fine" I look at her seeing a sad expression. "Lee what's wrong" "I'm tired" I crouch down and touch her face. "You were fine this morning" I stroke her cheek. "Did you take your meds" she shakes her head. "Riley you have to take them" "no" she shakes her head. "Riley" "NO" she yells. I leave out the room to get the door.

"You're late" "I'm here right" I roll my eyes. I pick her up and take her to her bed. I tuck her in "I'll call the school I love you baby" I kiss her on the head.

I leave out.

I get a bunch of calls and I'm kind of tired I'm about to go on my break. When the phone rings "damn" I curse. "911 what's you're emergency," I ask. "Help me please they're outside they're trying to break in my moms is not home from work yet I'm by myself I don't know what to do"  oh shit.

"Okay stay calm what's your name" "Lily" she answers. "Lily how old are you" "I'm 9" she's younger than Riley.

"Lily my name is Embry I'm gonna help you what's your address," I ask.

"I don't know we just moved here," she says in a shaky voice.

"You know what street you live on" "um Lambert" I type that in. 'Fuck' I think as I hear glass break and her scream.

"It's a brown house please hurry" she gasps."Lily Lily" I call out.

No answer.

"Dammit," I curse. "What do you got here" "residential break-in caller is a 9-year-old female home alone" I state.