Coming Home | Scarlett Johansson's Daughter |

LEADS

NEW YORK - MAY ADAMS'S FOSTER HOME

Marissa had become Violet's social worker about five years ago, after she joined May. Her old one, Dylan, was pretty good, from what she remembered, so at first Violet couldn't stand the idea of having another one, but Marissa proved to be okay. Especially because she found a way to make every one of her kids stay at one home.

She also made the effort to talk to each one of her kids one day of the week. They had her number, but she preferred checking in on them psychically. As a child of the system herself, she knew what kind of things could happen.

Violet knew Marrissa was as good as they came, but she still couldn't help but wish she wouldn't care so much as soon as she woke up. The first thing she remembered was the text, and how worried it made her yesterday night.

Rolling over, she tried to bury her head under the pillow, attempting to ignore the new day's arrival. Knowing Marissa, she was probably on her way here already, despite it being 7am.

The sound of a car engine in the distance interrupted her thoughts. Violet sat up in bed, realizing that Marissa must be arriving. She took a deep breath, attempting to calm her racing heart, and prepared herself for the conversation that awaited her. Violet swung her legs over the side of the bed and sighed. She needed to get ready before she went downstairs.

She quickly made her bed, splashed some water on her face, and combed her fingers through her long hair to tame any loose strands. After taking a few deep breaths to steady her nerves, she changed into a clean, comfortable outfit.

Finally, feeling as ready as she could be, Violet descended the stairs to find Marissa waiting in the living room. The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow in the room. Marissa looked up as Violet entered, her expression a mix of nervousness?

"Good morning, Violet," Marissa greeted, offering a gentle smile.

Violet nodded in response, her emotions still tangled in a web of uncertainty. She took a seat on the couch, her hands tightly clasped in her lap. The room seemed unusually quiet, the tension palpable in the air.

Marrisa, as always, was quick to ask about dance, and Violet, with a knot in her throat, could only nod softly at the small took.

Marissa then took a deep breath, her eyes locked on Violet. She needed to choose her words carefully, understanding the potential impact they could have on the young girl.

"Violet," Marissa began gently, "there's something else I need to share with you." She paused, searching for the right way to explain the situation. "I've been in contact with a detective from child services, and they've been investigating a woman who may have known something about your past."

Violet's heart raced as she waited for Marissa to continue.

Marissa continued, "I've been receiving calls from a detective at Child Services, and it's about a woman they've been investigating. This woman seems to be connected to your case, and there's reason to believe that she might have known about you, even before you entered the foster care system."

Violet almost gasped from the shock. "You mean, like my mom?"

Marissa quickly shrugged. "We are still not sure. The details are still unclear, but it seems that this woman had some connection to your very first home, and she had been in contact with your very first social worker."

Her first home was one she had no memory of. She barely remembered the two homes before May's, and her first home was way before that. Her first social worker, she had no idea of who they were.

"What about that first social worker, can't you just ask them?" Violet said the first thing that came to mind.

"Unfortunately, we can't seem to get in contact with him. It seems that after they left the system, they were never heard from again." Marissa leaned forward, her expression serious yet compassionate. She knew that what she was about to say would be overwhelming for Violet, and she wanted to handle it delicately.

"Violet, the detective is currently investigating a case involving a missing kid," Marissa began, choosing her words with care. "This woman, Esther, was a suspect in that case. As part of their investigation, they're analyzing every child around your age who was under your first social worker's care in 2012."

Violet sat in stunned silence, her mind racing to make sense of the new information Marissa had just shared.

After a moment, Violet finally found her voice, although slightly cracking. "So, they think this Esther person might have something to do with a missing kid, and that somehow connects to me?"

Marissa nodded, her expression still filled with sympathy. "Yes, that's the gist of it. They have reason to believe that Esther may have been involved in an incident related to a missing child, and because you were under the care of your first social worker in the same year, they want to make sure they've checked every possible lead."

Violet's thoughts swirled with a mix of confusion and curiosity. "But do they have any proof that I might be connected to this missing baby?"

Marissa hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "No, Violet. At this point, there's no concrete evidence linking you to this case. It's more about ruling out possibilities and ensuring that every child who was under the care of your first social worker is thoroughly investigated."

Violet leaned back against the couch, her head spinning with questions. "So, what's next then? What do we do? Does May know?"

Marissa sighed, knowing that this was a lot for Violet to process. "May found out yesterday as well as me, she just thought I would be able to explain it better to you. The detective would like take some blood samples for DNA analysis to eliminate any potential connections."

"And if the DNA doesn't match anything related to the missing baby?"

Marissa offered a reassuring smile. "If the DNA doesn't match, it would be a relief in a way. It means we can put this particular lead to rest. I know this is not helpful, but we need your help. And I'm sorry because I know how devastating this sounds, and how you must feel if this is a lead that doesn't go anywhere."

Violet nodded, her mind a whirlwind of emotions and her eyes glossy. "Okay, I guess we should cooperate with the detective and get this over with."

As Marissa laid out the plan for tomorrow's visit to the detective and the subsequent blood samples, Violet listened attentively. It was a lot to take in, and she felt a mixture of emotions swirling inside her - fear, curiosity, and a glimmer of hope.

"So, tomorrow morning, we'll head down to meet with the detective, and then they'll take the blood samples," Marissa summarized, her voice calm and reassuring.

Violet nodded, her mind racing with thoughts. She knew it was essential to cooperate with the investigation, but a part of her couldn't help but internally smile at the idea that she might be the missing child they were searching for. The possibility of finding answers about her past was both exciting and terrifying.

"Violet, I know this is a lot to process," Marissa said gently, her eyes filled with understanding. "But remember, we're here for you every step of the way. Whatever the outcome, we'll support you."

"Marissa, can I have a moment alone?" Violet's voice trembled with a mix of emotions after a few minutes of silence.

Marissa nodded, understanding the need for some privacy during such a challenging time. "Of course, Violet. Take all the time you need. I'll be in the kitchen if you want to talk further."

Violet watched as Marissa quietly retreated to the kitchen, leaving her alone in the living room. She leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes, her mind swirling with thoughts and emotions.