You're On Your Own Kid

Change

01/02/2023

[Taylor's pov] 

"Yeah I just don't know what to do at this point. I mean they obviously aren't being taken care of properly but they aren't mine to take." I say to my mom as I sip on my coffee and try and think of something to do.

"Theres a DCFS building near your house, right? Go there and see what they say." I don't say anything, i don't know what I should do but I know those girls can't go back to where ever they came from. "Maybe this is what you need honey, I mean you've been wanting a change since you left Joe. Maybe this will be good for you." She says, pulling me from my thoughts, she's right, I've been needing something big to happen. I was thinking new cat, maybe a new haircut, not stealing two fragile kids off the street.

"Oh I don't know about that Mom, thats like really big." I go back to thinking when I hear some tiny footsteps upstairs and a little,

"Taylah? Are you there?" Lottie asks in her best, I'm a big girl who can talk to people, voice. 

"Yes honey I'll be right there! I gotta go Mom, the girls are up. I love you and I'll call you tonight." I don't let her say anything before I hang up and rush up the stairs to find the girls all curled up in the guest bed. "Hey girls, did you sleep good?" I ask before sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah, this bed is very soft." Mumbles Ette before sitting up and taking a sip of water from the glass she asked for at like 4 am. She then looks at here little sister, who is staring at me wide eyed and seemingly terrified. "She really loves you, we listen to your music all the time." Ette says with a little chuckle.

"Oh, well I'm happy you guys like my music. Uh we have a few things to do today, is that okay?" I ask, mostly talking to the older girl, who is petting the pile of fluff thats sleeping next to her. 

"Do we have to go back to Mrs.Kents? I don't want to be there." She asks, rubbing the scared little girl next to her on the back.

"I don't know whats going to happen but I'm going to keep you safe. Okay?" They both nod, turning to each other with big smiles placed on their faces.

-

[Still Taylor's pov, about noon]

"Go grab Willow honey, we need to leave."  That took way too long. From, deciding what to have for breakfast, two horrible showers, one fight over which feet Lotties socks go on and washing the clothes that they brought in their bag 5 times to get the cigarette smell out. We managed to get out the door 20 minutes before our appointment at DCFS was going to start and somehow made it to the building on time. "Okay, they are going to ask lots of questions and say a lot of grown-up words, but I will be there the whole time." I say grabbing their hands as we walk into the conference room.

"You stay, Taylah?" Whispers Lottie, still not being able to properly pronounce the -or at the end of my name. With a soft nod I life her into her seat and grab a plastic doll from the middle of the table and hand it to her, sitting in between the girls, I pull out my laptop and open a word document so I could write down notes.

"Hello ladies, I'm Mrs.White and I'm the social worker on this case. I just have a few questions to ask you guys, is that okay?" The short lady who just walked into the room asked, while sitting in the big swivel chair a the top of the table. I nod and look down to the girls as they shyly nod, still playing with the dolls from the middle of table. "Right, so first, Mrs.Kent has said she doesn't want the girls to come back to live with her, so we have been looking for another placement for them. Have they said anything about any family members that they could go with?" She asks looking at me as she flips through the papers in the brown folders sat in front of her.

"Uh, no they haven't said anything." I say writing down 'Mrs.Kent???' in the word doc sitting in front of me. "I could take care of them, if need be of course." I just don't want these girls to have to go back to a place that hurts them again. Ette looks up at me with wide eyes and a big smile. Shit. 

"Wow, Uh are you sure? It's a very big time commitment, I know you have a very consuming job, we wouldn't want the girls to take you away from that." She says, with what I'm assuming is some kind of good intentions, but it can't help but seem a bit back handed. Of course I want to watch the girls, would I offer if I didn't want to? No, I'm not stupid.

"Yes, I'm sure. I will happily take care of the girls." I say rubbing Lottie's arm, noticing her getting a little nervous. 

"I want to stay with Taylor!" Exclaims Ette, bouncing in her seat. I set out a soft laugh and turn back to Mrs.White. Noticing the amount of confidence in the tiny body sitting next to me. 

"Uhm, Okay, I guess that is settled then." She says closing the first file in the stack. "So you will take the girls, and we will send someone down for a home study. Are you staying somewhere near here? We can't have the girls tabling around a bunch for the next month or so?" She asks jotting down a few notes in her folder. 

"Yeah, I'm staying in Beverly Hills right now, will be until March, after that they can travel with me, yes?" I ask making sure the tour won't be a big problem. "I can homeschool the both of them, we can even get a teacher to travel with us." I say writing 'school????' in the doc before looking back to the women in front of me. 

"Yeah that sounds good. Do you need any help getting the things they need?" I shake my head and smile softly at the girls sitting on my sides. "Okay then, thats all I need today, sign here saying you acknowledge that someone will be at your house soon and that you are now legally responsible for them." She says pushing some paper to me, I write in my word doc to get a copy of these to Tree. Fuck. I haven't talked to her yet. I sign, grab the girls and walk out the door. We stand in the lobby for a minute because Ette's leg was hurting her. Thats when I notice the flashing cameras outside and the crowds of people surrounding the door.

Shit.