Mary Ann spent her lunch hour tracking down Barry Gleason at her desk and called him right away. The man did not answer so she had to leave a voicemail and prayed he would call back, not wanting to have to get a court order to insist on a paternity test. In the meantime, Mary Ann paid a visit to the Andersons’ home later that afternoon to meet with Micah.
Micah indeed seemed reserved at first, but willingly met with her, showing Mary Ann her bedroom at the suggestion of Cheyenne Anderson. The room was shared with another girl Micah’s age, with a bunk bed where she slept on the bottom. The bedspread was temporarily for a girl's style until Cheyenne could take Micah shopping for clothes and other fun stuff for her part of the room. In the meantime, she was wearing clothes they kept on hand for the girls who almost always came with nothing but the clothes on her back.
“How was your first night? Do you need anything from me?” Mary Ann asked.
Micah shrugged. “I'm okay.”
“Are you sure?” She pressed gently.
The little girl nodded.
“Cheyenne told me you had a rough night, with some bad dreams. Anything you want to talk about?”
Micah shrugged some more, brushing her off. It was possible the kid was still in shock as some kids usually were. Or possibly she was numb from the trauma Micah had experienced in her young life. Either way, Mary Ann noted her concerns to be addressed at a later time, with therapy.
“Well, I was able to speak with your mother this morning…”
Life suddenly came over the kid, perking her attention as she blurted out, “My mom's okay?”
“She is,” Mary Ann confirmed with a nod. “The doctors say, with rest and time, your mom should make a full recovery.” She explained where Micah would understand the injuries her mom endured, such as some bruised ribs, among other various bruises and some internal bleeding. Mary Ann also explained what a concussion was, and why Beth had lost consciousness, but thankfully was okay now.
“In the meantime, I am working on finding you a place to stay where you will be more familiar with. Now, your mom mentioned you have friends at school. Would their families let you stay with them?”
Micah only shrugged once more.
“Do you know any of their addresses or phone numbers?” She continued to ask. “If not, I could contact the school and get it from them.”
Micah shook her head. There was a look of hesitancy on her face.
Mary Ann could see by the expression the kid had something on her mind. “What’s wrong, Micah? You can tell me anything you need to. I'm here for you.”
Micah looked away at the floor, fidgeting with her hands in the pockets of her ash gray sweatpants. It took a while before she felt comfortable to explain the friends she always talked about with her mom were made up. There was one friend last year until her and her mom had to move and she never saw him again.
“It was just him and his mom, too, in a studio apartment.”
Mary Ann nodded in understanding and made a note. “And you're sure there aren't any relatives either?”
Micah finally nodded this time. “My grandma lives in a retirement home. We visit her sometimes, but Mom doesn't like to, on the count of, Grandma is always criticizing her.”
“I see.” Mary Ann made another note. “Do you know who Barry Gleason is, sweetheart?”
“Sure,” Micah plainly shrugged. “My mom calls him whenever one of her guys leaves her. Like he's her best friend or something, I guess.”
YOU ARE READING
A Father's Healing
פרוזהEleven years ago, Jordan Miller made the hard decision to walk away from his girlfriend of two years. What he did not know was that Jordan was also leaving behind a daughter. Micah Scott is an eleven-year-old girl just trying to be a kid and counti...
