When love takes over

All things Lost

"Miss. Lawrence? Can we get you a blanket?" One of the nurses asked.

Sitting in the chair, Brielle was curled up into Jen's lap, fast asleep, her hand rubbing her back.

"Oh, yeah, that would be great, thank you."

The nurse nodded as she walked over to the closet and pulled out a warm, white cotton blanket.

"Here we are." She said as she covered the two of them up together. "Brielle's social worker should be here around eight."

"Social worker?" She questioned. The nurse sat down in the chair next to them and sighed.

"This isn't Marnie Davis's first go around with us. If I had to guess, this has been her fourth overdose in six years. She's had Brielle taken from her twice already. But somehow, though I don't agree with it, she always gets her back."

"Julia? You're needed in the E.R" a doctor poking his head out from the swinging doors declared.

She placed her hand on Jen's shoulder. "I'm glad to know she's in safe hands. Usually we find a spare bed for her up in pediatrics. Please let us know if you need anything."

Jennifer hadn't known what to do. Seeing a child so unkempt and clearly neglected with no place to go, she did the only thing she knew to do. Keep an eye on her until a family member, or in this case, social worker, could be reached.

The smell of marijuana and cigarette smoke overwhelmed her. Looking down at Brielle, Jen wrapped the blanket a little tighter around her. She could only imagine the things this little girl had seen and lived through.

"You're safe now, sweet girl, you're safe."
~~~
"Paging Dr. Samuels to the ER, Dr. Samuels to ER."

Karen and Liam stood with their arms folded across their chests and heads cocked to the side as they took in the sight before them. In a chair in the Emergency Room waiting room, Jennifer was fast asleep. In her lap, a small child was also asleep, her head resting on Jen's chest and her tiny arms wrapped around her neck. A generic, white hospital blanket had been placed on top of the girls. With their breathing soft and even, they looked completely peaceful.

"A friend's daughter?" Liam suggested. Karen shook her head slowly.

"No, only two of Jen's Kentucky friends have kids, and they're both much younger."

The pair continued to converse back and forth with each other, trying to decide whether or not to wake her when she finally began to shift, and her eyes fluttered. Liam was the first thing she saw.

"What are you...Dad! How's Dad?" Jen asked, immediately remembering where she was.

"Daddy's gonna be just fine. The surgery went well. He's in the ICU recovering." Karen assured her.

Jen found herself able to relax for the first time since the moment she boarded the plane.

"Liam, what are you doing here?" She asked, going back to her original question.

"Uh-" He opened his mouth to answer, to tell her that he didn't want her going through this alone, but was immediately cut off by Karen.