Hope sat at Officer Jones desk as she typed in Hope's information, "Ok Ms. Hope, what is your mother's name again". Hope just stared at her blankly, 'I thought stuff like this only existed on shows like Law & Order and stuff', "Tina Johnson" Hope couldn't believe not only was she raped, but lost the one person who actually seemed to care for her in Detroit. As much as the police tried, they just could not get in contact with her father. "And your grandmother" Officer Jones typed in more information, "I honestly don't know Officer Jones, I just called her Mama Johnson" Hope fiddled with her fingers. Officer Jones placed her hands over Hope's, "I told you Hope, you can call Ms. Amy. I won't hurt you, it's my job to help you" she smiled. It wasn't that Hope didn't believe her, it was just she was hurt. Officer Amy went back to typing things into the computer, "Are you hungry? I know it's about dinner time and I only get off in fifteen minutes if you can hold out until then, we can go get something to eat". Hope was hungry, but she was too distraught to even notice that the entire time her stomach had been gurgling loudly for the officer to notice. "I can, but what's going to happen to me after that" Hope looked at the huge clock behind her. "Well, seeing that we cannot get a hold of your father, and your mother has no other relatives that can be found in Detroit. After we get something to eat I found a home where you can stay. It's only until we get a hold of another relative, you're going to have to be a ward of the state" Officer Amy logged out of her computer and put on her jacket. "What's does a 'ward of the state' mean" Hope held on tighter to her stuffed animal. Amy sighed, it sucked that she was witnessing her own past right in front of her. "It means that from now on the people who are in charge of the state, are in charge of how you live" she grabbed her keys. "Oh" Hope wanted to cry but she just couldn't do it anymore. "But, if it makes you feel better, I will come and visit as much as possible while you stay there" Amy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, Hope nodded. 'There's hope for her if I have anything to do with it' Amy thought as she tried to put on a smile for the little girl.
In the car Hope was very silent; she barely said anything but one-worded answers she gave to Amy. Amy could tell Hope was traumatized, she knew that look personally. "So, what would you like to eat" Amy smiled as she slightly turned down the radio. Hope just stared out of the window; Detroit was nothing like Orlando at night. It was bright and busier at night in Detroit. She noticed Amy glancing at her from time to time, probably wondering why she seemed so fascinated, but Hope really didn’t care, she was just glad she was not riding in a police car again, "I like burgers and fries". "Good, I know a great burger joint me and my husband go to all the time, you should like it too, they even have an arcade" Amy started typing in a number in her built in phone on the dashboard. It rang twice before someone answered, "Hello love, what's up". Amy mouthed it was her husband to Hope and asked did she mind inviting him. Even though Hope wasn't found of the male species right now, she agreed and went back to staring out of the window again. "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to meet up at Arnold's for a classic" Amy pulled into the restaurants parking lot. "Sure, mostly because I'm already here. I see you have a friend" her husband laughed as he waved from inside.
"Hope, this is my husband Lemonte Jones. Lemonte, this is Hope Mcgee" Amy patted the seat for Hope to join them. Hope sat down slowly, and then placed her stuffed animal next to her. "Excuse Ms. Hope, but who is your friend who is also joining us" Lemonte smiled. He was big like Allen and her father, but not scary big like Allen, or even soothing big like her father. She missed him again at an instance, why hadn't the police been able to reach him? "This is my best friend Tony; he got his name from a bunny that my daddy gave me. But I had to leave Tony behind because Mom doesn’t like animals. So my big brother King, bought him for me before he left" she squeezed Tony's foot. "Well, hello Tony, nice to meet you" Lemonte laughed, "He doesn’t talk much does he". Hope knew adults sometimes played along with kids’ imagination, she learned that quickly after accidently going behind the castle at Disneyworld and seeing Mickey Mouse and Goofy take their heads off to get some water and smoke what didn't smell like a cigarette. "He's a stuffed animal Mr. Jones, he's not supposed to talk" Hope put her chin in her hands. The two adults laughed as Hope looked around the burger restaurant. It was filled with thing that resembled the stuff her dad used to collect. Stuff like jukeboxes, old arcade games, posters of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. The poster of Marilyn made Hope start to miss Harmony, she loved Marilyn Monroe, and she even had their father redecorate her room to look like Marilyn's dressing room! "Hope is everything ok" Amy placed her hand on Hope. Hope didn't mind Amy touching her, it felt warming like how her mother started off before she started doing drugs.
