Project Queen (Urban Fiction)

Chapter Eight

Two days after their mother's arrest, a woman wearing a crisp, business suit with her hair pulled up in a French twist, knocked on the door. Shae answered, frowning at the stranger standing there. Every time some fancy dressed person came to their place, it always spelled trouble.

"My name is Mrs. Kendra King. I was sent by DCF," the woman informed.

"Who?" Shae asked.

"The Department of Children and Family Services. I'm here to discuss you and your brothers' living arrangements. Can I come inside, please?" Shae let her in with reservations. Taking off her Prada sunglasses, the woman surveyed the living room with a critical eye before she sat down. Noticing that she also carried a Prada handbag with a matching briefcase, Shae deemed her a snob. No one in the 'hood wore Prada.

"I have some issues that I have to go over with you," Mrs. King stated.

"Like what?" Shae crossed her arms and waited. She wouldn't feel comfortable sitting, so she remained standing.

"Like where the boys-" She glanced down at a file as she spoke. "-Charles and Chris will be living upon release from the hospital, as well as Toby," she added. Her keen eyes rested on Shae.

"I thought they would get to come home." Shae assumed that Toby, Charles and Chris would live with her, but apparently DCF didn't see it that way

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, er-" She looked back down at the file, "LaShae, is it?

"Shae."

"Shae. That's not a possibility. Since the boys were harmed while living here, it's considered an unsafe environment," she informed.

"But Mama is locked up. She can't hurt them again," Shae insisted.

"I understand," Mrs. King said, but in Shae's mind, she didn't understand anything.

"I can take care of the twins. I practically raised them from birth anyway. Mama was always gone, or drunk. When she was home, all she did was beat them and yell at them. I did everything for Chris and Charles. It was like they were my own kids instead of my brothers," she shared in a desperate attempt to get the woman to see her side of things.

"I'll take all that you've shared with me into consideration," the woman said once they'd finished talking.

She'd read the hospital record on the twins as well as the statements given to the police department by Shae and Toby. She didn't doubt that the mother had been a vicious woman and an uncaring mother. And who could tell how the daughter would turn out? Regardless, it wasn't feasible in her mind that an eighteen-year-old could raise three children.

"You must understand that we want what's best for the children. Do you sincerely feel that living in the projects is the ideal life for them? There's drug dealing, shootings, prostitution, as well as other types of danger." She gathered her files together, shoved them into the briefcase, and snapped it shut. "I sincerely doubt that the state will give their approval for you to be their legal guardian," she informed as she stood.

"Why not?" Shae asked.

"Well, first of all, do you have a job?" the woman questioned.

"No."

"Did you even finish high school?" she inquired with a frown.

"No but-"

"How will you support the children?" she went on.

"I don't know. I'll get a job and-"

"What type of skills do you have?" the woman pressed.