Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 4 ||

Owen closed the bathroom door behind him, but didn't bother about the lock, knowing that it was jammed. He should probably tell the girls that, he thought as he got rid of his dirty clothes.

Claire went to sit down on the chair she had pulled over earlier. "Was the shower good? You feel okay?" She asked Maisie, who nodded and made her way over to the couch. She pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. Starting to realize how tired she actually was, she leaned against the wall.

Claire wasn't sure of what to say to the girl in front of her. She didn't have much experience with kids, not even her nephews. God she should probably call Karen with all of this happening. She would want to know.

They had to figure out if Maisie was actually in the system after what they were told. Not sure of how to ask a 10-year-old girl about all of that. Claire started off simple.

"Sorry to bring this up Maisie, but did you have anyone other than your grandfather in your life?" Claire asked carefully. 

Thinking about it for a second, Maisie said. "Iris". Claire, not knowing who that was, tilted her head at the girl, silently asking for more information. "She took care of me" Maisie continued. "Mr. Mills fired her after grandpa died" She finished. Claire wasn't sure of what to say. This poor child, she felt so bad for her. "Do you happen to know Iris' last name?" She asked Maisie.

Maybe she shouldn't have done that because Maisie's eyes flew open and she got this terrified look in them. "You said you wouldn't throw me out" Maisie said desperate and scared. Claire having realized her mistake, quickly reached over the table and took one of Maisie's hands in her own. "No no sweetie, calm down, it's not what you think" Claire said. "We aren't going anywhere, neither are you, but it's not actually up to us. You see, we don't exactly have permission to take care of you, however weird that might sound to you" Claire continued and Maisie looked at her very confused. "Do you mean all that legal stuff?" She asked Claire who let out a small laugh and smiled at the girl. Of course she knew what Claire was talking about. "Yes, the legal stuff. We want to keep you with us and take care of you but the state, the country, needs to know who's doing exactly that" Claire started off. Maisie nodded slowly, getting most of what Claire was trying to say. "Can't you just tell the people that need to know, that you and Owen are taking care of me?" She asked Claire, with all her innocence shining out.

Claire felt her heart melt slightly. Of course, it seemed so easy to a child, to just tell someone and then move on. Now that Claire thought more about it, what would her and Owen do if they weren't allowed custody of Maisie. No way they could let anyone take her away.

"It's not that easy sweetheart" Claire said and gave Maisie a sad smile before continuing. "You see, the people in charge of making sure children have someone to take care of them. They have to make sure that the people taking care of the child, knows what they're doing and won't hurt it" Maisie looked confused again. Claire and Owen would never hurt her, would they? "You wouldn't do that would you?" She asked Claire. "Oh no no no no never, no no sweetheart but some people aren't very aware of their actions and might hurt the child and so people have to take the child away from them to make sure they don't get hurt anymore" Claire tried to explain and god it was hard. 

"Okay I understand that" Maisie said with a couple nods. "But how do you tell the people that you won't hurt me, so I can stay here with you guys?" She asked Claire. 

Claire sighed, knowing the very long and hard process this was going to bring. But she swore she would go through it all, more than once if needed, to make sure that Maisie stayed with them. She could see it in the child's eyes. The fear of getting taken away from the people that have sworn to take care of her until they stopped breathing. The poor girl can't lose any more people at this point.