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After finding out that someone who was underage needed a parent with them if they were to give a statement to the police, it made me realize that while in foster care, Officer—no, Detective—Yasmin either had permission from my fosters or caseworker, or she acted without approval. The second option seemed more plausible, because was there was no one to take me home and the foster family always asked where I had been. Like they hadn’t even known I had been held up in an interrogation room. In fact, thinking back, her boss didn’t seem too happy about it when he’d found out. Why did Officer Yasmin risk coming back into my life once again knowing she had step over the line?
I shook out of my thoughts, realizing that it was late, and Bates kept looking over to me even though he seemed at ease with Brady. I walked over to them, carrying a sleeping Sonya in my arms and smiled, feeling the pinch to my lip.
“Hey, ready for bath time?” Bates nodded and quickly came to my side. I glanced up toward Brady, who was looking grim. “I need to get them in bed, and then I’ll be done.”
He gave a short nod, and I shuffled into the house, bypassing Mrs. Snow and Mr. White along the way. I did not stop, knowing that they would insist I be done for the night. But I wanted to finish and enjoy bath time and putting them to bed.
It had only been a few day ago that they went on a visit, and I wondered what the case plan was, but it wasn’t my place to ask. In fact, by law they couldn’t give me any information on that, at least that's what Mr. White said when I’d asked.
I worked my way upstairs and toward the bathroom, satisfied when I found it empty. I woke up Sonya ever-so-gently and started the water before encouraging Bates to strip and jump into the tub.
My back was turned, so I didn’t see him at all as I undressed Sonya, hoping to save some time by bathing them together. They were brother and sister after all. But when I started to peel off Sonya’s shirt, I noticed red marks on her skin along her upper arm.
I held in my gasp, wondering if I had done that to her. But I quickly found out that the finger marks were larger than I could have done. That’s when I started to inspect her closer and found bruising on her little ear, where someone apparently had pinched it, and also on her legs. Emotion welled up in my chest at the thought of someone hurting her or Bates.
Bates! I need to keep calm and finish their bath before I let Mrs. Snow know something was wrong. I wanted to check out Bates first and the only way he’d let me was to finish with bath time.
I carefully put Sonya in the water, making sure to support her until she was steady before glancing over to Bates, guarding myself for what was to come.
At first, I didn’t see anything. His face was unmarked with a look of steady concentration as he navigated his toy boat across the deadly waters of Sonya’s splashy waves. But as I looked closer, I noticed light shades of purple starting just under the juncture of one of his upper arms. I washed him as I would, trying not to cry as I found another hidden spot. Tears leaked out when I found the last place on this little boy's body where someone could do damage.
His tiny feet.
At the back of each heal were small circle sized cigarette burns. Three places where some asshole marked this precious boy’s skin.
“Baby,” I whispered softly, trying to keep my emotions tame and reign it in. I didn’t want to scare him. “Where did you get these from?”
Three words sent my heart plummeting as Bates's voice matched my own soft tone. “I-I-I w-was b-b-a-a-ad,” he said as he hid his feet in the water.
“Here?” Surely not, but I had to ask, going to back to Sonya looking at her feet. Bates shook his head.
“No.” There was no stutter there. “I-I-I-I w-w-a-ant out.”
I agreed, getting him and Sonya into PJs. I set Bates up on the bathroom counter before picking Sonya up. “Bates.” His lip wobbled as his eyes filled with tears. I hugged him. “No one should do that to you, baby.” I held him while he cried, wrapping his arms around my waist and Sonya as he told me brokenly how he was bad at the visit he’d had with his mom, and how his step-dad, Daniel, had to punish him.
Rage and sorrow consumed me as I wiped away my own tears, my lip pulling at the cut another asshole gave me.
A moment later, I pulled out my phone with my only free hand and texted Mr. White to come to the upstairs main hall bath.
After I had sent the text, I realized Bates had now fallen asleep holding onto me while sitting on the counter where I had placed him. Sonya’s head was on my shoulder, and I was unsure if she was awake or not. Either way, I was stuck.
A soft tap sounded before Mr. White head popped in. “Faith?”
He saw my face then took another looked at the three of us. My chin quivered, my eyes filling with tears again. “They burned his little feet.”
Mr. White paused before coming, shock registering across his face. That's all it took before I broke down. “Sonya has bruises...” I wondered if this was what Brady felt with me, utter and complete devastation.
He looked at me and the kids, carefully inspecting Bates’s feet before looking Sonya over as they both continued to sleep right where they were. Mr. White put a hand on my shoulder, “Don’t move. They’re comfortable, and I think this will be the best way for someone to look at the two of them without waking either of them up. I just... I’ll be right back.”
Mrs. Snow came in, followed by Brady, who took pictures. “Something will happen now,” Mrs. Snow murmured into a phone. “I think an immediate withdrawal of visitations and contacting the children's guardian ad litem needs to happen.” Pause. “Yes, we’re taking them to the hospital for documentation and make sure the burns aren’t infected.”
Each one of them were taken from me. I considered it a blessing that neither of them woke up. I missed their weight and quickly went into Brady’s arms. “How could they... they're just babies.” I cried as Brady held me.
“I know, honey. I know.” And he did.
My heart ached as Brady took us home and silence filled the cab, the two of us lost in our own thoughts.
I pulled out my phone to text the guys, but I already had messages waiting for me from them.
6:15 Lincoln: Brady said I didn't have to pick you up tonight. Why?
6:18 Lincoln: Tyler just got off the phone with dad. You need to call one of us, Sweetheart.
6:18 Kayden: On standby. Call ME.
6:20 Tyler: Tried calling you. Pick up.
And there were more. Asking if I was ok and how these things kept happening to me. Tears leaked again as I shook my head. They were right. I did keep getting into situations like this. Looking at the time on my phone it read 9:14. The last message I received was at 7:45.
Tyler: Dad said you were busy with the police. The three of us are heading over to your house to wait for you. Sarah said she had cookies baking. See you soon.
“I guess by that sigh that we have company at our house, and they’re not leaving until they know you’re ok.”
I nodded, glancing over to him. “Right on the nose.”
“We can call the orphanage tomorrow morning and see what happened. Their parents won't get away with this.”
I nodded again. I looked over my shoulder, realizing that HotShot wasn’t with him.
Looking back to Brady with the question on my lips, he answered before I could ask, “He’s at home. I got the call after we got there and decided to leave him.”
When we got home, comforting arms surrounded me, and all I could think was how much Bates and Sonya needed something like this.
The next day, Brady called and was given the same spill that I had heard last night. They were waiting on the GAL and a court date.
When I saw Mr. White later that day, he didn’t have any news for me and neither did Mrs. Shambles, but she did say I had the day off.
I wanted to refuse. I needed to see them, but she told me it was too much of a mess right now. All Para parents were being pulled temporarily due to Dwight’s behavior, and she thought a little break might be good for me.
It wouldn’t be until Friday that I heard the news, straight from Mrs. Shambles, who’d received permission to notify me.
Parental rights were severed.
Bates and Sonya were up for adoption. They were free a clear, and I wanted them.
Now.
I wanted them, but I was underage. My breath caught. I needed to talk with Brady. I sent a text and ran to the AV office. To Sarah. I slammed into the door, pushing it open, and stared at a wide-eyed Sarah. I verbally threw up on her, my mouth going a mile a minute.
“I know you and Brady can’t have kids, but you want them. You must if you’re crazy to take me on. So, I need you both to fill out this paperwork”—I pulled out the folder with all the info I’d been given under the assumption that I was Sarah—“and contact this GAL and tell them you want Bates and Sonya because they are now up for adoption, and I really want them but can’t because I’m underage and you and Brady could, no should, adopt them, and they deserve to have parents like you.”
I caught my breath, sat down and pushed the paperwork closer to her as her mouth hung open and her eyes went wide. “Faith—”
“Please. Give them a chance. They’re me, Sarah. They’re me.”
Her mouth closed as she glanced down at the folder and swallowed. “I’ll talk to Brady tonight about it.”
I let out a relieved breath. “No need. I texted him that there was a family emergency already. He's on his way here.”
“Ah, Faith.”
I pressed my lips together and stared her in the eyes. “I won’t take no for an answer. Saying you’ll think about it, yes. A flat out ‘no?’ Not acceptable.”
“Faith, I haven’t even met them.”
“I’ve shown you pictures. Brady's met them.”
“Met who?” Brady asked, stepping inside Sarah’s office and glancing between the two of us. “What’s wrong?”
“Bates and Sonya. They’re up for adoption,” I told him bluntly.
Brady’s brows went up into his hairline. “They are?”
“Yes, and you and Sarah are going to adopt them,” I declared, hoping I was right.
Brady glanced toward Sarah with a surprised look, a small smile kicking up at the corners of his mouth. “Sarah?”
Her eyes widened, realizing he wasn’t flat out opposing the idea. She cleared her throat. “Tom?”
“Well? Are we, or aren't we?”
“I-I-I-I- can we? I mean, financially?”
Brady then walked over to his stunned wife and hugged her, whispering in her ear something I couldn’t hear. Tears spilled down Sarah’s cheeks as she nodded and pulled back, glancing over to me. Tears of joy spilling out the corner of her eyes. “We’ll call the GAL and see what we have to do. Will you help me pick out supplies when it's time?”
I ran over to them like a crazy woman, crying out, “I love you two!” before arms swept me in and Brady whispered, “Love you too, Kiddo,” while kissing the top of my head.
***
It took a week of paperwork and the quickest home study on the planet before we got the news that Brady and Sarah could bring Bates and Sonya home the beginning of next month. They would be staying as temporary foster children until the adoption went through. I was beyond happy. Instead of me going to SSK by myself, we all went to visit and bond with our new little family.
It was three days before Halloween when Sarah got the news that her sweet Aunt Annie passed away after writing a passionately harsh review for an online book she’d read. She’d keeled over on the keyboard without ever submitting it.
I knew it was never good to speak ill of the dead, but I couldn’t help but think that the stress of the last review had sent Aunt Annie over the edge.
My heart went out to Sarah as she planned for a quick funeral on Halloween. Brady reserved flights for the three of us. I didn't know why I had to go, but both of them thought my going back to Denton County would be good and that maybe seeing my family’s graves might help me to heal.
I didn't necessarily agree but boarded the plane anyway, after thoroughly kissing each one of my McGuire boys goodbye.
One for luck, one for fun and one to remind me where home was. With them.
The funeral took place in the same cemetery where my family was buried, so when the service was over, Brady and I headed over to their graves while Sarah talked with her brother, Grant.
It wasn’t like we were ditching them or anything, but the three of us were on a time limit. We needed to get back before the first Monday in November so we could set up the kids’ rooms and go get them.
My brother’s grave was right next to my parents, three rows in, just off the side of the small blacktop road that weaved its way through the cemetery. I moved the dead flowers someone had left on their graves, wondering who it could have been. Then I ran my fingers across their names before reverently placing my own flowers down.
“People make mistakes. Huge ones, but they still loved you, Faith. They just lost track of who they were and let the abuse of alcohol poison their minds.”
I stood back, folding my arms around myself and sighed. “I know, but it doesn't make this any easier.”
Sarah joined us, putting an arm around my shoulders. “You have us now. Plus the McGuire family, and now Bates and Sonya.”
I sunk into her hug, letting her comfort me as Brady comforted her.
The three of us stood there until a car came up slowly. We turned, and were surprised to find it was a police car.
A woman stepped out, along with a man, and they shuffled our way. “Faith Daniels?” the first one questioned.
My eyes narrowed. “Yeah?”
Brady stepped forward. “Officer Ranken,” he started, glancing at her badge before holding out his hand. “Officer Tom Brady of the East Rochester County PD. What’s going on?”
“We have a warrant,” she stated simply, handing over a piece of paper to him.
The other police officer came over to me. “Please turn around.”
I snorted. “Are you serious?”
“Ma’am,” he started out, grabbing my arm and twisting me around, “You have the right to remain silent...”
“What—” Holy... Holy shit! This was real!
My eyes swung over to Brady’s shocked face as Sarah cried. “Why? On what grounds?”
“For the murder of Cyrus Daniels, her father.”
What. The. Hell.
Sarah started yelling as Brady tried to reason with them. Sarah was getting out of control and Brady looked like he was out for blood. It needed to stop them before someone got hurt.
“Stop!” I yelled as they put me in the back of the police car. I was trying to gather up courage, despite my frantic state. If either one of them got arrested themselves, they'd risk losing the kids. “Arguing won’t help,” I called out to them. “Think of Bates and Sonya,” I said to Sarah as she frantically tried to get to me. “I know I'm not my father's killer.” I looked directly at the two of them. "I'm not.”
“We'll get you out, Faith!” Brady called before my door shut. He grabbed Sarah before heading toward their car.
“Alright, kid, enough with the drama,” Officer Ranken said annoyed, getting into the driver’s seat as her partner got into the passenger side.
I pursed my lips. “You’re making a mistake.”
The police officer whom hadn't given his name yet snorted. “That's what they all say, kid.”
The police cruiser took off, and I did the only thing I could think of. I prayed.