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“Your protocol?” Mary took another breath when she realized that she’d raised her voice. Shutting the door a bit, so Zoe wouldn’t overhear, she said, “I may not have given birth to her, but I love her as my own.”
“I can see that, but you’re not her immediate family. I can’t let her stay with you.”
This could not be happening. “I’m not letting you take her.”
The woman gave her another sympathetic look. Frankly, she was getting sick of them.
“I can assure you that I’m taking her to a safe place. If you don’t cooperate, I will return with the police. I’m sure you don’t want to traumatize Zoe like that.”
I can lock her up in the basement; take Zoe and run.
Or, you could try this the legal, not ending behind bars, way. Orange is not your color.
Option two it is.
“No, I wouldn’t want that,” she said softly.
“Good. Now that that’s settled, could you please ask her to come here?”
Mary knew the woman was only doing her job. There was no malice in her voice, as if she was enjoying tearing them apart. Which was a shame, because it would have made it easier to hate her.
“I’m coming with. I’d like to see where you’re taking her.” She shushed the protest forming on the woman’s lips. “Don’t tell me no. I’m not letting her go to a strange place without me. Please, she’s been through enough. She has only just learned about her sister’s death an hour ago.”
When Mrs. Wilson nodded, Mary dragged her feet back to the living room. Every step felt as if she was walking to her death.
Zoe looked up when Mary knelt in front of her and took her hand.
“Cupcake, there’s a lady who’s going to take you to a new place. We have to go. But it’s only temporary, okay?”
Tommie frowned, then understanding dawned on his face. Jazzy just cursed. Had Mary’s heart not been in shambles, she would have made Jazzy put a dollar in the swear jar.
Zoe’s tiny hand tightened in hers. “Are you coming with?”
“Yes, baby girl. I’m coming with.”
The look of trust on Zoe’s face was going to haunt her forever. The little girl had no idea that Mary would be forced to leave her behind with the CPS lady.
“Now, go to your room and get dressed.”
“Can I take Spidey with me?”
“Of course you can.” She never slept without her Spiderman stuffed doll.
When Zoe had disappeared into her room, Mary’s forced smile cracked.
She was immediately boxed in by her cousin and friend.
“We’re going to fix this, Mary.” Jazzy had a determined gleam in her eyes.
“We sure are,” Tommie chimed in.
“You’re not alone in this. That little girl belongs with you. I’m sorry about your friend, but honestly, I think Zoe spent more time with you than with her own sister.”
Jazzy wasn’t wrong. “I’m not a blood relative.”
“So what? Zoe doesn’t have any blood relatives, does she now. So, this means—”
“Except, she does,” Mary croaked.