Page 35 of Rah

“Hi, sir. My name is Theresa. I’m with the Department of Children and Family Services.”

The woman was older and held a stern expression as she and the officers entered without invitation. My father and I looked at one another in confusion as he slowly closed the door behind them.

“May I help you?” I could imagine that I looked a hot mess as I stood to meet the woman and the officers in the middle of the floor.

My head ached more as I realized that they had trampled all over my carpet with shoes that were wet from the falling snow flurries outside.

When the woman sighed heavily and kept her stern expression, I got worried.

“Ma’am, I am a caseworker at DCFS. We’ve received a report of child abuse in the home. Your children’s father, Rahzan Ramli, has filed acomplaint.”

All breath left my body. “What?!”

My father rushed towards me to assist me as I lost my strength and plopped down on the couch. “What the hell are you talking about? She doesn’t abuse her children!”

“Sir, we have to follow up on all complaints, thoroughly,” she interrupted my dad dismissively. “Reportedly, one of the children has a broken arm…”

I interrupted her allegation. “That happened in school!”

She ignored my protest. “Where are the children?”

My father’s chest heaved. “Why?”

“State law permits an investigative specialist to take temporary protective custody of children without the consent of the person responsible for the child’s welfare if there is reason to believe that the children are in immediate danger, and there is no time to file a petition in court. Since its the holidays, there is no time for a petition…”

I had lost it when I heard the word temporary custody.

That meant that they were taking my children.

“Don’t do this, please,” I begged. “Rah is lying. My kids aren’t in danger! Please…”

She couldn’t have cared a fuck less about my protest. “We have to temporarily remove the children from the home to investigate this matter.”

My father winced in pain. I had never seen him so hurt in my life. “What?! It’s Christmas!”

Tears slid down my cheeks. “I don’t beat my children.”

“We have to determine that during an investigation since we have evidence that proves otherwise.”

“What evidence?!”

Elijah and Essence entered the living room with eyes wide with curiosity. I cringed as the woman and the officers noticed Elijah’s cast and looked at mesuspiciously.

I couldn’t wrap my head around why Rah would do this to me. I couldn’t figure out why he hated me so much that he would purposely hurt our children like this. His selfishness had no mercy, not even on the kids. A sickening rage start to eat at me.

When those officers began to walk towards my kids, I completely lost my mind. “NO! Don’t take my children!”

I was running towards them, fingers arched and ready to claw at these motherfuckers for trying to take my babies. I was sick of my kids being taken from me. It wasn’t enough that Rah had taken the last baby that I would probably be able to have. He had to take the living ones from me too. I fucking hated him for that and just wanted to take it out on somebody. I fought to get out of my father’s arms as he held me back. The heartache felt like it was going to kill me as I watched my children cry and fight for themselves.

“Mama!” I couldn’t bear to hear my children calling for me, especially when I couldn’t save them.

“Solae, get it together in front of these kids. Do you hear me? Be strong so that they won’t be scared.” My father whispered into my ear as he held me in a bear hug. Over his voice, I could hear Essence fussing and Elijah crying. “Cry when they leave, but for right now, you make it better for them.”

I tried to take deep breaths to calm down. He released me slowly just as the officers were guiding Essence and Elijah towards the door against their will.

“Wait,” I begged as I wiped my face free of tears. There was no use. I had stopped sobbing in attempts to show my kids that it would be okay. Yet, my tears still flowed silently from my face. “Just let me talk to them.”

I tried to be strong as I wiped my children’s faces.