“It’s okay, I assure you. Waiting here is much better than the alternative.” I say in hopes of making him feel better, but my words seem to do the opposite as his timid smile falls from his face, and he’s all seriousness once again.
“Um, I was hoping you could point me in the direction of the bathroom, actually.” I say after it’s clear he won’t be continuing our conversation.
He nods and turns back towards the way we originally came without a word. I assume I’m meant to follow him, so I do.
We return to the main lobby and turn to the left, heading down another hall that looks a lot like the one we just came from. It’s not until we pass a window that I realize these are holding areas. Each room has a window in the hall that lets you see in from the hall. We pass three empty rooms, Officer Gray’s a few paces in front of me due to his long strides, but I don’t hurry to catch up, instead taking everything in around me.
He stops after passing two more doors in front of what I assume to be the bathroom. As if reminded I have to pee, my bladder suddenly feels as though it’s about to burst and I hurry forward, no longer caring what’s around me.
Movement through the last window catches my eye.
I stop dead—the need to pee forgotten as I see him sitting cuffed to the table through the window.
Corey, the motherfucker who's responsible for so much pain. My feet carry me to the window; before I know it, my hands are pressed against the glass, my breath fogging it with how close I am. He doesn’t see me, too busy trying to wiggle out of the cuffs to notice anything else around him. What I wouldn't give to get my hands on him, the thought brings a smile to my face.
I’m pulled from my thoughts as a hand grips my shoulder gently. I think it’s meant to be a comforting gesture, but it startles me nonetheless. I was so focused I forgot where I was and that anyone else was around.
“He can’t hurt you anymore. You and the other girls are safe now.” Officer Gray tells me. I decide against letting him know he never scared me. Instead, I nod and force a smile.
“I know.” I look back into the room one final time. This time, Corey is looking right at me. I’m not sure what pulled his attention, but I’m glad. As my eyes meet his, I feel the smile on my face grow from the one I forced for Officer Gray’s benefit into something more sinister, and I have the pleasure of a front-row seat as his face pales.
I wipe the smile off my face and walk farther down the hall to where officer Gray stood before and find the bathroom. I go in and handle my business before we head back to the room where the girls are waiting.
* * *
Going through everything takes hours,and not like, it feels like hours but isn’t bullshit, but actual hours. The chief came in and took statements, starting with me. I didn’t tell him everything, and nobody really asked me to, just enough to point the finger at Corey. After that, they pretty much just asked the other girls to confirm what I had said. Most girls didn't want to talk at all but at least backed my story. They’ll be questioned further later if it’s needed, once they’ve had time to settle.
After the chief left to go and talk with the douchebag, an older lady came in. Her age didn’t make her any less beautiful, but it wasn’t her looks that concerned me. No, it was the emotion in her eyes. Most people who had been in and out of here all night either looked angry at the situation or gave us looks of pity. Her eyes held neither of those emotions.
Instead, when she entered the room, her eyes landed on each and every one of us and held nothing but concern. I don’t remember my mother, but I feel like this is how a mother would look at children.
It turns out she’s a lawyer, which struck me as odd because I always thought anyone in law was strict and uncaring by nature. She seems to be the opposite. From the moment she stepped foot in the room, it was clear we were her number one concern.
She sat on the floor with us instead of having us stand or talking to us while towering over us. She spoke calmly, and when she offered comfort, she asked if it was okay and respected the girls who declined.
Her job was apparently to help us find places to go and be safe until more information was available. I’m sure some of these girls have families who miss them or homes to return to, but that isn’t something you can do overnight, especially when the girls are hardly speaking.
She had access to the foster homes in the area and was able to convince most of the girls they would be safe and looked after there. Even though it took hours, she never gave up. One by one, the girls are cleared out, and I have to actively remind myself this is a good thing. Them leaving meant they didn’t need me anymore, but as each girl left, I felt empty and anxious.
Charlotte was the hardest to convince, insisting she wanted to stay with me. Clair, the lawyer, looked at me as if to ask what I thought about it.
I shrugged, “I’m not sure I’m able to be in the foster system.” A frown tugs at her lips for the first time after everything she dealt with tonight, and I decided to elaborate for her.
“I’m not entirely sure how old I am. I think I’m around nineteen, but I could even be in my early twenties. I’ve been held by one owner or another since I was very young, maybe five? So I’m not sure of my birthdate or even my real name if I’m being honest.” I laid it all out without emotion because, at the end of the day, it was just facts to me. Something I had learned to live with a long time ago.
“Oh dear,” Clair puts her hand over her mouth for a moment before she takes a breath and seems to steady herself once again. “Well, I imagine it would, in fact, be hard to place you if we don’t have all of your information.” She nods as if to herself before a small smile pulls at her lips. She drops her hand from her face and pushes up off the floor. “Just give me a moment, and I’ll be right back. Okay?”
She didn’t give me time to answer, but honestly, where else would I go? While she was gone, I took the time alone with Charlotte to explain that I would come to see her no matter where we went, and she could always call on me if she needed me. I let her know if anything was off about where she went, I would take her away from there in an instant. It takes a while, but by the time Clair reenters the room, Charlotte has agreed to try, and that’s a victory if ever I saw one.
Clair approaches us and retakes her spot on the floor.
“So Charlotte, have you decided what you want to do?” Clair is wonderful with kids. She makes sure to make Charlotte feel like she is in control of her choices no matter what she is asking. She had done so with all the girls, and really most of them had never had that kind of power over their own lives, at least not recently. It went a long way in helping them to decide to give foster homes a try, and it sure beat the hell out of a group home from how she described it.
“I’ll go to the foster home on one condition….” Her little voice is strong for probably the first time all night, and I can’t fight the grin that tugs at my lips. I know she’s going to be just fine. Clair nods and waits for Charlotte to continue.
“I want Jade to be able to come and see me still.” As soon as she says it, she turns to me with a question in her eyes as if asking me if that’s okay. I nod, and she smiles at me as if I’m her hero. If only I deserved that title, but I didn’t dare rain on her parade.
“I’m sure we can arrange that, dear.” Clair tells her as she stands and offers Charlotte her hand, “I’m glad you offered to give this a try. I think I’ve found the perfect family for you. They are here and ready to take you home. Would you like to go meet them?”