Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
RACHEL
Getting approval from Meredith was only half the battle.
I still had the lunch meeting with Frankie’s parents to look forward to, and I needed to inform Mojave since he had to prepare.
Since that conversation was easier, I called him first, tucking the phone between my shoulder and ear as I typed up the notes from my conversation with Meredith and the plans for Frankie’s care going forward into the system.
The standard reunification plan was already attached to the file, but I’d need to change that as well.
Meredith agreed we’d need to see more specific progress from them after everything they’d pulled over the weekend.
The phone went to voicemail, and I assumed it meant Mojave was speaking with Perry and he’d call me back later, but I’d barely put my phone down on the desk before it rang again. When I answered it, Mojave sounded apologetic when he said, “Sorry, I was carrying something. Everything alright?”
“Oh, sure, everything’s fine,” I replied. “I just wanted to let you know that the paperwork was approved. I’ll need you to meet me sometime today to sign some things, but I figured I’d give you a heads up now so you wouldn’t feel like you had to rush around in the afternoon.”
He hummed in agreement, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “Okay…”
“Mojave? You didn’t change your mind, did you?”
“No,” he reassured me, and I could practically see the discomfort on his face when he admitted, “I’m just a little overwhelmed. I don’t even know where to start.”
“How about to start we focus on the big things? She’ll need a bed, a dresser for her clothes, and a luggage bag.”
“A luggage bag,” he repeated with a frown in his voice.
I sighed. “Yes. Unfortunately, most kids in these kinds of situations who are being removed from their homes only get a trashbag to put their things in. It’s demeaning and I try to keep backpacks stocked with the basics for those who don’t even get that, but I’m hoping we can spare Frankie the humiliation. ”
His tone firmed when he said, “I’ll make sure she’s got a good one. What else?”
I smiled at the conviction in his tone. He was the right choice when it came to protecting Frankie.
“I’ll write up a list and send it to you, how about that? Since this is only temporary, I don’t think it’ll be that much, but I’m sure it’ll make things easier on her if she’s got the basics.”
“Alright. I’m in the city right now. I’ll pick up the furniture while I’m here and drop it off at my place before we pick her up this afternoon.”
Ted arrived right after I hung up with Mojave, late and a little disheveled, and I cocked my head at him curiously when he dropped into his chair with a heavy sigh. “Everything alright?”
He made a face. “Yeah. One of my teens snuck out last night and his foster mom called me in a panic. We had to get the police involved to find him and he was pissed that I was involved. It was a whole thing. I had to threaten to move him to a group home to get him to go back home.”
I grimaced. Teens in the system were some of the most heartbreaking cases there were.
Adoption rates for teens were incredibly low, and many carried years of hurt, instability and disappointment with them.
It wasn’t their fault, but they were a lot harder to place and protect for the period they were in our care.
It made finding family members so much more important to give them a fighting chance at a normal life.
The reminder had me making a mental note to call Zero.
I knew he had a hard time with Jasper when they first started living together, but it’d been a few weeks now.
I usually checked in mid week, but surprise check-ins weren’t uncommon.
I couldn’t call him now, I needed to prepare myself for the lunch meeting, but I’d check in after that was through.
I hoped it’d be a bright spot after the difficult conversation I knew was coming my way.
It didn’t surprise me that Frankie’s parents didn’t show up exactly at noon.
It gave me enough time to eat my lunch at my desk and write up my list for Mojave, which he picked up when he came in to sign the paperwork, as well as make the adjustments needed for the reunification plan.
I was just considering calling them to ask what time they’d be here when the door to our office opened and Max stepped inside, an irritated Violet right behind him, arms already crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face.
Oh, boy. I could just tell this was going to be a difficult conversation.
Standing from my desk, I gave them both a forced smile. “Mr. and Mrs. Smythe. I was just about to call. If you’ll just follow me to the conference room?”
Snagging Frankie’s file, which was on top of my desk, along with the print outs for both parents on what would need to be accomplished for reunification, I led the way to the conference room and held open the door, gesturing for them to take a seat.
There were plenty of chairs around the table and the way they both took seats putting space between each other made me think there was more at work here than just the parents neglecting their daughter.
If their relationship was strained, it would only be that much harder to reunify them.
But if I could get at least one of them to step up and make an effort, it’d be worth it.
“Okay. Thank you for coming. We’re here to discuss Frankie’s care going forward.
After a thorough investigation, including interviews with teachers, family members, and other individuals involved in Frankie’s life, the court has approved a temporary removal order.
Frankie will be placed outside the home while we work through a reunification plan–”
Violet slapped her palm on the table, incensed. “This is bullshit! She’s got clothes, food, she goes to fuckin’ school. What more do you want?”
I kept my tone even and calm as I explained, “There’s more to a child’s development than just food, clothes, and a roof over her head.
Children also need supervision, emotional support, stability, and engagement from the adults who care for them.
The reunification plan is designed to help you develop those skills and demonstrate that Frankie can be safely returned to your care. ”
“Safely?” Max repeated with a scowl. “You’re makin’ it sound like we beat her. We never laid a hand on her.”
Putting up a hand to stop him, I explained, “I’m well aware that Frankie is not being physically abused.
But her safety isn’t just physical. Emotional safety is just as important.
Again, this isn’t a punishment. We’re trying to give you the tools you need to better support Frankie so that she can thrive in your care.
” Pulling out the papers, I pushed them across the table to each parent.
“These are copies of the reunification plan. Each step will need to be completed and signed off before the topic of reunification can be broached. As you can see, there are parenting classes, supervised visitation, a childcare plan will need to be established and set in place–”
“When the fuck are we supposed to be doing all that? We’ve got work!” Violet shrieked. “This is fuckin’ stupid! I didn't even want the kid in the first place!”
I froze, my eyes wide with horror as I stared at her.
It was one thing to be frustrated with the process.
I understood that it was inconvenient to expect to change so much in such a short amount of time, but to say out loud that she didn't want her daughter was… I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Who said something like that?
I glanced at Max, hoping he’d be more reasonable, but he was staring at the list, shaking his head like it was impossible. “I don’t got time for any of this,” he admitted. “I’m already workin’ two jobs, and the kid is fine on her own most of the time. She wasn’t complainin’ about it.”
“She’s a child, Mr. Smythe,” I said sharply. “She sees the world as you’ve shown it to her. She doesn’t know she needs more to truly thrive. That’s not her job. I–”
“We already deal with bullshit from the school all the time,” Violet complained. “They gave us grief for months about her missing days. She shows up now, doesn’t she? When is it going to be enough for you people?”
My temper threatened, but I held it back, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. I wasn’t going to lower myself to their level. My job here was to ensure Frankie got the care she needed.
“Once the steps of the reunification plan have been completed satisfactorily, we can discuss Frankie returning to your home. For now, I’ll be removing Frankie from your home this afternoon after she returns home from school. Which one of you will be home at that time?”
“Well thanks to you and this stupid meeting, neither of us!” Violet shouted.
“You made us come down here and now we’ve gotta work extra to make up for it!
” She shoved the reunification plan back at me and threw up her hands.
“This is bullshit. I need to get back to work. Max, let’s go,” she snapped as she stormed out.
He sighed, pushing to his feet. It looked like he’d leave the plan behind too, but I stood and offered it again, hoping at least with him, I could get my point across.
“This really needs to be prioritized, Mr. Smythe. No one wants to remove Frankie from her parents permanently. It’s not social services’ goal to remove children from their homes.
But we need to see a marked improvement on meeting Frankie’s emotional needs before we can think of sending her back.
” I gestured to the plan with an imploring expression.
“Please. Just try. We’re not looking for perfection here. We’re looking for genuine effort.”
He took the plan, almost reluctantly, but when his gaze lifted to mine, it wasn’t open or even upset that his child was being taken away. He just looked tired.
“She’ll be gone tonight?”
“I’ll bring her to your home after school to pick up her things, then yes. She’ll be moved to temporary care.”
He nodded and walked away without another word, pushing through the office door with less force than Violet had when she’d stormed out.
It might be foolish, but I still had hope for him.
Violet was too combative, too resentful, and I didn't hold high hopes that she’d step up the way she needed to.
But I had hopes for Max. Tired, I could understand.
But that didn’t necessarily mean he didn’t care. Only time would tell, though.
My heart ached for the rest of the afternoon.
I wanted what was best for all the kids on my docket, but I’d gotten to know Frankie.
She was a sweet kid who deserved the world.
Even just ten percent more effort from her parents would thrill her.
That they weren’t willing to put even that amount of effort hurt my heart.
Thanks to Frankie’s parents being late, I almost ran out of time to stop at the courthouse for the restraining order against Scott.
After what happened on the weekend, it wasn’t something I wanted to let languish.
I called Ted to ask him to escort Mojave and Frankie into her house to grab her things and promised I’d meet them both after I was done.
It was probably for the best. I needed more time to process before facing the pair again.
I’d managed to arrive at the courthouse at the busy hour and it took longer than I expected, so I arrived at Mojave’s a lot later than I’d originally intended.
Killian and Mojave were unloading what looked like pieces of a bedframe from the truck while I saw Prez and Perry moving around inside.
Frankie darted back and forth between the two groups, too excited to sit still or offer a hand, and when she noticed me pulling up, she stood on her tiptoes, waving eagerly with a bright grin on her face.
I found myself letting out a long breath seeing that look on her face.
The conversation with her parents was hard, yes, and I was struggling to maintain hope that they’d put in the effort to fix things, but I did what I needed to do to keep Frankie safe.
We had time to figure things out. For now, she looked overjoyed to be here. That was all that mattered.