Chapter 45
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
RACHEL
No amount of arguing or offering support changed their minds.
Violet and Max had thrown in the towel long before this meeting.
Not even Violet’s mother shouting at them made any difference and when Violet demanded her mother step up to supplement care, she went quiet and didn’t offer another word.
She wasn’t willing to help, even if it meant her grandchild would be permanently removed from the care of her parents.
My heart ached as they both signed paperwork stating their intent to relinquish their rights.
The hope that I’d had that they’d learn from their mistakes, that at least one of them would step up for Frankie, vanished, leaving an ache in my chest for the little girl who hadn’t done anything wrong in this situation.
She wasn’t violent or verbally abusive towards her parents.
She wasn’t sick and in need of specialized care.
She was just a little girl born into a rough situation. None of this was her fault.
Meredith handed me a tissue, her smile more of a grimace of understanding. “I know. I hate when things go this way too. I hope they don’t one day come to regret their decision here, but hopefully it’s for the best for everyone.”
Sucking in a shaking breath, I nodded. “She’s in a good place right now. I’ll need to talk to Mojave about what happens next.”
I didn’t think he’d take it well. Despite being a wonderful guardian, he still believed the placement was temporary.
He didn't see himself as the best person for Frankie like I did. And while I didn’t think he’d say no to caring for her, I worried he wouldn’t have any confidence in himself, which might lead to difficulties down the line.
He’d always have my support though. Maybe if he didn’t think he was doing it alone, he might be more open to the idea.
“I need to recuse myself from this case,” I told Meredith with a sad smile. “I got too close. I can’t be neutral anymore. Not if I want to be there for Frankie and Mojave like I plan to be.”
A slight flicker of a smile tugged at Meredith’s lips.
“Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. And I think it’s a good idea to hand the case off, given how close you are to the situation.
We’ll reassign Frankie’s case to Ted going forward.
And Rachel? This is the right call. It’s not always easy to recognize when you’re crossing that line. I’m glad you did.”
It meant a lot that I had her support and we went over the paperwork on what happened next as well as drew in Ted to hand off Frankie’s case before I went home.
It wasn’t a full day of work, but Meredith recognized that this conversation hit me harder than usual, and said it was okay to take the time to process before I had to be there to pick up Frankie.
I thought I felt more stable on the walk to the school, but when I saw Frankie and Mojave leave the school together, hand in hand, with Frankie talking and waving her hands wildly in emphasis and Mojave smiling in that soft way he always did when looking at her, I felt my emotions wobble again.
I knew without a shadow of a doubt if Frankie had been his from the start, Mojave never would’ve let things play out the way they did.
It wasn’t fair that it turned out the way it did.
“Ms. Rachel!” Frankie shouted, racing over to me and hugging me around the middle. “Mojave bought me a frog! Look!”
For a minute, when she thrust the little plastic case at me, I thought she meant a real live frog.
While sweet, it wouldn’t have been the best time to have a new pet.
However, when I looked inside, there was a little stuffed animal frog inside, the coloring so realistic, I might’ve mistaken it for real if it weren’t for the unblinking plastic eyes.
“Oh, wow. That’s so cool, Frankie. Did you have fun at the zoo, then?”
“Yeah!” Frankie practically shouted, still bouncing. “Mojave said we could go again during the summer! They’re going to have a snake exhibit! I want to pet one!”
I resisted the urge to grimace. I loved that she was so happy, but not one part of me wanted to go to that exhibit. When I studied her bright little face, I felt resignation settle heavily on my shoulders. I’d go anyway, just to make her smile like that. Even if I found snakes creepy.
Straightening, I smiled at Mojave, melting a little when he leaned in to kiss my cheek. He looked exhausted, a familiar tension around his eyes that told me he needed a quiet night in to recover from the day. I didn’t blame him. A full day with second graders at the zoo had to be exhausting.
“Okay, let’s get going,” I suggested. “I don’t know about you two, but this feels like perfect popsicle weather to me.”
“Yeah!” Frankie cheered, thrusting her fist into the air. “Can my frog have one?”
“You can make your frog a paper one so he can join, but I don’t think he’d like a real one. Frogs don’t eat sweets.”
“Maybe I’ll make him a fly flavored one,” she suggested, skipping along ahead of us and swinging her little frog at her side. She snickered when I wrinkled my nose. “What? Frogs love flies!”
She continued to share with me all the things she saw and did at the zoo the entire way home. Mojave was quiet, but the ghost of a smile on his lips didn’t dissipate and his hand held mine steadily the whole way.
After popsicles and dinner, we cuddled up on the couch for a movie and the day finally caught up to Frankie. She fell asleep with her head on my lap, legs on Mojave’s, her little frog clutched tightly to her chest even in her sleep.
“You look like you had a rough day,” Mojave murmured in the dark, finally speaking to me. He’d remained quiet most of the night, but not uncomfortably so. Just observant and taking a break for himself. I hadn’t pushed because I knew our next conversation wouldn’t be an easy one.
“Let’s put Frankie to bed. Then we’ll talk.”
MOJAVE
From the minute we got back from the field trip and met Rachel under our tree, I knew something was off.
Her smile didn’t quite meet her eyes, and her enthusiasm seemed almost forced.
I’d wanted to ask right away, but I got the feeling it had something to do with the meeting she had scheduled for today.
It involved Frankie’s parents, and if something went wrong with that meeting, then I didn't want to talk about it in front of Frankie.
I waited until Frankie was asleep before bringing it up, and Rachel’s refusal to say anything until Frankie was in bed made me a little uneasy. Just how bad was it that she didn't want to talk until we were alone?
Since Rachel was smart, she’d made Frankie brush her teeth and put on pajamas before putting on the movie, somehow knowing she’d fall asleep in the middle of it.
It meant I didn’t have to wake her to change or brush before putting her in her bed.
She immediately curled onto her side, hugging her new toy, and made a happy hum when I tucked her in.
Rachel went in next, pressing a kiss to Frankie’s messy hair and whispering good night. When she came back out, she made sure that Frankie’s nightlight was on and working before shutting the door quietly behind her.
In silence, we both headed for the kitchen and sat at the table. I took Rachel’s hands when she sat, squeezing them gently in silent support. Today had been long and draining, but not bad. I could be there for her like she always was for me.
“What happened?”
Letting out a long and pain-filled breath, Rachel said, “Frankie’s parents aren’t interested in reunification. They’re now intending to sign away their rights.”
My brows snapped together tightly. “What do you mean, not interested? They aren’t even willing to try?”
Rachel shook her head slowly. “No. I honestly saw it coming for Violet, she’d been vocal from the start about resenting Frankie, but I’d hoped Max would step up.
He seemed tired, but not uncaring. But… in the end, it was him who made the official request first. Violet latched on immediately, and no amount of cajoling and conversation about options changed their minds.
Not even Violet’s mother being there made any difference.
” She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.
“They were too young to be parents in the first place. It was wrong to expect them to raise a baby at fifteen. They did their best with the situation, but when their best wasn’t enough, they threw in the towel. ”
I honestly couldn’t wrap my head around it. Frankie was such a sweet kid. So full of joy and excitement for anything and everything. The thought of her parents caring so little about her that they’d give her up made no sense.
“What about grandparents? You said Violet’s mother was there?”
Rachel shook her head again, slow and full of sadness.
“She had plenty to say when it was Violet and Max’s responsibility, but when Violet tried to suggest her mother take custody, she outright refused.
I don’t think any of the extended family will be any different.
I met with a few of them when I was first doing interviews, and they’re very much of the mindset that Violet and Max need to handle their problems on their own without external help.
Not one person I spoke to believed in family supporting family.
It takes a village to raise children, especially in situations like this.
Frankie’s parents don’t have a village, and when it came down to it, they weren’t willing to keep trying to do it all alone. ”
My chest tightened as I asked, “Does that mean she’s being sent away?”
“No,” she reassured me. “Frankie is happy and thriving where she is. There’s no reason to move her right now. But…” She trailed off, looking uncertainly at me.
“But what?”
She pressed her lips together, her hands flipping over to take mine, like she thought I was the one who needed the support, not her.
“But now we need to talk about what happens next. The Smythe’s are relinquishing custody.
Their extended families are unlikely to take her in.
Which either means Frankie gets adopted out to a new family or… ”
Or I kept her a lot longer than a few months. My body went rigid at the implication. That wasn’t what was supposed to happen. I had only agreed because it was temporary. She was supposed to go home to her family, they were supposed to do better.
There wasn’t really a choice, though, was there? Either I took Frankie in, or she’d be sent away for good. Not just for a couple months, it’d be forever. Rachel said adopted. That was permanent. I might never get to see her again.
My chest tightened as my mind warred on what to do. I couldn’t think straight, my eyes blind as they darted back and forth. I didn't know what to do. It felt like too much. I couldn’t think.
“I– I don’t– I’m not–” I grimaced, trying to force the words out of my throat, but failing every time.
“Mojave, you don’t need to decide now,” Rachel rushed to reassure me. “I just thought it was better for you to know–”
My mind revolted as I replayed what she’d asked again and I pushed out of the chair, fighting the urge to walk away without a word. “I need– I think I need to take a drive. Can you watch Frankie for me? Please?”
The please was a little desperate, but I needed a ride. I needed to clear my head before I had a full blown panic attack. I wasn’t the right person for this. But I didn’t want to lose her either. I couldn’t figure out what to do.
“Go ahead,” Rachel encouraged. When I hesitated, the idea of running from her feeling almost as wrong as the rest of it, she gave me a tremulous smile.
“It’s okay. You need a minute to think. That’s okay.
Frankie is safe and that’s all that matters.
Go take a drive. I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk. ”