The Past Unknown

Taken

FAYE'S POV

Child Protective Services? That's what the lady had said at the door. I pushed myself off the bed and walked over to the bedroom door, wiping the sleep and dried tears from my eyes. Why would they be here? I quietly cracked the door open to hear better what was going on outside. 

"What is this about?" Maya asked the woman named Lisa.

"I am the caseworker for Faye," Lisa said, "Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital contacted me. It appears her mother passed away and it was listed that this is where she is staying."

"What's going on?" I watched Carina walk up behind Maya.

"This social worker is here asking about Faye," Maya informed Carina.

"Faye is here," Carina told Lisa, "Why are you here though?"

"I think this would be best if you were to get Faye and we have this discussion," Lisa said looking between the two.

"I'm...I'm here," I gulped emerging from the bedroom.

Mom had always told me to be weary of caseworkers and social workers. I knew their deal. They could breakup families and take children away. They could place kids in homes with no love for any reason they could find. Going to fancy school always was a risk for me standing out since my family had no money and mom's profession was regarded as immoral. I had always tried to keep a low profile and avoid social workers, but here was one.

"Can we all go sit down and talk?" Lisa asked, ready for business.

"Yes," Maya nodded, "Over here is the dining room."

I sat down opposite end of the table from Lisa, making sure Maya and Carina were between us. However, I was far from the door. I couldn't run. My foot began tapping. What could this woman have on me? Did I skip too much school? I hadn't informed them of why I had missed class, but I wouldn't think this counted as truancy. 

"I would like to start off by saying I'm sorry for your loss, Faye," Lisa said.

I just glared, it wasn't genuine, "Thank you."

"I would like to know why you are here," Maya interjected.

It wasn't a question. It was a demand. 

"Well, when a child losing a parent and there are no immediate relatives with them we get a flag and brought in," Lisa began, "In this case, it got flagged a few days ago, but Faye ran off before we could get to talk and we had no way of reaching out, until this morning."

I looked over and made eye contact with Maya and Carina who looked just as confused as me.

"I don't get why child protective services is called," Maya continued, "Faye is eighteen."

"Yeah," I said, "I'm in high school still, but I am 18. So why are you here?"

Lisa's eyebrows arched with confusion as she reached down pulling out a briefcase with a file in it.

"I'm sorry," Lisa said. "But you are in fact seventeen."

My eyes grew wide as Carina and Maya both looked over to me.

"I...I...I'm 18," I repeated. "I know I am. I just celebrated my 18th birthday. I promise. It says it on all my school forms and on my birth certificate."

"Faye," Lisa began, "I know. That is what you've been told. But you were born at Grey Sloan. They have your original birth certificate, paperwork, and your checkups until you were two years old. According to all of those you are 17."

"We have her birth certificate here," Maya stook up grabbing the certificate from the other room. "See, it says her birthdate here."

I leant forward looking at the document Maya was presenting Lisa. My hands were shaking. Carina pulled my hand into hers and gave it an encourage squeeze.