wild star| ongoing

fifteen

CHAPTER 15:
November 17th, 2015
• • •

Brandy found the shelter to be more comfortable than any home she ever had. Brenda made it easy for her to settle in after explaining their policies and the nitty-gritty details of their case. It felt like a haven, a place where she could finally let her guard down and just be.

She was still withdrawing but did her best to conceal her symptoms as she listened to the supervisor.

Brenda first assigned them a social worker, who would oversee their case and whom she could go to for the extra support she required. Then she gave her a tour of the shelter premises, told her about the counselling and legal aid they offered, and lastly sat her down to discuss the future direction she hoped to take with River.

Although she was a bit hesitant to part with River, Brenda claimed that he would be alright playing with the other children in the daycare while she spoke to her new social worker. She watched as he ran off to join the other children, his little legs carrying him towards a colorful play area filled with toys and books.

Brenda smiled kindly at Brandy and led her to a small room just down the hall before she took her leave, where a friendly woman was waiting for her. The room was filled with soft, comfortable chairs and an air of calmness that immediately put Brandy at ease. She took a seat on the turquoise loveseat across from the three-seater that the woman occupied.

"You must be Brandy. Hi, I'm Sarah."

Sarah's appearance was simple and unassuming. She had short, curly brown hair that was styled in a practical way, secured in a ponytail. Her clothes were also practical and understated - a plain blue blouse and black slacks that looked well-worn but well-cared-for. Her warm eyes and friendly smile put Brandy at ease. Living in New York, it wasn't often that she met nice people.

"So, Brenda tells me that you arrived on the 15th, correct?" she began.

The sight of the pen and documents in her hands made Brandy apprehensive, wondering if everything she said would be written down and documented, perhaps even shared with Keith. "Um, are you writing this down? Can you not do that? I just... don't want anyone to make any of this official."

The social worker, noticing Brandy's hesitation, quickly put the file down on the round center table and tried to ease her nerves. "I understand you might be hesitant to share information, but please know that everything we discuss will remain confidential unless we have reason to believe you or your child are in danger."

"No one's gonna know about this?" she asked to be sure, wrapping her arms around her because the temperature in the room suddenly felt like it had dropped.

"No, everything here stays between you and I, okay? He won't... or she won't... whoever it is won't know a thing. You're safe here, Brandy."

Everybody kept telling her that she was safe, but it didn't feel that way. She was waiting for something to happen, for Keith to barge in through that door and take her home. She couldn't be too vigilant – for all she knew, Brenda and Sarah could have been feeding Keith information, colluding with him behind her back.

"Let's start simple. When exactly did you leave home?"

Brandy hesitated for a moment, biting her lip nervously before answering. "I left home on the 15th," she said quietly, her eyes fixed on the ground. "I snuck out of the apartment when he was asleep. I took River with me."

"And why did you leave? Was there a specific incident that prompted you to do so?" Sarah picked up the file and pen again, looking reassuringly at Brandy as if to quell her worries. "I have to make note of this information, but I promise nobody else will see it."