Home Sweet Girl

Chapter | Sixteen

Angeline

My heart is breaking, this is one of the toughest decisions I had to make. I could have easily said not to her offer, but she was very persistent and I have already grown found of Mary. Before I was given the chance to consider. The choice was already made for me in the matter of hours. I already made calls and asked a friend to set me up with papers to foster and become a legal guardian. His fast work and special sources allowed me to be approved within a day. I still havent told my husband the whole truth of why I extended my stay. He's been blowing up my phone non stop ever since. I've been real causal about it, but you can only go so far being married to a lawyer.

I feel bad that her father passed so suddenly, leaving her with no choice in the matter. If I had more time I could have sat down with her and talked about it because Let's face it, I'm still not sure how she feels about me.

"MaryAnne!" I yell, shaking her little body in my arms. Her eyes are closed and she isn't responding. This isn't how I wanted it to go. I never expected her to react this way. I'm sitting with her in the back seat of the uber car. The driver turns around in his seat when he's see me in full panic, we haven't left the parking lot yet.

I think Elaine noticed something was wrong because she pulls the door open ."What's happened?!" She is in panic as well.

"She passed out, I need to go to the ER".

"I'm coming!" She hops in the car and the driver takes us to the nearest ER center.

I'm a nervous wreck as I cradle her in my arms, "Excuse me sir, can you drive a little faster please?" I plead.

"We are just around the corner ma'am," he announces.

Once I'm in range, I jump out of the car and thank the driver by sending him a big tip. I rush in yelling for help. Immediately, the nurses come to my aid and take Mary from my arms to put her on a gurney. When I told them that she passed out, they pulled out smelling salts and brought it up to her nose. She responded instantly, but still had her eyes closed. "We are going to do some tests on her, we'll bring you in once she's put in a room".

"I can't go with her?" I ask

"No, unfortunately". I watch them take her away, a small cry escapes her mouth as they wheel her off. God. I feel like I'm failing already.

I turn around, remembering Elaine came with me—sitting down with her face in her hand. I walk over kneeling down in front of her. "Elaine, she's going to be okay, it's not your fault. What you did wasn't easy".

"Mary trusted me, and I failed her. I don't think she will ever forgive me," she says.

"She will! From what I've seen she loves you too much to be mad at you".

"Maryanne is like a granddaughter to me". She pauses then says "It's funny...sometimes I wondered if she preferred me over her own father".

"Maybe so."

-||-

I sit with her for a while until a nurse shows up, "Excuse me ma'am, were you with the little girl, that just came in?". I apprehensively nod.

"She was wide awake at first, but then she started crying uncontrollably. We had to give her a moderate sedative to calm her down, the poor thing. So, I need you to give me her name and date of birth for the record. We tried earlier, but she wasn't cooperating".

"Um," I look to Elaine. "Maryanne Ellis, her birthday is July 20th," I think from the top of head.

"Okay, does she have any allergies or a medical condition? I just want to make sure. We didn't give her anything other than the sedation medicine and fluids to keep her hydrated".