Chapter 2 - The Badge at the Door
The front door chimed again, louder this time, followed by the heavy, authoritative thud of a fist against wood.
My breath caught. It hadn't even been five minutes since Mrs. Gable hung up. School districts and social services didn't mess around when a teacher reported a domestic cruelty incident involving a recovering minor—especially one captured on a live audio feed.
“Go to your room, Julian. Now,” I ordered, pointing a trembling finger down the hallway.
“Are you kidding me? You’re going to let a teacher ruin my life over a stupid sibling fight?” Julian yelled, his voice cracking with teenage panic.
“I said, move!” I roared, stepping toward him with a fury that finally made him flinch.
Julian cursed under his breath, shoved past me into the hallway, and slammed his bedroom door shut so hard the wall frames rattled.
I knelt down beside Chloe, my hands hovering over her tiny frame, terrified to touch her in case I caused more pain. Her face was flushed, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.
“Mommy… are they coming to take us away?” she whispered, her voice breaking my heart into a thousand pieces.
“No, baby. No one is taking anyone anywhere. Let me help you up,” I choked out, blinking back my own hot tears. Carefully, gently, supporting her lower back and shoulders, I helped her up from the cold floor and guided her slowly down the hall toward the safety of the living room sofa, piling soft pillows behind her head and draping her favorite quilt over her legs.
Another heavy knock rattled the front door.
I wiped my cheeks, took a deep, steadying breath, and walked down the entryway, unlocking the deadbolt and pulling the heavy wood open.
May you like
Standing on the porch wasn't just a child services caseworker. It was a uniformed local police officer, badge gleaming in the late afternoon sun, flanked by a stern-looking woman clutching a leather clipboard with official state letterhead.
“Mrs. Hayes?” the officer asked, his hand resting casually near his utility belt. “We received an urgent dispatch regarding a minor endangerment call originating from this address. We need to speak with you and your children immediately.”
