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Two hours later she looked in the room, breathing a sigh of relief that the surgery had gone to plan. She was told that the little girl would be kept in post-op until she woke, normally about four hours, giving her time to get some breakfast before returning to Carly’s ward to wait for her return.
At midday she frowned as Beth, the manager of the children’s home Carly had been assigned to appeared, anger filling Sara, before confusion, seeing the woman beside her. The senior social worker, Janice, a kindly and fair woman, looked warily at Sara, Beth looking malevolently smug. “How is Carly?” Janis was the first to talk, smiling softly at the nervous-looking Sara. “She is fine...the operation went well”, she responded, her eyes searching, moving to Beth, her voice angry. “She should have seen a doctor earlier”
Beth glared back, her tone snippy, “I made sure that she was seen”, her mouth curling into a snarl, Sara biting her tongue not to lash out at the woman. “Sara...I am sorry but we have to talk” Janice moved over to stand closer to her. “Please understand that this has been taken out of my hands...but we have found a couple who want to adopt Carly” Sara felt her legs start to shake, her knees weakening as she put out a hand to the wall to steady herself, her eyes staring in stunned shock.
“N...no...y...you can’t. Three months. I have a court order stating that I have three months to get everything in place...things have just been crazy”, her voice pleading as she stared at Janice. The older woman looked uncomfortable, her features softening. “As I said, it was taken out of my hands. I am sorry Sara, I really am” At this Beth stepped forward, her face full of malevolent pleasure. “Carly needs a reliable stable home. You have had over seven weeks to get your life in order Sara, and you are no further forward now than you were then”, her voice dripped with barely contained hatred. “You still have no home, no job” Sara’s eyes flicked between the two women “I have a job. I start at the Garelli Corporation tomorrow”
The derisive sound from the manager made her eyes narrow, “Garelli Corporation? Your boyfriend gave you a job. How can anybody take that seriously, not given the kind of ‘work’ you are doing for him? What happens when he gets bored of you?” Sara gave a gasp, anger filling her at the innuendo in her words, the manager continuing, “With the rumours of your marriage and your chosen lifestyle...well let’s just say that they are not conducive to bringing up a child”
“RUMOURS!” Sara’s voice grew higher as she glared back at the manager, “You are basing Carly’s life and the wishes of her mother on rumours!”
The manager’s eyes were full of a similar anger, “I spoke to the board today and explained everything and they agreed with me that you were and always would be an unfit mother for Carly. They have revoked the three month timeline making it possible for that little girl to be adopted into a loving home”
Sara could feel the tears and panic rise within her as she turned to Janice. “Y...you can’t do that...I just need another few days. I have a job and will have a home by then...I promise I will” Janice looked sympathetically at Sara, her features showing annoyance as Beth gave a dismissive snort. “Really? Well I think that the rumours are all true Sara. Given that you seem to be more interested in chasing after some billionaire playboy than in settling down for Carly then I have to believe that the rumours are not without foundation. My understanding is that you are living at his home, his latest mistress...and the man is well known for his womanising...what kind of stable environment would that be for Carly...being dragged from one boyfriend to the next?” Her voice was superior and gloating, enjoying her chance to put down Sara, this woman who had questioned her care of Carly every step of the way. Janice glared warningly as the manager continued her features full of venom. “You lie down with scum Sara...then you become one of them...”
The voice behind the woman saw her whip around, an uncomfortable expression coming to her face. “I really hope that you are not talking about me”, Darius’ voice low and dangerous, his appearance unheard and unseen by any of the three women as moving even closer he towered over them all. Turning his look to the distraught Sara, her features showing her shock at seeing him he gave her a small encouraging smile. “How is Carly?” his voice soft as she stared back at him, not believing he was there.
“S...she is fine...well” Darius gave her a small wink before turning his attention to the other two women. He smiled warmly at Janice, before turning a cooler look to Beth. “Perhaps somebody would be so kind as to tell me what is going on”, his question brooking no argument as with a sob Sara blurted out “They are taking Carly from me...they are placing her with another family”
Darius gave her a determined shake of his head. “No...No they are not Sara. Nobody is taking Carly from you” Beside him, Janice looked uncomfortable, her sympathy still with Sara as she looked at the handsome man before her. “I am sorry Mr?” her tone polite as Darius gave her his surname.
“The Board overturned their previous decision...I am afraid that when she leaves the hospital Carly is being placed with another family” A low hurt sob was torn from Sara, tears of shock and pain running unchecked down her face, seeing his mouth set as he repeated, “Nobody is taking Carly from you Sara”, as she sobbed, a small flicker of hope lighting in her chest.
Beth gave another small snort, Darius’ eyes moving to her. “The decision has been made, Mr Garelli. The Board has decided that Sara is an unfit caregiver for Carly”, her cutting look full of contempt as she flicked a look over at the woman trying so hard to keep things together. “She was given plenty of time to turn her life around. To provide a stable home and financial security and she chose instead to run after men like you” Darius’ eyes narrowed, darkening dangerously as he fixed them on the stout woman before him. “Is that a fact?” his voice cold, “You must be Mrs Taylor” She blinked in surprise, nodding, confused that he knew her name. “Y...Yes”, she confirmed as he held her look. “Firstly. Sara is NOT an unfit care-giver for Sara, unlike you Mrs Taylor, but we will get back to that”, his look flicking to Janice. “Sara has plenty of financial security” Beth made yet another contemptuous sound as he talked over her.
“How much would it take for you to consider her financially stable...ten thousand dollars...a hundred thousand...a million...whatever the figure is then that will be sitting in her account by the end of the day if need be” Sara stared at Darius, her mouth dropped in shock. “S...she has no home to take her to”, Beth stuttered, as again Darius turned on her.
“By this time tomorrow she could own her own home, again, if that is what it takes”, his eyes flicking to Sara, a strange light within them. “Although I am hoping that will not be necessary”, this added more softly.
By now Beth was flustered, her words coming out in fits, “B...but ... her reputation...her marriage breakup...her relationship with YOU”, she cried, Darius noticing as Janice looked uncomfortable. With more steel Darius glared down on the now red-faced woman. “Lies spread by her ex-husband...her abusive ex-husband. Sara found herself in a dangerous environment and took steps to get out...proof that she would give Carly the safe upbringing that she deserves. As for Sara and I ...while it is none of your business...I will share something with you that must go no further.”
Janice gave him a supportive smile, Beth fidgeting nervously, not liking the way that things were going. “Sara could have another home tomorrow if that was what she wanted, but I truly hope that it does not come to that because she lives with me”, his eyes flashed in warning as Beth sneered at him. “Yes ... for how long?” her derision short-lived as he continued, “Sara and I are engaged. It is not public knowledge...but as you see we plan on giving Carly the secure home that she needs”
Janice smiled widely, her hands rising to her heart as she turned to Sara, Sara’s eyes flying to Darius, “Oh...Sara...I am so happy for you. I wish you had said...I will speak to the Board at once”, moving over to pull the younger woman in for a hug, her genuinely happy smile directed at Darius also. “I truly believe that the Board will be more than happy to hear what is happening...perhaps Carly could even return home with you both”, giving another happy chuckle, “I am so happy. I really, really am” Darius gave her a large return smile.
“Thank you Janice. As you see, not only will Carly have the financial stability she deserves, but she will be brought up in a good home, with Sara being there for her all day, not having to work if she doesn’t want to” Beth stood open-mouthed, disbelief written all over her face as she stared from one to the other, her mouth flapping open and closed wordlessly. “There is one more thing”, Darius’ voice now firm as he looked at Beth. “I had my investigators look into what happened last night, and why Mrs Taylor seems so against Sara adopting”
With a small curve of his mouth he saw the look of panic enter Beth’s eyes. “Did you know Janice that it took Sara threatening to call the police last night to get Mrs Taylor to phone the doctor?” The social worker stared at the other woman with disbelief “No...No I did not...but she was clearly sick”, a hard look coming to her eyes. “Also...” Darius continued, “The couple wanting to adopt Carly are personal friends of Mrs Taylor... and that she recommended them to the Board”
