AllFreeNovel
Share Us
December 19th
10:52 A.M.
This was the worst part of her job.
Hayley Hood loved being a social worker. She loved being able to make a difference in the lives of children who were unfortunate enough to not get the start in life they deserved. She couldn’t imagine doing anything else with her life.
Except on days like today.
On days like today when she was going to remove a five-year-old girl from the only home she had ever known, her job really sucked.
You’re doing the right thing.
There were some days when she needed that reminder.
Just because she knew she was doing the right thing—the only thing she could do under these circumstances—it didn't make it any easier.
Kinsley Turner would be traumatized. She wouldn’t understand, she would cry, and beg for her mommy and daddy even if they had been hurting her. But Kinsley had to be removed from her home, after what they suspected her father had done, she couldn’t remain there. They had to take her somewhere she would be safe.
Hayley would make it as easy as possible for the child, and maybe one day Kinsley would accept that it had been for the best.
But that day wouldn’t be today.
Today, she would mourn the loss of her family.
She pulled her car to the curb outside a small, dilapidated two-story house. The yard was a mess as was the car parked in the drive. The house was rented to Jay and Maria Turner. Jay had been in and out of prison on a myriad of domestic violence and alcohol-related charges and was currently unemployed and living on welfare. Maria hadn't held a job for longer than a couple of weeks, mostly due to constantly having to take time off to heal from the injuries inflicted on her by her husband.
A police cruiser pulled in behind her car, and a little reluctantly, Hayley climbed out of her own car. Taking a child from their home was bad enough, but doing it just a few days before Christmas was so much worse. Right now, Kinsley should be getting excited about the impending visit from Santa Claus. She should be thinking of flying reindeer, twinkling Christmas trees, and opening presents on Christmas morning.
Instead, she would be spending the holidays in a foster home.
If she was lucky a good one, if she wasn't then possibly a place worse than the one they were about to remove her from.
“You ready to do this, Hayley?” Detective Adam Abram asked as he and his partner climbed out of the car. Adam was a couple of years older than her, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was a good cop and a nice guy, and they had worked together a few times before. Adam’s partner was Jessica Spears, a year older than her, she had frizzy red hair and large green eyes, and while Hayley didn't have a lot of friends, she definitely counted Jessica amongst them.
“I guess so,” she answered Adam’s question.
“You know this is for the best,” Jessica said, shrugging into her coat as she rounded the car.
“I know. Kinsley can't stay here, she’s in danger, but that doesn’t make this any easier to do.”
Both detectives gave her sympathetic looks. They knew her past, everyone knew about her past and why she had decided to become a social worker. She knew better than most people did what it was like to be a child in a bad home. She had been one of the lucky ones, she’d been adopted and grown up in a wonderful home with amazing parents and a fabulous extended family.
Hayley prayed that Kinsley would be as lucky.
“Let’s just get this over with,” she muttered as she shrugged into her coat and followed the cops up the concrete path to the front of the Turner’s house.
This wasn't the first time she had removed a child from their home, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last, but she hadn't gotten used to doing it. She probably never would. There had been some children she’d had to drag away kicking and screaming and crying for their parents, the cuts and bruises from being beaten by those very same parents still fresh on their little bodies.
Jessica rapped on the door, and the three of them waited in silence.
The wait amped up her agitation, and by the time the door was finally opened, her hands were shaking so much she had to clutch them together so nobody noticed.
“Mr. Turner, I’m Detective Abram, and this is my partner Detective Spears. This is Hayley Hood, she’s a social worker, we’re here to take Kinsley,” Adam announced.
Jay Turner just stared at them but even from a couple of feet away Hayley could feel his anger.
Not just anger.
