"Your 11:30 ms Ragan," he says introducing the younger girl to the DA
"What can I do for you?" Erin says confused as she doesn't recognise the younger girl signalling her hand so the young girl could take a seat.
"My name is Elizabeth, my dad was a police officer for the NYPD. I think you know him?" she explained placing a file of the ADAs desk. "Joe Ragan."
"Joe Ragan?" Erin said as if she had seen a ghost.
"His name is on my birth certificate but I never met him but I know he dated my mom Louise around 16 years ago and I heard that he died around march I'm sorry. I'm not here for the name or money or anything big. I'm trying to get emancipated and that is really hard to when you've get very little people backing you. I wouldn't ask if i wasn't desperate but if you could put a word in write a letter to say that you think I'd be capable of taking care of myself it would go a really long way." She explained as she stood there the older women looking right through her she felt naked, she was desperate but in hindsight it was probably a bad idea. "Sorry I shouldn't have come." Elizabeth says as she runs out the door.
Erin didn't know what to, she sat in her office staring at the file. She opened it to see a few articles on the Reagan family, a picture of Louise Kennedy and joe, a letter from a landlord and from a teacher, some legal documents and a Elizabeth's birth certificate.
Erin called Danny she couldn't handle this by herself most of all she didn't want to.
"So sis do you believe her?" Danny said over the hotdog he was dripping all over Erin's desk.
"I don't know, the timing fits you know we never did hear about Louise after the break up and I don't know Danny what would she get out of talking to me." Erin explained.
"Did you ask for a DNA test?" Danny asked
"No, I didn't say anything I stared at her like she was an alien. But I don't know Danny she looked like Joe!" Erin said.
"What do we do?" Danny asked.
"Let me look into it and meet me at dads tonight," she said he nodded.
Erin stood at the school office as she waited for Elizabeth to be pulled out of class.
"Look I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything to you?" Elizabeth said walking straight passed the older women.
"I can't help you if you don't talk to me," Erin said following the girl out of the school.
"So you will help me?" Elizabeth said stopping on her feet and turning around.
"Can I buy you a coffee?" Erin asked
"Yes," Elizabeth nodded.
They sat on a bench staring out to the park.
"So you want to get emancipated?" Erin began.
Elizabeth nodded.
"So, you don't like living with your mother," Erin asked.
"No" Elizabeth laughed. "I'm in foster care, I have been in and out since I was 6 years old my mother had bipolar syndrome she died last year. So no chance of me getting out now, I'm turning 16 next week this is my chance to get out." She finished.
"Do you not think that you are too young to take care of yourself?" Erin asked.
"You know I think I can handle it. I have an athletic scholarship to private school and an AB average I work my ass off to pay for dance shoes, leos and transport to wherever I have to go." Elizabeth explained. "Believe me I know enough about family court to know that this is not a long shot even with your recommendation and with my caseworker against it and the fact that the apartment is filled with only boys will most likely ruin it. But if I don't try then there is no hope of getting out until I'm 18." Elizabeth explained.
"I agree it is a long shot." Erin agreed " But if you are my brothers daughter then we're going to do what we can to help you" she finished.
"That being said I would like you to know that I sent a request for our DNA to be tested. I have a friend I should have it back in a couple of hours." Erin stated.
"Okay," Elizabeth agreed.
They both sat quietly, "I have to get back to class." Elizabeth said standing.
"Okay, I will call you," Erin said handing her phone to Elizabeth who entered her number.
The family stood around the kitchen island.
"Erin what's going on," Linda asked.
"Uhm do you remember Louise Kennedy?" Erin asked placing the file down on the kitchen table.
"Joes old girl," Grandad said confused
"Yeah around 16 years ago," Danny said further explaining the situation.
"Her daughter came to see me she's trying to get emancipated." Erin explained. "She had her birth certificate it had joe's name on it." she continued.
"So that doesn't mean it's true" Henry argued.
"That's what I thought, so I checked it out." Erin explained "My DNA matched hers, were related she is most definitely my niece." Erin finished she looked at the shocked faces looking back at her.
"Did he know?" Jamie asked angrily.
"No, at least that's what Elizabeth said" Erin answered.
"Do you think she is capable of living by herself," Frank asked calmly.
"I think she is fifteen she has been in and out of foster care since she was six. She has a job and a scholarship to trinity an AB average, but she is just a kid with no support system. It's going to be difficult to get emancipation she understands that." Erin explained.
"I can take her in," Jamie said.
"Jamie?" Erin said.
"What? she's joe's kid he wouldn't want her living by herself. You know what happens to kids in the system" Jamie argued.
"Jamie you're a single guy, You have a one bedroom apartment." Linda stated.
"We can take her." Danny said looking at Linda, Linda smiled going over numbers and space in her head she knew not to argue it was the most plausible plan yet she didn't know how it would work.
"She is my granddaughter she will live with me," Frank said having the final word.
"I think we are missing something, we haven't asked her what she wants," Erin stated.
"Well let's ask the girl," Henry said.
"I told her I'd call her," Erin said.
"Invite her for dinner tomorrow everyone's to be here at seven." Frank said standing up and leaving the room.
The young girl sat at the subway waiting for Erin to pick her up. She had so many thoughts of running, had second thoughts about the jeans with the holes in them but they were the only ones that you couldn't see the stains or hand me down signs. She wasn't ashamed just wanted to make a good impression she got in the passenger side of the car and smiled.
"You ready," Erin asked as the pulled up to the house.
"Why do they want to meet me?" Elizabeth asked not moving.
"You are family," Erin replied.
"But I didn't want anything from them." Elizabeth explained ready to run "I just need a letter."
"You told me yourself that you don't believe you will be emancipated," Erin stated.
"So?" Elizabeth said, "I don't have another choice."
"Well come inside and we can work something out." Erin said placing a hand on the shoulder of the young girl leading her out the car and then into the house, where the family were sat around the dinner table.
"Hi." They all got on their feet and Elizabeth all but ran out she stood still with a terrified face until Erin lead her to a seat. The family introduced themselves one by one.
"I'm Elizabeth" She replied sitting down.
After they said a prayer everyone was eating not saying anything. Elizabeth looked up to see Linda staring and she smiled back.
"I'm sorry." Linda apologized "You're just a dead ringer of joe."
Elizabeth again smiled uncomfortably.
"So, you want to get emancipated," Frank asked.
"Yes," Elizabeth argued.
"Don't you think you're a bit young to be living by yourself." Henry said.
"No I might be young but I had to grow up pretty quick, I can take care of myself," Elizabeth argued.
"Your 15" Frank stated.
"You don't get it, i also don't expect you to but your cops you've seen what comes out of the system and I'm sick of seeing it." Elizabeth argued "I have seen too many friends that have been dragged down and put in prison or worse."
"So come live with me?" Frank said straight away.
"Dad!" Erin said disapprovingly.
"What? No?" Elizabeth stated, she wanted a family she wanted out of the system but she didn't need them a while back and most definitely didn't need them now.
"Young lady you are a Reagan" Henry stated.
"I'm not a Reagan being a Reagan would suggest a dad and a white picket fence and a dog and a swing set" Elizabeth stated "I'm a Kennedy and although I wish that I had known him I did not have a dad and therefore cannot call myself a Reagan" Elizabeth smiled at the old man. "I appreciate the offer I do but I have somewhere to live."
"An apartment in the Bronx with 4 boys." Erin rolled her eyes.
"You are not some charity case." Danny stated, "Your Joe's kid that means that you're a Reagan alright!"
"My son was robbed of the opportunity to be a father. Robbed of the opportunity to know you, We would like to right that wrong." Frank stated.
"What was he like?" Elizabeth asked looking up at the table.
"A good man and an even better cop" Frank began and the table went around and told stories of Joe to the young girl.
"We're asking a lot of you Elizabeth, you are my granddaughter you are 15 you have good grades a time demanding academic life as well as a full time job but I can talk to your caseworker in the morning and you can move in here by the end of the week." Frank explained.
"You're a popular guy commissioner, How are you going to explain this," Elizabeth asked.
"The same way I always do, The truth." Frank smiled.
"So no emancipation letter," Elizabeth asked turning to Erin.
"No." Erin stated.
"Okay." Elizabeth stated.
"Okay?" Frank stated