Walking into the facility, I looked and turned my body to get a three-hundred and sixty degree view of the place.
This is my last day.
Relief poured into me. I savored it for a few seconds before calmly walking towards the front desk. The lady at the counter gave me a shrewd look before continuing to type away on her computer. I rang the bell next to her to grab her attention again.
You would think she'd be excited for today. No more dealing with little 'ol me.
I mentally shrugged. I didn't care. She just needs to do her job so I can leave today with what I came for. So, I need to play along.
After a minute, she turns to me and puts on a fake smile.
"Hello! I will be with you in a minute!" Her teeth were practically grinding. Nodding, I went and stood by the wall.
Ugh, this is killing me.
I couldn't help but count the seconds. I so badly want to say a remark, but the energy I had is running low. Hopefully, it will change once I leave.
The copier in the corner starts to buzz and several documents spit out, some falling onto the floor. The urge to grab them myself increases and I scoop them up. The woman watches me and doesn't notice that I can see her sneer. But she seems to cheer herself up with some insipid phrase she probably thought up and speaks.
"And there it is! Everything is finalized and ready. All you have to do is sign your name-" I already strolled through the back door before she was finished. Turning to the left, I looked for the children's room.
About three doors down, I find it and walk in without knocking. Some staff was in there and glared as I sauntered in. Like whatever they were doing was more important than what I came here for.
Stopping near the lone bed they were hovering over, I stared at the child. Memories came and went by in lightning speed and I found myself feeling hot, unadulterated rage. There were few things that truly angered me in life. I'm not a better person than many people, but some things are just unforgivable.
A two week vacation my ass.
Ah, yes. An all-out exclusive paid vacation to relax and enjoy work off. But yet it seems that work moved with them along with all contact within California. But they were nice enough to drop a blue bundle off near the police and claim it "lost."
I shook my head to clear the memory of the news. It's not important right now. Later, though, if they ever do come back, I will show them how missed they were.
Personally.
But, in the meantime, I scooped the bundle in the blue blanket up, carried him out of the room, and slammed the door on my way out.
Scribbling my name on the sheet, I walked into the main lobby. The woman looked surprised when I slapped the confirmation down on her desk. She snapped out of it and purposely copied it very slowly. I was a second away from putting dynamite down her pants when she finished and handed me the sheet.
"Have a pleasant day, ma'am, and congrats!" Ah, a more genuine smile to see my departure. Snatching the sheet from her hand, I turned and, still cradling the bundle in my arm, proceeded to the door.
I held my head high and marched on out. I didn't look back.
I took a vow to give him better than what was given to him. Nearly crumpling the paper, I took a last look at the bottom before putting it away forever.
Consent Form
Signing this agreement shows that you acknowledge the rules and policies at the facility and will abide by them. You agree to adopt the child(ren) and take care of him/her/them with routine spot checks.
Sign on the line for consent:
Slappy Squirrel
XXXXX
3 pages. 732 words.
Just a thought I've been having. I don't know how well I got Slappy down, but this is out of her comfort zone.
Obviously not everything is realistic. The pretense is that she finished all the legal stuff beforehand and had not-so-nice encounters with the employers.
Sherri Stoner did say where Skippy's parents were…wonder how Slappy took it.