(Rachel's POV)
"You know there's been a lot going on lately with your operation and this..."
"Yeah?"
For a second my mind flashed back to the conversation with Sandra, Poppy's social worker.
"We're going to place Poppy with her sister for a while, it may only be temporary or it may be permanent depending on how she settles in..."
"You can't. Poppy won't go for that, she doesn't want to be with Kim..." I argued
"This situation is no longer about what Poppy wants, its about what's best for her and what will keep her safe..." Sandra said
"She's safe with me!"
"Rachel, you have to look at it from our perspective. Since being with you Poppy has had 3 hospital admissions and one to a psychiatric unit"
"Yes because she needed help! She was too scared to go before..."
"That's not how it looks on her file..."
"Nevermind that! Doesn't it matter what Poppy wants or thinks?" I questioned
"Like I said its about what's best for her not what she wants"
"Rachel? Rachel!"
I didn't say anything for a minute.
"Rachel just tell me I'm not a baby..." Poppy argued
"You won't be coming home with me, Social services have decided you'd be safer with Emily..." It came out a bit wrong but at least she knew.
"What? That's ridiculous!"
"You've been in hospital a lot since you've been with me" I told her
"I know but that's not your fault...Tell me the truth? Is this because you don't want me around anymore?"
"No! Of course not" I pulled her into my arms holding her there. "I had no say in this"
"I'll tell them, its not your fault...please don't leave me"
It broke my heart to see Poppy plead with me like this. I'd been put in an impossible situation and Poppy was so vunerable right now. I kissed her head softly.
"Kim's outside, I'll see you soon okay?"
(Poppy's POV)
I couldn't believe what was happening...Tears rolled down my face uncontrollably. I fiddled with the IV trying to free it from my skin. I had to speak to Rachel, to Sandra, anyone that would make this all better.
"What are you doing?" Lara asked
"I'm gonna sort this out, I can't be here" I sobbed
"It'll be alright"
"She's gone!" I sobbed
"Rachel's just upset at the moment, but when she's calmed down me and her are going to sort this...Okay?"
The curtain opened and I did my best to wipe the tears before Sam walked in.
"Good news! Everything seems okay, the dehydration is sorted and you're fine. Keep drinking loads and eat well and get some rest. Kim's on her way in to take you home" she smiled "Let's get rid of that IV"
"Its not my home!" I snapped
"Poppy..." Lara warned
Sam disconnected the drip and then took the needle out before taping a cotton wool ball to the crease of my elbow. Then she left me alone with Lara.
"Poppy you need to calm down. I think we'll look into some anger management at our next session..."
"Whatever"
"Don't turn on me Poppy, I'm trying to help you...This isn't how Rachel raised you"
"Raised me!? I was with her 4 months! Then she dumped me. So don't you dare tell me what she would want! If she's so bothered she can tell me herself!" I snapped
All the hurt and upset had been converted in to anger, I didn't mean to take it out on Lara I was just suddenly filled with a fire.
"Okay, you're upset. I think you need to calm down before you say something you regret"
It didn't take long for Kim to arrive after that with Em, I guess she thought Em would stop her getting the full impact of my temper and she was right. I couldn't be mad with Em, she was so innocent. She'd brought me some of her clothes, Em and I had always sort of been the same size, I was taller but her clothes fitted fine. Pale blue jeggings, a red checked shirt and some white converse...
Kim drove us back to her house and showed me to the room where I was staying. I checked the bathroom for anything sharp but found nothing...The pills were locked away in the cabinet, so I settled for laying on the bed staring at the wall. Em had returned my phone to me which now laid on the floor, face down.
The next day, I slept as long as I could and then lay there staring at the wall again. I repeated my actions for the two days that followed, I didn't take medication, or eat, or drink, or shower, or speak. I just laid there thinking of the reasons that had led me here. On the 4th day Kim rang Lara.
"What's going on Poppy?" She asked
I didn't say anything, just stared at the wall.
"I'm not telapathic, if you don't tell me I can't help"
"Don't want your help" I mumbled
"I hear you're not eating?"
"Not hungry"
"After this amount of time I find that hard to believe. What about your medication?"
"Don't need it" I told her
"Poppy if you didn't need it, I wouldn't prescribe it" she said, she held out two pills in her hand and a glass of water in the other
I didn't move, or even shift my gaze.
"Poppy come on work with me here, you know what happens when you don't take it..."
"Don't care"
"Poppy if you don't you'll end up with another 72 hour lock down, Be reasonable?" She told me
I turned and took the glass from her then I threw it at the far wall where it shattered and the clear liquid ran down the wall. Lara gave me an unimpressed look.
"Fine have it your way" she disappeared out of the room
I ran over to where the glass had shattered and picked up one of the larger shards. Assuming Lara had gotten annoyed with me and left, I sat on the floor and dug the shard in to my arm and dragged it along. Everything seemed to just be washed away by relief and I dropped the shard, closing my eyes as I felt the cool, clammy liquid on my skin.
