Chapter 9

Not Fast Enough

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Jess yelled as she passed slow cars on the freeway. Her home was 30 minutes away from where she was, even if she was driving at a suicidal speed. She had to get home, or her family would be broken up. She promised her mother she wouldn't let it happen, and she wouldn't. But if she didn't get home Social Services would break up the family.

Then she heard it, the sound of sirens.

"What the hell?!" she looked down at her police scanner, but it wasn't plugged in. "A lot of good this fuzz buster does me," she sighed sarcastically. She glanced back in her review mirror and saw the cop car that was following her.

"Can this day get any worse?" and of course it started to rain as she said it. Shifting to 6th gear, she put her accelerator to the floor and weaved through traffic with graceful skill. Cars didn't even have time to honk; she passed them so fast. She couldn't help but laugh when the cars would accidentally honk at the cop car.

"It's called skill," she boasted to herself. There was no way she was going to get stopped. She was going to make it home. Her exit came up fast, giving her a window to get away because the cop car passed it as she got off. She drove through the familiar streets of her town. She slowed to the speed limit to blend in with the other cars. As soon as she could, she pulled on to the back streets, speeding up again. Her house was less than 5 minutes away. She was home free.

Fate wouldn't let her get away. Sounds of sirens haunted her once more.

"How?" she asked. It was impossible. She lost the cop! It was too late, because she was home. There were now three cop cars, and her family was about to be broken.

"Please don't!" Jess cried as she saw the Social Services lady led her brothers and sisters to three cars parked in the muddy driveway. She ran from the car and grabbed Jack. He was the last to be put in the car, but Jess wouldn't let her take him. Her tears were mixed with the rain that now soaked her hair and clothes.

"You came!" Jack laughed holding his sister tight.

"I wouldn't let them have you," she sobbed.

"I've never seen you cry Jess," Jack proclaimed with his child like wonder.

"Jennifer Jessica Hanson?" Jess looked up at the woman standing in front of them. Jess nodded her head. "By law, I have the right to take these children." Jess swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Why? Brandon's here and I was just out…" she looked back at the cops in her driveway, they looked like they didn't know what to do.

"Ms. Hanson, your brother is not here. These children were left alone. It has come to my attention that you do not live here anymore…" and the woman went on speaking but Jess didn't hear her. Jess reached for her cell phone and flipped up the cover. The rain kept pouring down as she checked her caller id with shaking hands.

"He wasn't home…" Jess said in disbelief. The caller id gave a pay phone number; Brandon had forgot Social Services were coming too.

"That's right. I can not leave these kids here," the woman spoke with bitter words. She ripped Jack from Jess' arms and put him in the car.

"Jess!!!!!!" his small voice called out just as the car door shut.

"A hearing date will be set soon; you'll revive a letter in the mail. For now, neither you nor your brother are allowed to come within one hundred yards of these children. Good day."

"I wasn't fast enough…" she whispered.

So, Jess sat in the mud and the rain, as she let her brothers and sisters disappear. Immediately, cops had her lying on the ground and hand cuffed her hands behind her back.

"You have to right to remain silent…"

A/N: Guess what?! I finally know how the story is going to end! Not too long till it's all finished. I just have to take the time to write it all out. : ) Don't forget to review!