PROLOUGE
Clementine sat with her hands folded neatly in her lap. She was sitting in the waiting room at the police station. Fiddling with her thumbs nervously. She didnt like the reason why she was here. It made her sad.
Her daddy was arrested for rape.
Clementine didnt know what rape was, but she knew it was bad. Daddy did a bad thing, and he was going to be gone for awhile.
The big men with the blue uniforms questioned her. Asking if he ever touched her. He didnt. Why would he touch her? He hugs her, kisses her, tickles her, but is that the same thing?
The blue-shirted men said no.
And now she was here.
Mommy was in Afghanistan, serving in the army as a nurse. She left not that long ago, and she wasnt aloud to come home until her three years of service was up. Clementine missed mommy. She would know what to do.
But she wasnt. And clementine was alone, waiting. Waiting for uncle Lee.
"Hey, kid. Wanna come talk to your mom? Shes on the phone."
Clementine looked up to see a man with another blue uniform offering a cell phone to Clementine from around the corner. She nodded nervously, and he approached her and handed her the phone.
"Clementine, baby?" Diana asked, sounding happy and relieved.
Clementine held the phone close to her ear with both hands.
"Hey, mommy." The eight-year-old responded sadly, kicking her legs in her seat.
Diana sighed. "Oh, sweetheart. Im so glad you're alright."
Clementine started to cry. "They took daddy, mommy! Why do they have to be so mean?"
Diana shook her head on the other end of the phone. "No, baby, thats not it. Daddy did a bad thing, a very bad thing. He cant be around you."
Clementine wiped her eyes. Sniffing. "Will i ever see him again? Or is he gone forever?"
Diana felt tears welling up in her eyes herself.
"i... I dont know, sweetheart."
Clementine whimpered.
"will YOU ever come back?"
Diana felt her heart stop. What could she tell her? War was a dangerous place to be. Diana could possibly lose her life. But... She knew that she wanted to see her daughter again...
"of course, honey. It'll be a while. A long time. But youll see me again... I promise."
Clementne stayed silent on the other end of the phone.
"Until then, Uncle Lee will take care of you. You'll like him, im sure. Hes a nice man."
"But ive never met him before!" Clementine protested.
"I know, Clem. But now you can get to know him, okay?" Diana was getting emotional at the sound of her daughters frightened voice. She just wanted her to be safe.
There was a long moment of silence on the phone, all Diana could hear was Clementines heavy breathing.
"I love you, Clem." Diana sighed. "You'll always be my little girl. Ill be back before you know it."
Clementine felt a single tear find its way down her face.
"I miss you mommy." She whined.
Diana felt her tears go over the brink.
"i know, honey. Me too."
Diana hung up.
...
Clementine, in tears, handed the phone back to the officer. He tipped his hat at her respectively. Clementine shut her eyes and cried silently. She never felt so alone.
She felt someone tap her shoulder, and a different officer was standing there.
"c'mon, your uncle is here."
Clementine stood and followed the officer to the next room. Where a large glass window stretched across. There were dividers, and telephones connected through the wall. It was empty, except for the one, lone man sitting in the far corner window. He had his head down. Staring at his hands.
The man looked up, and she stared into the eyes of her father. His hair was unkempt and his eyes were glazed with exhaustion and depression. He looked at her sadly. Regret radiating off him in waves. Clementine has never seen her daddy like that. She saw him as strong and brave. But now, with his hands bound by chains and draped with a dirty orange jumpsuit, hes never seemed weaker.
"sweet pea." He started. "Im sorry! Please understand, i love you! Its all a big mistake!"
Clementine didnt respond.
Ed turned violently, pulling on his restraints and glaring at the police officer.
"where the hell are you taking my daughter?!"
The officer just stared coldly ahead. Unfazed.
Ed, panic edging his gaze, turned to see the officer opening the door for clementine. She had her head down as she exited. Leaving a terrified Ed behind.
"Clementine!"
BANG...
Clementine wiped her eyes again, letting out feeble sniffs and whimpers.
The officer pointed to the nearest door.
"Hes in that room,"
Clementine breathed in, and slowly pushed open the door.
A man, leaning on and talking to an officer over a desk, turned his head to see Clementine enter the room. He smiled and stood at the sight of Clementine. Her hat covering her face.
He was a middle aged african-american, black hair and a small black beard that rimmed his mouth and cheeks. He had a comforting gaze that settled on Clementine with a soft feeling to them.
"Hey, clementine." He said. His voice had a soothing sound to it. He bent down and offered a hand to Clementine, smiling.
she looked at it warily.
"its okay, i dont bite." He joked.
Clementine hesitantly lifted her hand up to meet his. he shaked her hand gently before putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Youve grown since the last time i saw you." He stated. "And that was when you were only a little baby."
She shyly ducked away from his gaze, and he let out a chuckle of amusement.
"I know, you dont remember it." He grinned, before standing and shaking hands with the officers.
"Im sorry about what my brother-in-law did. Thank you for your work."
"its no trouble."
Lee thanked the officer at the desk before turning and offering another hand to Clementine.
"Lets go, Clem. Maybe we can get to know eachother better."
Clementine didnt know why, but something about her uncle made her trust him, and she, without thinking, took hold of his hand and squeezed it.
"okay." She responded. she looked up at Lee, making eye contact.
And she smiled.