Chapter 17

The double doors slid open and Melissa led Mikaela, Sam, Judy and George into the facility smiling as much as she could. Immediately, Mikaela noticed the smell of the place. It smelled like dirty diapers and sewage. The lighting wasn't very good and it was difficult for her eyes to adjust to the room. The group walked forward to the front desk where a lady was waiting for them.

"Hi, we're here with Mikaela Banes. She is checking in today." Melissa smiled at Mikaela who looked miserable.

"Of course. Sweetheart, if you can just sign these few papers and if you could sign this too." The lady told Melissa. Mikaela signed the papers and stepped back giving Melissa room to sign them too.

"Okay. Well I'm Tammy. It's very nice to meet you. I can give you a tour of the place if you'd like." She told Mikaela, Sam, Judy and George. They nodded eagerly, hoping and praying that it got better as they walked further into the facility. Tammy showed them the recreation room first. Even though it was meant for fun, the room was mostly empty with a pool table and a few children's toys. The only lighting in the room was coming from the window on the far wall. The cafeteria was no better as it looked like it had never been cleaned before and most of the tables had chairs missing or broken on the side wall. There were a few children eating dinner in there and it looked like the food was inedible. Finally, Tammy took them to the room Mikaela would be staying in. Even though the actual upkeep of the room was no different than the rest of the place, at least it was empty.

"For now." Mikaela thought. She placed her bags on the bed by the window. There were about twelve beds in all lined up in a row. Mikaela wanted to compare it to an orphanage, but that was pretty much what it was.

"I'll let you get settled in. Here are a few papers telling you the times the cafeteria is open and when activities are held. Curfew is ten o'clock on weekdays and twelve on weekends. We expect you to sign in and out every time you walk out the front doors. Other than that, you have free rein of the place. Well, I think that's it. Let me know if you need anything. Oh! And Leah will be in later tonight to introduce herself to you." Tammy smiled one more time at Mikaela and left the room. Immediately Judy and George turned to Melissa.

"Do you really think we're going to leave her here? This place is terrible!" Melissa nodded.

"I know it isn't the best place for her, but her father picked this place out. She has to stay here until the court date. Don't worry, I checked and Mikaela can be out of this place as early as five in the morning and you heard the curfew times. They don't care if she doesn't show up until the curfew times. So really, she just has to sleep here." Melissa told the disgruntled parents. Mikaela turned to look up at them.

"Judy, George, really its okay. I can handle staying here for a few months. If it's what my dad wanted, it's what I have to do." She told them. Judy and George hugged her tightly.

"You're eating at our house everyday young lady. I don't want you eating this garbage, it's going to make you sick." Judy told her. Mikaela laughed.

"I definitely won't be eating anything here. Don't worry. And you'll be sick of, kicking me out of the house when I show up everyday." She told the family. Judy hugged her one more time.

"Okay, get a good night's sleep. We'll see you tomorrow sweetheart. Sam do you want to stay a little longer? Melissa said she'll drive us back in her car and you can drive the van home." Judy asked her son.

"Yeah. I want to stay longer." Judy tossed the keys to him, said goodbye to Mikaela one more time and then left with George and Melissa to go home. Sam immediately turned to Mikaela.

"I am so so so sorry. I can't believe this place. I'm not kidding when I say I'm picking you up every morning at seven and your not coming back to this place until exactly ten at night. Twelve on the weekends. You were joking when you said that we could be sick of you but you're going to be sick of me. Seriously." He told her.

"Sam. Stop. First of all, I could never, ever, be sick of you. Second of all, I have no doubt that you will pick me up everyday and I hope you do. Thirdly, I know this isn't the best place but I'm going to try to make the best of it. I don't even have to be here except for seven or eight hours a day. It's really not bad. And I'm sure I can stay at your house some nights if I ask. They have to let kids have sleepovers with there friends. Even though our sleepover isn't exactly the same thing…" She was trying to make him laugh but he wouldn't do it for her. "Come on Sam. Please don't be this upset. It's not like you're abandoning me. I know you're doing all you can to help and believe me, you have helped me more than I could ever imagine anyone doing." This made him cheer up a little.

"Okay Mikaela. I believe you." He kissed her. "Now let's unpack your stuff. I'm sure I'm going to be kicked out soon and you can't unpack all of this by yourself." She smiled at him and they began unpacking the three garbage bags full of Mikaela's personal items. It was ten o'clock before someone came into the room and kicked Sam out of the facility. Mikaela reminded him that she had her phone, that she loved him and that she would see him tomorrow and kissed him goodbye before he walked out the door. Mikaela fell on top of her bed feeling a little more content now that she knew what her situation was and that despite all of this, she still had an amazing support system behind her.