"Where do I start?"
"Well, when did your parents hit you?"
"All the time."
"I need more details."
"Almost every day."
"o.k. can you tell us why?"
"They were drunk."
"I see, did you ever got hurt bad enough to go to the hospital?"
"Yes."
"How hurt?"
"Broken bones, a couple concussions."
"o.k. what was the worst time?"
"My mum pushed me down the stairs, I fractured my skull and a clavicle, had a concussion."
"How long did yo had to stay at the hospital?"
"A week."
"Who took you to the hospital?"
"Maella."
"Sorry?"
"The woman that you just send out this office."
"Oh, right. When did this started?"
"It was always like this."
"You don't have any bruises on you now."
"No, I ran away from home a few months back."
"How many?"
"Almost a year, nine months I think."
"o.k. do your parents know?"
"That I'm gone? Yeah."
"Do they know where you are?"
"No, and they won't."
"Why not?"
"Why do you think?"
"I need you to answer Calleigh."
"Because I won't tell them, and no one I know will either."
"o.k. where did you lived before you ran away?"
"Louisiana."
"That's far from here."
"That's the whole point."
"I see. Did you came on a lift or…"
"Plane."
"Where did you got the money?"
"I worked, and Maella and Aillin, the man you sent out there, paid me the trip."
"Why?"
"Because they want me to be safe."
"Did they came with you?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I asked them not to, they're here visiting me."
"How long have you been here?"
"5 months."
"o.k."
"hum… I went to the hospital a week ago…"
"why was that?"
"I cracked a rib on a football game."
"Any witnesses?"
"Hum… what?
"If it wasn't done during the game then people may use it as a way of proving your parents did not hit you."
"But they did."
"They don't know that."
"Yes, there's witnesses, 21 players plus pretty much all students of the Miami high."
"o.k. what happened at the hospital?"
"The doctor found out that I suffered… child abuse, and he said that he would report it, can he do that?"
"Yes, all hospitals have to."
"But he also said that if he did it you would sent me to foster care because my parents couldn't take care of me."
"Well, that's truth."
"What if someone's willing to adopt me?"
"Well, your sixteen, and if that someone said right in the beginning that he or she wanted to adopt you then you would be facing a question of chain of custody where the parent's would be accused of child abuse."
"And I wouldn't have to go to foster care?"
"Only if the state approves the adoption."
"o.k."
"anything else you would like to ask?"
"What happens now?"
"We'll present the case to a jury and if he accepts it as a case of child abuse then we'll inform you parents about the charges and they'll have to come to an earring."
"Will I have to be there?"
"Yes."
"Even if I don' want to?"
"Yes, you're over 12 years old so you got to be present."
"o.k."
"I need a contact so I can call later if there's any development."
"Sure."
"And it needs to be an adult."
"We also need your parents names and contacts."
"w-wha.. why?"
"We need to tell them what charges they're facing."
"No! don't!"
"We have to."
"They'll kill me." Calleigh whispered terrified.
"Cal?"
"They'll kill me."
"Hey, kid, calm down."
"They'll kill me."
"May I give her a glass of water?" Eric asked pointing at the jar and glass on the table.
"Sure, they're for you."
"I thought you only used those to get prints and DNA like in TV"
"That too." The officer chuckled.
"May we go now?"
"Just fill these."
"o.k."
"Hey, little one, are you all right?"
"Humhm."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"C'mon, let's eat, cheer you up a bit."
"o.k."
"Ah, sir, me and Calleigh, we made reservations at my sisters restaurant, she usually has tables enough, but today there's a game so… anyway, it's cozy and Calleigh likes the food, I'm sure you'll like it too, do you want to go?"
"Your sister has a restaurant?"
"Is more like a café, but yes."
"o.k., let's try it then."
"o.k."
"hey there Eric, Calleigh! Sir, ma'am, you must be Calleigh's grandparents, it's a pleasure."
"The pleasure it's all ours, Calleigh spoke very well of your family."
"Well, she spoke very fondly of you too."
"She better Maella joked."
"C'mon, my mum and dad are here, they would love if you joined them"
"Oh, we don't want to interrupt their meal."
"You wouldn't, they're almost jumping in their seats of excitement to know you."
"Isa…"
"Marisol is here too."
"With little monkey?"
"Yes."
"Little monkey?"
"It's my nephew, she adores Calleigh."
"Does she now?"
"I did nothing! It's just because I play football and she loves football."
"Sure it is."
"And because she dates her favorite uncle."
"Need I remind you that she threw a bunch of toys to that girl you brought over once?"
"No, you do not. Now let's eat, we are all very hungry."
"Sure, run away."
"Shut up."
"The usual table. Isabella said simply still smiling widely."
"Eric shook his head going to the indicated table."
"Hi there."
"Calleigh! Eric!" The girl shouted jumping to Calleigh's harms.
"Hey."
"Hello."
"Hum, hi."
"You're Calleigh's grandparents right?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Oh please, that makes me feel old, call me Carmen."
"Aillin, you can call me just flack if you want though."
"I think I will."
"Please sit, Eric, pull a table would you?"
"Hum, we don't want to disturb really."
"You don't, really."
"Calleigh?"
"Yes?"
"Where are your mum and dad?"
"They're in Louisiana."
"Why didn't they came to visit you too?"
"Rosalina." Carmen warned.
"What?"
"My mum can't travel."
"Oh. Why?"
"She hit her head when she was a small girl so she has this steal thing inside her forehead, so she can't go on plains."
"That is so cool!"
"Yeah."
"Hey there, what will you eat?"
"Usual."
"Calleigh?"
"Hum… a burger."
"Really?"
"Humhm."
"Wow."
"What?"
"It's just that usually you eat as much as Eric."
"I'm not hungry."
"o.k. then, on the plate or in the bread?"
"Plate please."
"Sure, make wash more dishes."
"You're not the one doing that."
"I don't care. Mr and Mrs…."
"Flack."
"Flack, what will you eat?"
"Hum, we don't know what this dishes are so…"
"Oh, sure sorry, I'll help you."
"No worries, what about you choose?"
"Ah… all right, I promise you'll like it."
"o.k."
"Calleigh?"
"Yes?"
"Are you going to watch my game?"
"When is it?"
"Eric didn't told you?"
"No."
"I told you to tell her!"
"I forgot."
"Eric!"
"What?"
"Anyways… it's on Saturday, at 2 and an half."
"Oh… I work on Saturdays now, sorry."
"You do?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
"But I can ask my boss."
"Cool! What's your job?"
"Waitressing."
"Hum, where?"
"A café near my school."
"May we go there sometime?"
"Sure, I would love to."
"Yay!"
"Rosalina, lower please."
"Sorry. What's your job Mr. Flack?"
"I sell plants and fertilizer and all that."
"Oh, do you have this huge garden then?"
"Yes."
"Must be pretty."
"It is."
"What about you Mrs. Flack?"
"I help him run the store."
"Hum."
"What about you?"
"I study, I'm on 7th grade."
"I see."