5. To Replace, To Erase.

Jade escaped eating lunch with Cat and company by claiming a need to listen to her voicemail — the mysterious caller from Improv had in fact been brave enough to leave a message. Sneaking into the janitor's closet, unseen, she held the PearPhone to her ear.

"Hello, Jade. My name is Theresa Roy, and I work for the Los Angles County Department of Children and Family Services. I have spoken to Adam Hornstock, and I will be with you at your custody hearing on Thursday. I would love to have some time to chat with you beforehand so we can go into the hearing knowing our goals. My number is—"

All Jade could really hear was Thursday. Thursday? Thursday?! No one told her the hearing had been scheduled for Thursday. This Thursday? No one had even told her her father had gotten out of the hospital. With trembling in her fingers and fire in her eyes, Jade dialed Adam's number, leaning against the door in the janitor's closet.

"Law Offices of Biederman and Hornstock," a familiar voice answered.

"Adam!" Jade shouted. "What the hell? Who decided it would be fun to surprise me with the hearing scheduled for this Thursday?!"

"Oh, Jade, hi. No one told you?"

"Um, no! No one told me!"

"Well it's scheduled for this Thursday so you might have to cut out of school a little early to make it on time with afternoon traffic. A social worker from Children and Family Services should be calling you pretty soon."

"Yeah, she called. Not the point. My point is, why didn't anyone tell me?"

"It was an accident, I'm sure," Adam suddenly lowered his voice. "To be perfectly honest with you, the new assistant my partner hired isn't as competent as his resumé made him out to be."

"I don't care. When did he get out of the hospital?"

"Jim isn't in the hospital, I don't think. I mean, I barely hit him."

"Not him, my dad, you idiot!"

"Oh, last Friday. He told his lawyer he would be well enough to attend the hearing late this week, so it's scheduled for Thursday."

"Do you know what he's going to say at the hearing?" Jade asked, slightly calmer now that she was actually getting useful information.

"Nope."

Less useful. Jade sighed angrily, hung up the phone, and yanked open the door. Five people stumbled into the closet.

"We weren't eavesdropping," Robbie said immediately.

"Oh, you were just relaxing with your ear to the door?"

"So your dad got out of the hospital?" Beck asked before Robbie had to answer Jade. She nodded.

"Yes. Now, go away. All of you. Vamoose. Shoo."

Most of the group dispersed toward lunch (Cat giggling with Tori about the word "vamoose" in relation to a certain hockey-and-burger-loving Canadian), but Beck hung back, still leaning casually on the doorframe.

"When's the custody hearing?" he asked.

"Thursday."

"Can I do anything?"

"You can go away."

Beck looked at her with a really? face.

"I need to call the social worker," Jade explained quietly. Beck nodded, squeezed her shoulder with a supportive smile, and followed after the others. Jade returned to the closet, her arm burning where he'd touched her.

"Theresa Roy," was how the woman answered the phone. It was a voice Cat would like — warm, strong, friendly.

"This is Jade West. You called me like an hour ago."

"Jade, hello. How are you?"

"I don't want to live with my dad."

"Okay. Well, how about we meet and discuss this in person. Can you stop by my office some time this week?"

"Today after school."

"Come whenever you can. I'm on the third floor at 8300 Vermont Avenue."

"Fine."

The second half of Jade's first Monday back went about as smoothly as the first. So, with the exception of a calculus test for which she was grossly underprepared, not much happened. Jade texted Cat that she would pick her up after rehearsal and pulled out of the parking lot before most HA students had even reached their cars after last period. Fighting through the traffic tried Jade's patience, which was destroyed altogether when she had to park almost three blocks away from the Family Services building. But eventually she was knocking on the office door of Theresa Roy. The woman who answered the door looked how the voice on the phone sounded. She was wearing an orange sweater that Jade hated on principle, but it brought out the warm tones of Theresa's skin. She shook Jade's hand firmly and offered coffee (which Jade, of course, accepted).

"So Jade," Theresa began once they were both being caffeinated. She sat casually in her office chair, leaning back from the desk full of colorful trinkets. "You said on the phone that you don't want to live with your father. Can you tell me why?"

"He hates me," Jade brought the hot coffee to her lips, glancing around the small office. There were too many motivational sayings on framed posters hanging on the walls.

"How so?"

"Ugh," Jade groaned, looking back to the social worker. "Do we have to do this?"

"I'm sorry, but we do."

"He doesn't respect me, or anything I stand for. He thinks my dreams are stupid, and doesn't hesitate to tell me so."

"Okay," Theresa said calmly. "So on Thursday, d—"

"I want to be emancipated. I'm almost eighteen, it shouldn't be that difficult."

"Do you think your father would allow that?" Theresa lay her half-full mug aside.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes. In California, you cannot be emancipated without your parent's consent if there is a parent than can consent."

"What?" Jade groaned, running her fingers across her forehead. "Well, like I said, he hates me. He'll probably be glad to get rid of me."

"Are you financially stable?"

"What?"

"Do you have an apartment or someplace to live?"

"N-no…."

"Do you have the money to pay for somewhere to live?"

"No."

"Do you have a job?"

"…no."

"Jade," Theresa sighed. "Being emancipated means becoming an adult. And that includes taking on all of the responsibilities that come with adulthood. Are you prepared to do that?"

Jade hesitated.

"I've spoken to your father's lawyer to discuss the case."

"And?"

"Your father and stepmother have agreed to take custody of you."

"What? No. No, no. I refuse."

Theresa didn't say anything, just watching Jade intently.

"Can I refuse?" Jade asked hesitantly once she'd mostly gotten over her shock.

"Not exactly, no. You can, however, bring up your objections with the judge, and he or she will take what you say into account. But keep in mind, Jade, that this is following the custody agreement from your parents' divorce."

"This is a nightmare," Jade muttered, resting her forehead in her hands.

"I know this isn't what you wanted," Theresa said, trying to be comforting. "But there's no reason why you can't make the best of things. There are kids out there who have it a lot worse."

"Yeah, right, thanks," Jade downed the rest of her coffee in one gulp, grabbed the strap of her bag in her fist, and walked out the door.

Simmering songs never get played.

Tinsel dreams, sweet lemonade.

Okay. Sorry this is so short. The next one's a little longer. I don't have much to say, so I'll leave you with this thought: imagine Jade West on Wheel of Fortune. Totally deadpan the entire time, won't let Pat Sajack within three feet of her, gets all of the puzzle right, and Beck is in the audience with heart eyes. See you Saturday :)