A Dragon's Crimson Cry
By: Tippi
Ch 11 Unpleasant Social Worker
In the hospital room
Ellen and LS were in Jake's room watching the boy sleep in his bed.
"I hadn't noticed last night in the lack of light but with more light and the sun his hair has a lot of green in it" Ellen said.
LS looked up from his paper a moment but didn't answer Ellen's comment.
Suddenly LS's attention was brought fully on his grandson as his breathing became hard.
Ellen and LS's eyes were both trained on Jake as a sudden change in his sleep started.
Jake was breathing hard, his hands clutched the sheets, and sweat was pouring down his face. He began to be getting worse by the second when he suddenly shot up in bed letting out a high pitched scream that most likely woke up that whole wing of the hospital.
Jake thrashed around in his bed for a moment still not awake. Ellen and LS were about to stop him but before they could Jake fell back onto the bed his brown eyes wide as they darted around the room. After his eyes had gone over the entire room he broke down crying.
His grandfather did his best to calm the child but Jake's pain was beyond what his grandfather could stop at the time.
It been five days now but Jake was still greatly damaged.
Jake had disturbed sleeping patterns due to nightmares. He was suffering from depression and had panic attacks. He had daily hour long therapy sessions with a hospital psychologist. Jake's voice had not returned and there no telling if it would ever return.
The news had yet to let the story die. Many reporters tried to sneak their way into Jake's room and the detectives and Loa Shi were never left alone. Pictures of the family, and the precinct with no leads let them print and show the drawing Jake did, appear in the paper. No more clues were found and everyday the news found another bit to say or print. The talk and articles were getting smaller and shorter.
An added problem three days after Jake was admitted to the hospital a social worker had come to stir up trouble.
Two days earlier
LS and a nurse, who had just give Jake his medication, were in Jake's room. It was about 4 in the afternoon. LS was unfortunately busy with paper work for funeral arrangements when the door opened reveling a stern looking woman in a black skirt suit and sunglasses carrying a brief case.
"This is the room of Jacob Luke Long?" the woman asked her voice as tight as the bun of her brunette hair.
"Yes," LS said abandoning the paper work "What do you want?"
"I am Miss. McCain of social services of children department. I'm here for legal matter pertaining to Jacob Long" the woman said.
Jake turned onto his side in bed at the mention of his name fixing an emotionless stare at the woman.
"At what legal matters can you have for an 8 year old" LS asked.
"With Mr. and Mrs. Long, his legal guardians, dead Jake will be needing another legal guardian" McCain said as she came closer her black heels clicking.
"I'm his grandfather and I am to be his legal guardian" LS demanded.
"Not so fast" the woman said. "First you must be proven competent and fill out the necessary paper work. Then you may be appointed legal guardian. If in the event you give up your custody rights or are incompetent Jacob will be awarded to the custody of the state and in foster care until he is adopted or 18" McCain finished.
"Fine" LS said.
"We'll give you three days to get ready for a home inspection" Miss. McCain said. "Here's my card if you have any questions" she said handing LS a card then left.
"Who does she think she is acting as if I'm some useless old man" LS said turning to Jake and the nurse.
"If you excuse my expression but what crawled up her skirt" the nurse said.
"Well put" LS said back to the nurse looking to his grandson that now in the woman's absences had his eyes trained on his grandfather.
3 days later
"The social worker is going to be here at 6 we've only got 3 more hours" LS said to the 600 year old canine.
"Are you sure you want to do this" Fu asked.
"What, get everything looking good to prove to that cobra called a woman social worker I am more than capable of taking care of my grandson" LS said his voice getting an octave higher every word as soon as he thought of that woman.
"Well, that but I was thinking more of having the kid live here" Fu admitted his true thought.
"So you want me to abandon my only family especially in his time of need like a lost cat" LS said to the dog. "I think not."
"I understand but how you going to keep your promise to Susan if her son's living in a building centered around magic and two magical beings living in it" Fu asked trying to reason with the old man.
"I have a greater service to my sweet lotus flower and that is taking care of her son," LS answered. "We'll just have to do our best to keep magic minimized."
"You expect me to act like an average house dog" Fu said.
"That maybe a pleasant change" LS said thinking about it. "Just no talking and on all four paws when in sight of the boy" LS advised.
"Why am I getting the short end of the stick" the Shar Pei said as the old man walked away.
Loa Shi and Fu Dog have spent the last three days trying to get the apartment ready for Jake.
The first level was the front of the shop and the back room were most magical work took place along with the downstairs was a half bathroom.
The upper level was more like an actual apartment. Going up the stairs you were brought into the kitchen off the kitchen was the hallway that leads to all the other rooms. The first door on your left was the smallest bedroom which was currently the guest room. Across from that on the right was a small den that was pretty much a room with unorganized piles of books and junk, LS would need to go through the things and straighten out the room. Further down on your right was the larger bedroom that was currently LS's and across from that was a full bathroom. At the end of the hall was a room like a sun room. It was peaceful room to go in when one need to calm down. In the room thou were some more stairs that lead to the third floor that was basically one big room that had no uses and another half bathroom just off of another set of stairs that lead to the door for the roof top. That was the whole building in a nutshell. And in the way it was kept you could tell that two men lived there alone even if one of the men was a dog.
LS decided to give Jake the bigger bedroom that was originally his. LS moved into the formally known as the guest room bedroom. The hardest part of the whole thing was getting Jake's things moved.
First he had to move all of Jake's things from the Long's residence then move them into the apartment above the shop. LS had hired help getting the things out of the house and to the shop but had cheated when getting them into the room. To heavy for and old man but a dragon is very strong by nature.
All the magical items and potions were hidden away in locked draws and chests. So LS and Fu were putting some last minute touches on the home.
The social worker was right on time.
"Well let's get this over with" She said pulling out a clipboard and pen. "Hm, an electronic shop full of heavy equipment that may fall and injury a child" the woman said looking around the front of the shop.
She then walked into the back to see it looking average. Fu dog was lying on the couch watching the TV not very interested in the program. Hearing the sound of Gramps and someone else entering the room he looked up. Fu didn't need to talk to her to know he instantly didn't like her, he knew it the moment she walked in with air of superiority.
"A dog" Miss. McCain said like she saw a rat.
"So many people have a dog" LS answered.
"Dog can posse a danger for children" the woman said writing something on her clipboard.
"Fu Dog has been with Jake many times he wouldn't hurt one hair on Jake's head" LS explained.
The woman ignored him and went up the stairs. Fu not liking the woman followed at LS's side as they too went upstairs.
"At least the kitchen is clean" she said looking at the kitchen area. "Where's the boy's room" she asked turning to LS.
LS led her down the hallway to Jake's new room with Fu at his side.
She entered the room to see the room and many labeled boxes in side.
"Didn't have time to unpack his things" Miss McCain asked.
"I figured I'd let my grandson arrange his things the way he wants" LS said.
Miss. McCain just scribbled on her clipboard.
She looked closely at every room in the building. Finally they found them selves in the front part of the store again.
"Well" LS asked.
Finish her last bit of notes she said "You'll know by tomorrow."
She then left.
"She's just a ray of sunshine" Fu said once she was gone.
A/N This may get confusing later on if it isn't already so any questions just ask. Review