Status: active.
Harmonies
Three.
The Child Services office belonging to Andrew Preston was painted a light creme color. Littered along the walls were bookshelves, framed degrees, and some paintings. It wasn't friendly or inviting in the slightest. Behind the large mahogany desk, Andrew Preston sat spinning a pencil between his fingers. His desk was cluttered with papers and a computer. There were no pictures or anything that screamed personality.
Mr. Preston was an older man in his late forties. Although being relatively young, his hair was already receding, thinning, and graying. He dressed himself in a nice blue button-down shirt and tie with black slacks. His face showed his age - and then some - with the amount of wrinkles that plagued his skin.
He stood when Arabella entered the office. Extending his hand to her, he smiled graciously, "Nice to meet you Ms. Parson."
"That's not me. Call me Bella," she told him, letting a grin paster to her lips. She was not happy to be in this room. If it involved her mother and Child Services, it could not be anything good.
"Well Bella," he said stressing her name. "We have some news for you. How long has it been since you last spoke to your mother?"
She looked down at her hands as if to count the days. "Since the court date. So, two years now."
Preston's eyes widened minutely. He had not been expecting that. "I'm assuming then that you had no idea about her pregnancy then?" Arabella shook her head, left once then right once. "Okay, then I'll tell you. About six months after you gained emancipation, your mother gave birth to a boy. He's now under the protective care of the state because Child Services deemed your mother unsuitable."
Arabella didn't seem to understand. "What does any of this have to do with me?"
"See, there's the thing. Although the baby has a father, he's also been deemed unsuitable to raise a child. Considering that you are eighteen and related to the child, the state's next go-to was you." Andrew Preston paused. He tried to read her expression but it was blank. "You have a steady job at the diner and it seems that you have the option of taking the parental rights to the child."
The brunette released a sigh. She didn't know how to be a mother. Sure, she had babysat for friends before, but she wasn't a mother. Arabella rubbed her forehead to fight an oncoming headache. There was one thing that she held in her heart closer than anything. It was the aching, throbbing need to help everything innocent. Her motherless little brother constituted innocent.
"Can I meet him?" she asked. She glanced at the clock on the wall then. Four o' clock.
Mr. Preston was an older man in his late forties. Although being relatively young, his hair was already receding, thinning, and graying. He dressed himself in a nice blue button-down shirt and tie with black slacks. His face showed his age - and then some - with the amount of wrinkles that plagued his skin.
He stood when Arabella entered the office. Extending his hand to her, he smiled graciously, "Nice to meet you Ms. Parson."
"That's not me. Call me Bella," she told him, letting a grin paster to her lips. She was not happy to be in this room. If it involved her mother and Child Services, it could not be anything good.
"Well Bella," he said stressing her name. "We have some news for you. How long has it been since you last spoke to your mother?"
She looked down at her hands as if to count the days. "Since the court date. So, two years now."
Preston's eyes widened minutely. He had not been expecting that. "I'm assuming then that you had no idea about her pregnancy then?" Arabella shook her head, left once then right once. "Okay, then I'll tell you. About six months after you gained emancipation, your mother gave birth to a boy. He's now under the protective care of the state because Child Services deemed your mother unsuitable."
Arabella didn't seem to understand. "What does any of this have to do with me?"
"See, there's the thing. Although the baby has a father, he's also been deemed unsuitable to raise a child. Considering that you are eighteen and related to the child, the state's next go-to was you." Andrew Preston paused. He tried to read her expression but it was blank. "You have a steady job at the diner and it seems that you have the option of taking the parental rights to the child."
The brunette released a sigh. She didn't know how to be a mother. Sure, she had babysat for friends before, but she wasn't a mother. Arabella rubbed her forehead to fight an oncoming headache. There was one thing that she held in her heart closer than anything. It was the aching, throbbing need to help everything innocent. Her motherless little brother constituted innocent.
"Can I meet him?" she asked. She glanced at the clock on the wall then. Four o' clock.