“So, like, she can’t go to any of her relatives, even?” I asked in surpise. Kait was taking this pretty hard – she was snuggled up inside my arms sobbing like there is no tomorrow. Between sobs she would whisper, “I knew we shouldn’t have come, I knew we shouldn’t have come.”

“Nope.” the officer said, collecting papers. “Unless her biological father shows up, she can’t stay with her mother, or any one of her mother’s relatives.”

My mother finally spoke up, “Then she can stay with us for a while.”

Kait looked up at my mother. There was a glimmer in her eyes, but that could easily be just another tear.

“I’m sorry, ma’me. She’s going to have to be placed in a foster home.”

“What?!” Kait and I yelled simutaniously, causing the officer to flinch.

“There is no way – the closest one is in another district!” I continued yelling as my mom put her arm around me and told me to bring it down.

I began bawling, tightening my grip with Kait.