Free Her Imperfect Life by Maya Sheppard

Chapter 1
    “Department of Family and Children’s Services, Marah speaking. How may I help you?” Marah poised her pen on her ever-present notepad on her desk, waiting.
    “Marah, this is Jennie at Memorial Medical Center. One of your clients was just brought in –  Melissa Jones. She’s very badly injured and she’s not expected to survive. Her mother’s here, and she’s hysterical. You’d better get down here, since DFCS has custody of Melissa.”
    “My God! I’m on my way. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Thank you.” Marah hung up and grabbed the notepad and her purse. On her way to the front office to sign out, she stopped at Luke Tyler’s office to let him know what she had just learned.
    “Good Lord, that poor child! Keep me informed, would you? I’ll let your supervisor know,” said Luke.
    “I will. Bye!” Melissa ran to the front office and signed out. At the hospital, she found the mother, Renee Jones waiting, pacing and wringing her hands outside the doors of the emergency department.
    “Renee, I am so sorry! What happened?”
    “They . . . they arrested Tom. They said he hurt her! My God, what will I do if she doesn’t live?” Renee dissolved into a new flood of tears, crying loudly.
    “Renee, please calm down. Were you there? What happened?”
    “My baby . . . please live, baby!”
    “Renee. Renee! I need to know what happened. How did Melissa get hurt so badly?”
    Renee ignored Marah’s urgent questions, continuing to pace and mutter to herself.
    Looking at her client, Marah was unable to determine if Renee was ignoring her or truly caught up in her grief and worry. Pulling her phone from her purse, she scrolled to Shayne Michaels’ number. She needed his calm and capable presence to help her get through to Renee – sooner rather than later.
    “Shayne Michaels here. How can I help you?”
    “Shayne, this is Marah Wilkes. I’m at Memorial Medical Center, in the emergency department. Our clients, Renee and Melissa Jones are here . . .” Marah explained the situation, ending with, “I need you to help me get through to Renee. I can’t get her to answer my questions. She says Tom’s been arrested, so . . .”
    “It looks like he hurt Melissa. I’m on my way. Give me twenty minutes,” Shayne said. True to his promise, Shayne strode into the emergency department, seeking Renee and Marah out.
    “Renee. Renee, I’m here to help you. We need to know how Melissa got hurt. I know you’re scared and hurting now – but you need to help your little girl. Let’s sit in this corner over here and talk about it. Would you like some water?” Shayne took over the situation masterfully, using a soft voice and rubbing Renee’s back as he comforted her.
    “Yes, yes I would like water. Melly – we told her she had to come inside. She said she wanted to play with her friend, and I told her she needed to come in for her bath. I used the methods you taught me, Shayne. Marah, I promise you! I used the good parenting! Melissa still refused to come in, so Tom tried. She looked at him and said ‘no.’ He got . . . got mad. He started raging on her, an’ I told him to calm down, that he didn’t need to yell at her. He ignored me, like he always does. He slammed the door open and ran outside. Grabbed her by her little arm and dragged her into the apartment. He was yelling at her, telling her she had to mind us. I told him to quiet down – I didn’t want him to . . . to wake up Scott. He shook Melissa and I told him we can’t do that any more.” Renee looked up to see two police officers approaching them. “Melissa, you have to be okay!”
    Marah had seen the officers out of the corner of her eye. Hmmm. She stopped telling us what Tom did just as they approached. She’s protecting him.
    “Renee, what did he do after he started to shake her? I know you’ve been using everything you’ve learned in your parenting classes. Keep protecting Melissa. She needs her mommy, okay?”
    “They