Here I am. Send Me.--Chapter Four

Evelyn and Chris visit Leyla, the little girl who was just threatened by her own mother.

CHAPTER FOUR

At the CTC, Amanda handed the keys to the company car over to Evelyn, who took the wheel. Chris moved to the front passenger seat.

"Do you mind if we stop for lunch?" Chris asked, "I skipped breakfast and I'm getting pretty hungry."

"There's a Bojangles up here on the right, if that's okay."

"That's fine. Drive-thru?"

"Let's go inside. I could use a mental break before we go to the grandmother's house."

It took about ten minutes to get their food, and they sat next to a window, feeling the rays of the sun warm them through the window.

Chris chewed and swallowed some chicken, "Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

The question caught her with a mouthful, and she chewed hurriedly to force it down. "Bring it on."

"If we get a mental health diversion for Josey, what does that look like?"

"First, Amanda must decide if she's going to recommend it. Josey was arrested for a violent crime, and she nearly killed her daughter. If she does make the recommendation, then the district attorney's office has to decide if they will support it or oppose it. Then it goes to the judge to make the final decision.

"If the court decides in favor of the diversion, then he or she will grant a continuance to the trial and set the conditions and time limits for the continuance. Then Josey becomes our problem."

"Problem?"

"Yep, we have to find a bed for her. That will usually be at Waterview."

"I haven't heard of that one."

"It's in Carthage."

"That's, like, an hour away, right? Why so far?"

"There's a nationwide shortage of psychiatric beds and we can only use hospitals who agree to accept what we pay. So, we take what we can get. Waterview has a locked ward specially designed for dangerous patients and that's where Josey will go until a doctor or the court says otherwise.

"Then, once Josey reaches the court's deadline, she reports for trial. Sometimes, the district attorney drops the charges. Other times, the judge gives a summary dismissal and it's all over and the patient goes home. Still other times, the trial goes on, and the chips of justice fall where they fall."

They tossed the detritus of their meal into the garbage cans next to the door and finished the drive to Rachel Marshall's home. With her attention not focused on a crisis, Evelyn was able to take a closer look at the house. It was a combination of red brick and white vinyl siding. The mortar in the brick was severely cracked, and the siding was aged to the point that it had grown brittle and had small sections broken away. One of the shutters was missing and others had once been a hunter green color but were now faded to a mottled lime green. The front door was the same color. One of the windowpanes had been replaced with cardboard.

Evelyn pushed the doorbell, and they heard nothing. Chris rapped on the door. After a few more seconds, footsteps came from inside and the door opened to reveal a slightly overweight man in his mid-twenties. "Can I help you?"

"Cal?" Evelyn guessed.

"Yes. That's me. Who are you?"

"I'm Evelyn Dunham. I'm with the Metro Partner-in-Care program. I was here yesterday..."

"You're with Metro? How's Josey?"

"She's okay. We just came from meeting with her. Her arraignment is later today."

"I know. She was allowed to call me this morning."

Chris stretched out a hand, "I'm Chris Leighton, the chaplain for the Partner-in-Care Program."

"A chaplain?"

"Josey requested clergy when she was arrested."

"I guess I can see that. She's gotten pretty wrapped up in Momma's church since she and Leyla started living here."

Evelyn took back over. "Mr. Marshall, this is a wellness check. We're hoping to see where Leyla will be living and speak with her primary caregivers and make sure that she is safe and well cared for."

Cal's attitude changed. "We already filled out the paperwork on-line that the Child Services people sent to us. They told me that it was just a formality since I'm her father."

Evelyn smiled, "They're right. It pretty much is, but Leyla went through a lot yesterday and, honestly, I was a little stressed, and I may have missed something that I should have seen. It's a part of Josey's assessment."

"Okay, come on in, then."

As they stepped into the same small house which Evelyn had entered less than twenty-four hours before, she noticed that her memory played it dark and full of shadows, while, in reality, the sun streamed through the windows and the interior was brightly lit. She heard a woman humming from the kitchen.

Cal called out, "Momma! There're some people here from Metro Government."

Rachel Marshall stepped out of the kitchen wearing faded blue jeans and a tattered T-shirt bearing the red lips of The Rolling Stones. Her scan passed by Chris and lit on Evelyn. "Oh, it's you."

Having saved the woman's granddaughter the day before, Evelyn had expected a more emotional greeting. She bit back a sarcastic reply. "Yes ma'am. We were hoping to have a word with Leyla if she's here."

Cal answered, "Yes. We kept her home from school today since she went through so much yesterday."

"How's she been doing?"

Evelyn posed the question to Cal, but Rachel answered, "How do you expect since that nutcase of a mother tried to kill her!"

Cal's voice was sharp, "Momma!"

Rachel turned and stormed back into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry. Momma isn't Josey's biggest fan."

"I understand. Now about Leyla?"

Cal looked back over his shoulder toward the kitchen and then turned back. "She wet the bed last night. It was the first time in years."

"That's not abnormal after a traumatic event. How is her social interaction?"

"Social interaction?"

"Is she smiling, talking, laughing, crying, wanting to be with people, wanting to be alone. Stuff like that."

He thought for a moment. "It's kind of hard to tell. She never was a big talker but she's probably a little quieter than usual. She asks for things and answers questions but that's about it. She's been up in her room alone all day. But that's normal for her. She seems to like being by herself. Sometimes she just lies in her bed and thinks."

"Thinks? Does she tell you what she thinks about?"

"Josey used to ask her. Leyla would just say 'stuff.' She doesn't have any friends that we know of. Josey told me that Leyla's teacher said that the other kids pick on her."

"Did Josey take the lead role with Leyla?"

He looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen where his mother had resumed her chores. "I'm trying to make some money and get better routes from my job. Josey hasn't been able to get a job, so I go where I'm sent. I just started getting the long routes that pay better. I need to get on those before the company will loan me the money to buy my own rig and then I can start making some better money and maybe we can afford our own place... I mean... if... I don't know what's going to happen now."

Chris spoke for the first time, "It wasn't an accusation. We know how hard it is to make ends meet nowadays."

Evelyn was slightly annoyed at the interruption but smiled and nodded, "Exactly, I'm just trying to get a handle on how much time Josey spent with Leyla."

"She was with her all of the time except when Leyla was in school."

Chris spoke again, "How about your mother? Does she spend a lot of time with Leyla?"

"A good bit, I suppose. She and Josey didn't get along all that well."

Really? What tipped you off?

Evelyn bit back the sarcastic thought. "As I said, we would like to speak with Leyla for a few minutes."

He turned his head toward the kitchen again and raised his voice, "Mama, they're wanting to talk with Leyla."

The older woman's voice came back, "Go ahead and let 'em. They're the Government. They'll do what they want anyway."

Cal smiled weakly, "Leyla's in her room." He led them into a short hallway with two doors on the left and a single bathroom at the end. The first door was open. He stopped and looked in. "Leyla? Some people are here wanting to speak with you."

The little girl was sitting on the floor holding a headless doll. The doll's head was across the room and carefully propped up on the windowsill, pointed outward.

Evelyn took a tentative step into the room, "Hi Leyla. Do you remember me?"

The seven-year-old looked up blankly at Evelyn, shook her head, and returned her gaze to the doll. Evelyn's last gasp at being welcomed as a hero died with the child's voiceless gesture.

She looked back at Cal, "Do you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?"

"Can I say no?"

Evelyn shrugged, "Of course. I'm just a contractor to the government. I have no authority."

He again looked toward the kitchen and opened his mouth to call out, seemed to think better of it, and looked past Evelyn at his daughter. "Will you be okay if I leave you alone with these people, Leyla?"

The girl looked at Evelyn, then Chris, then her father, and shrugged.

"I'll be right around the corner if you need me, Punkin."

She didn't respond.

Chris stayed at the door while Evelyn stepped into the room and sat on the floor next to Leyla. "Leyla, my name's Evelyn. I met you yesterday."

The girl didn't look up. "Yesterday was just a bad dream."

"Who told you that?"

"Mee-maw."

Evelyn looked up at Chris. He looked just as perplexed as she felt.

"Do you know where your mommy is?"

"She left and she's not coming back."

"Did your Mee-maw tell you that, too?"

The girl nodded her head.

"How does that make you feel?"

A shrug.

Evelyn tried a different tack, "What's your doll's name?"

"She doesn't have a name. She used to. But then she lost her head, so she doesn't need a name anymore."

"Could she get her head back?" Evelyn and Chris both looked at the doll's head on the windowsill.

"No. Once it's gone, it's gone."

"Why do you think that?"

"Humpty Dumpty."

That made sense. "Did you learn about Humpty Dumpty at school?"

Another nod.

"When did your doll lose her head?"

"Yesterday."

"Did you take her head off?"

"No. Mommy did."

"Are you afraid of your Mommy?"

A shake of the head.

"Are you afraid of anyone here that you live with... your father... your Mee-maw?"

Another shake of the head. The girl had a slight glistening of perspiration on her forehead.

"Do you want to stay here?"

A shrug.

Evelyn looked around the room. There were two beds, one a double and one a single jammed into the small room, but it was reasonably clean, heated, and kept out the elements.

She looked at Chris and gestured with her head toward the living room.

Chris leaned back into the hallway. "Mr. Marshall."

Cal was there in seconds. "Is everything okay?"

Evelyn rose to her feet. "Everything's fine but can we speak for a moment in the front room?"

Cal nodded and led them out of the bedroom. Leyla stayed alone. Rachel had been eavesdropping in the small house and met them in the living room.

Evelyn started with her, "I'm not sure that telling Leyla that her mother left and is never coming back is in the child's best interest right now."

"My Cal's not the sharpest tool in the toolshed but after yesterday he knows that that woman is dangerous and should never see my granddaughter again."

Cal's back stiffened. "That's my decision, Mama. And I haven't made it yet. I want to talk to Josey first."

"Josey's evil. And the sooner you realize that the better for all of us."

Evelyn interrupted what was shaping to be a family drama, "I also don't think you should be telling her that yesterday was just a bad dream."

Rachel was defiant, "You've known her for less than a day. You don't know what's good for her. I'm her Mee-maw."

Evelyn turned back to Cal, "I would strongly recommend that you look into finding a therapist for Leyla."

His head dropped, "I don't have any health insurance. And I don't have the money yet. I will soon, though..." He looked at his mother before finishing "as soon as I can get my own rig."

Evelyn pulled out a business card and handed it to him, "If you send me an e-mail, I'll reply with a list of some organizations that you can contact which might be able to help with your costs."

He took the card, "I'll do that as soon as I can get over to the coffee shop where they have the free Wi-Fi. My phone plan isn't so good."

Chris saw Evelyn's weight distributing toward the front door and spoke up, "Mr. Marshall, would it be okay if I prayed with your daughter?"

Rachel stepped forward. "Are you a preacher?"

"Yes ma'am. Fully ordained."

He expected her to say something else, but no words came.

Cal looked at his mother, who gave him a slight nod. "That would be okay, I guess."

They made their way back and all squeezed into the tiny bedroom. Chris dropped down to a knee next to Leyla. She looked up at him curiously. He reached his hand toward her but did not make contact. "Heavenly Father, we come to you to ask for your healing presence..."

Leyla screamed.