we’re here because we have terrible news about your brother Michael and sister-in-law Tanya.”
“What about them?!” Ellen demanded to know in a worried tone.
“There was an accident on the highway…” Jared was only able to get out.
“They’re okay though, right?!” Ellen quickly interrupted with.
“I’m… I’m afraid not,” Jared informed. “They died after reaching the hospital.”
Ellen’s knees buckled slightly and before she fell completely, she went to sit down at where she was standing.
Detective Bradshaw went to catch her, but before he could she uttered, “No! I need to sit!”
“Okay,” Detective Bradshaw said while backing off and allowing her to sit.
Just after Ellen sat down she cried into her hands.
Jared waited for a brief moment before squatting next to Ellen and saying gently, “Before Tanya died, the doctor was successfully able to deliver her daughter.”
Ellen raised her head slightly before asking in a slight stupor, “The baby’s alive?”
“She is,” Jared said before stating at what hospital her niece was in.
“I’m an aunt,” Ellen said somberly.
“Ellen, I’ll need you to come with me,” Jared informed her before he stood again.
“Come with… where?” Ellen asked somberly.
“There’s a foster couple with a room prepared for you,” Jared said. “They’re caring for two kids already so…”
“No!” Ellen quickly uttered in an unyielding tone.
“Being that you’re a minor, you can’t stay here alone,” Jared told her.
“I want to see my niece,” Ellen insisted.
“I’m sure Mr. and Mrs. Hunter will allow it during visitation hours,” Jared said.
Ellen stood up and demanded through her clench teeth, “I want to see my niece now!”
Before Jared or the two detectives could respond, there was a knock at the door followed by a woman calling out, “Ellen! It’s Jane.”
“She’s my neighbor,” Ellen supplied as Detective Brad-shaw moved towards the door.
Detective Bradshaw pulled out his badge, and once he opened the door, he held it up for Jane to see.
After a second of staring at the badge, Jane faced Ellen before saying, “Ellen can be headstrong and at times a smart-aleck, but she’s no criminal or troublemaker.”
“Mike and Tanya are dead,” Ellen got out before she began sobbing again.
“Dead?!” Jane uttered in a shocked tone. “How?!”
“They were involved in an accident on the highway,” Detective Bradshaw said. “The doctor was able to save their baby though.”
“Okay, well, may I enter?” Jane strongly requested. “So I can console her.”
Detective Bradshaw gestured for her to proceed while saying, “Come in.”
Seconds later, as Ellen was embracing Jane’s consoling hug, Jane asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?”
Ellen pulled back and as she wiped the tears from her eyes, she asked, “Can I stay with you tonight?”
“Yes, of course,” Jane said.
Ellen faced Jared before asking in a snippy tone, “That’s okay, right?”
“It will be okay for tonight… what’s left of it anyway,” Jared said. “Until you reach eighteen though, a more stable residence for you must be found. Of course finding you a stable home would be a lot easier if you had living relatives.”
“I do have living relatives,” Ellen quickly said.
“You do?” Jared questioned in a surprised tone. “I was under the impression that Mike was your only living blood relative.”
Ellen shook her head while saying, “My dad—Mitchell Anderson—is still alive and kicking… somewhere. Of course the last report on him was three years ago just after he had gotten out of prison, so that could’ve change since then. And my dad has a twin brother… who I’ve never met, so spin the wheel on if he’s still alive…”
“Okay, so you don’t know the whereabouts of any living blood relative?” Jared asked.
Ellen shook her head before saying, “I consider Tanya’s brother Harry and his wife Allyson as family.”
“Yes, well, for you to live with your sister-in-law’s relatives is one option I can bring up to my supervisor,” Jared told her. “Of course Harry and Allyson will have to agree to it.”
Ellen grinned before saying, “They like me, so I don’t think that they will refuse to let me live with them for a couple of years.”
Jared nodded before saying, “Okay, well, I’ll let you go home with Jane for right now and I’ll see you in a few hours. And hopefully by then, I will have better news for you.”
Ellen nodded before saying, “You can take your time getting back to me… unless Harry and Allyson agree for me to move in with them.”
Jared amusingly grinned before saying, “Goodnight, Ellen.”
Ellen slightly waved while echoing, “Goodnight.”
Detective Bradshaw, his partner and Jane also echoed, “Goodnight.”
Detective Bradshaw, his partner and Jared then left the house, and once the door was shut behind them, Jane told Ellen, “Go grab what you’ll need, honey.”
“Can you take me to the hospital… to see my niece?” Ellen asked before she told her which hospital.
“You should rest a while…” Jane was only able to get out.
“I don’t need to,” Ellen insisted.
“You look exhausted.”
“I’m fine,” Ellen again insisted.
“Humor me and sleep… actually sleep for an hour, and then I’ll take you to the hospital,” Jane prompted.
Ellen slightly hesitated before sighing and saying, “Fine. I’ll sleep for an hour.”
“Okay,” Jane said with a grin. “Now go get your things. You’ll sleep at my place.”
Ellen nodded before turning and walking towards the stairs.
Within
