“No, I… I was just at the gas station when Emma arrived. I followed because…” I trailed off, not sure how to explain my compulsion to see this through.
“Because you witnessed something extraordinary,” Mrs. Patterson finished. “A child running toward danger to find safety. It changes how you see the world, doesn’t it?”
“What happens to Emma now?” I asked.
“Emergency custody will need to be arranged,” Mrs. Patterson said. “Foster care, most likely, unless—”
“She stays with me,” Tank interrupted. “I’m licensed for emergency placement. Have been for fifteen years.”
He pulled out his wallet, showing official documentation. “We’ve done this before. Kids who come to us for sanctuary often need somewhere safe to stay while the legal system catches up.”
Mrs. Patterson smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that. Emma, would you like to stay with Tank until your mommy gets better?”
Emma nodded vigorously. “Can Phoenix come too? And Bones? And Scratch?”
“We’ll all be around,” Phoenix assured her. “That’s what Guardians do. We stay until you don’t need us anymore.”
The next few hours were a blur of paperwork, official procedures, and legal documentation. Through it all, the Guardians maintained their protective presence around Emma. When a social worker arrived to interview her, Tank and Phoenix stayed in the room, their presence clearly comforting to the traumatized child.Continue reading…
