Finally, everyone had said all they could say, Eva had given Drew a hug and a speaking look and taken Troy’s hand, and it was time to go.
***
Pauline
“You eighteen yet?” Betty at the sheriff’s office front desk frowned at Drew.
He glanced at Pauline. “No.”
“Your mom’s gotta be here, then. Where’s Marsha?”
Pauline stepped forward. Her heart was in her throat. “Marsha’s been missing for a little while,” she said to Betty. “Left a note for the kids and disappeared.” Upon reflection, she added, “I suppose we’re filing a missing persons report about that, as well. But I’m the next closest relative the kids have. Marsha’s cousin.”
Betty assessed her. “You want custody if the parent can’t be located? Because that’s what you’re setting yourself up for, here.”
Pauline nodded firmly. “Yes.” The word felt golden in her mouth.
Betty nodded slowly. “Okay. We got some paperwork, and I’ll get the sheriff out for you.”
Pauline sighed out a long breath, looking over at Drew. He looked a little shellshocked. “Are you really sure?” he asked her.
“Really and truly,” Pauline said. Carlos, who’d been a solid presence behind her, stepped up and laid a hand on Drew’s shoulder.
“Both of us, kid,” he said.
Drew stared back at him. “You barely know me.”
“I know the quality I’ve seen in you the last couple of days,” Carlos said quietly. “And I know Pauline better than I’ve ever known anyone in my life. That’s what being mates is. I want us to be a family.”
“Here’s your paperwork.” Betty gave them a long look over her glasses; Pauline got the sense that it meant Take your squishy feelings elsewhere and bring back my forms when you’re done.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s go sit down and fill these out.”
***
“I want to make a statement first,” Pauline said to Sheriff Misty Dale, before Drew could speak up at all.
“Okay,” said the sheriff slowly. “About what?”
“About this.” Pauline held up the Mysterious Package.
“Wait a second,” Drew protested.
“Nope,” Pauline said. “Me first.”
Misty looked back and forth between Pauline, Drew, the package, and finally the warm, hulking presence of Carlos standing behind them. “Well, I can see that this is going to take some unraveling,” she said. She pointed at Pauline. “Since you volunteered, you first.”
Pauline gave Drew a reassuring smile and followed Misty back into a room.
She was reassured when it was just a room with a couple of chairs and a table, no two-way mirror like in the movies.
“Okay, Pauline, what’s up?” Misty asked her.
Misty was in her mid-forties, about Pauline’s age—they’d been in school together, although they hadn’t been friends. Misty had been heavily involved in sports and had had a very strict father, while Pauline had had a much more relaxed high school crowd. Mostly centered around Gary, of course. She had a brief recollection of high-school-age Misty turning up her nose at the idea of shaping your life around whatever some boy wanted.
They hadn’t gotten to know each other as adults at all, and Pauline had never run into Misty in her professional capacity, but she hoped that long-ago acquaintance would help a little.
“This kid needs help,” Pauline said.