Charlie was relieved that going home didn’t seem too appealing. “What do you really want?” she prodded gently.
“I want to see him.” Michelle looked up at her and she seemed so young, too young, to be dealing with something this huge.
“In order to see him, you’re going to have to tell people who you are. And even then, I can’t promise it’ll happen.”
“Can’t you just … I don’t know, help me see him somehow? I promise I won’t even say who I am. I just want to see him.”
Charlie closed her eyes and prayed for the right words. “I can’t do that, Michelle. I can’t lie for you. I can help you, absolutely, but not by lying.” She thanked God that today Meggie had offered to look after Daniel at the cottage. How awkward it would be if he were here, like he normally was, and started crying.
She saw Michelle’s hands start to shake. “You mean I have to turn myself into the police?”
“Yes.” Charlie nodded. “But I’ll help you with that. And the officers here are very nice. You don’t have to be afraid of them.”
“But what if they put me in jail?” Michelle’s eyes were wild now. “I made a mistake. I don’t want to go to jail. I just want to see my baby. Be sure he’s okay. I never meant for any of this to happen!”
Charlie reached out and rubbed Michelle’s knee, hoping it was calming and reassuring. “I know.” She’d seen people with no remorse before, with no conscience. This wasn’t like that. Michelle was as much in need of a social worker as her baby. Her records said she was only nineteen. Barely out of high school and alone and pregnant with no support. Desperation could drive people to do strange things. “I promise I’ll help you. And I know for sure that coming forward will make things easier on you. You need to do this, Michelle. For yourself and for your son.”
Michelle nodded a little, and a few tears trembled on her lashes. “I’m just scared.”
“I know. But you don’t have to do this alone now. We can help you get some support, okay?”
“Dr. Yang?”
“Yes?”
“You’re a very kind person.”
Charlie’s heart softened even further. She was nearly tempted to explain that she knew he was doing well because she was looking after the baby, but that might cause more trouble than solutions, so she held her tongue. The situation was complicated enough as it was.
Michelle took a deep breath and let it out, almost as if fortifying herself for what was to come. “Do you think I could talk to them here instead of having to walk into the police station? I’d feel like such a … a criminal.” Her cheeks flushed.
“You’re welcome to use the room here, no problem,” Charlie replied, hugely relieved.
Michelle nodded.
“Okay. I’ll be back in a bit, once I make a few calls. You’ll wait here?”
She nodded again. “I promise.”
Charlie left and went straight to her office to make the necessary calls, and then grabbed a juice box and a couple of granola bars from the kitchen. Michelle looked like she could use something to eat, and while it wasn’t much, it might put some color back in her cheeks. She delivered the snack and gave Josh an update, then met with Todd Smith and a female officer who had come along on the call and filled them in on what she knew. By that time the social worker had arrived and it was time to get the ball rolling.
Charlie entered the exam room once more. “Michelle, this is Marissa Longfellow. She’s the case worker.”
“Hi, Michelle. It’s very good to meet you.”
“I don’t want to go to jail,” Michelle stated quickly. “I just wanted to know he was okay, you know?”
“He’s perfectly fine, so you don’t have to worry about that. Right now I’m here to help you. Together we’re going to sort everything out, okay?”
Charlie put her hand on Michelle’s shoulder. “The two of you can use the room for as long as you want. I’ll be in my office if you need anything.”
She left, took a precious few minutes to pour herself a cup of coffee, and then retreated to her office to make sense of the afternoon’s events.
*