Save Me

5'

Cleo

I smile sadly and gently stroke Zendaya's hair before getting up. She's so young and innocent, and it horrible how she relies on a person who's hurt her so much in life. Sighing deeply, I grab her clipboard and look it over. She has 5 days left in here before she goes to a foster home.

That's gonna be rough for a pregnant teenager.

I purse my lips and look back over at her. Her innocent, beautiful face is streaked with dried up tears. I can really tell that this is the best sleep she's gotten in a long time. She's definitely knocked out cold. I smiled and turned, walking out of her room quietly. I walk down the hall, clutching Zendaya's clipboard, as a lady with brunette hair approaches me.

"Hello, can you tell me where Zendaya Coleman's room is?" She asks and I put on a smile.

"Yes, I just came from there. But she's asleep and she really needs her rest. Can you maybe come back a little later? What did you need to see her for?" I ask, tilting my head and she gasps.

"Oh! How rude of me! I'm Amanda Davis, I work with child services. Foster care." She nods and I grin.

"Of course, well I'm her nurse Cleopatra Onfroy, you can have my phone number and I'll contact you when she wakes up?" I offer and she takes my number, gratefully.

"Thank you so much. I really want to find Zendaya a beautiful home. She really deserves it by the looks of her background and file that I was reading in the car. Tragic right? I mean, I try to imagine if my kids were in these situations and I just crumble at the thought." She presses a hand to her heart and I frown.

Never did I really think of that.

"Yes it is tragic and never could I see my boys in those positions. It hurts to imagine that. Sorry to rush off, but I'm almost done with my shift, so if you don't mind?" I smile apologetically and she chuckles.

"No, my fault, I'm quite the talker. I'll be expecting your call. Again, thank you." She shakes my hand and walks off back down the hall.

She's a nice lady, but I'm not so sure of her being able to find a nice home for Zendaya. The agents for foster care and child services always are the nicest, then the homes they put the kids in are sometimes even worse as the one they were saved from. Shaking my head, I make the long journey out through the hospital and get to my car. Shuffling around in my armrest for my phone, I find it and quickly dial the number I usually call all the time. It rings for awhile before the raspy voice answers, laughing in the process.

"Aiden! Bro, get down — Hey momma, what's up?" He acknowledges me and I smiled.

"Hey Jahseh, how are you and Aiden?" I lean back in my seat and he laughs.

"We're good, momma. What's wrong? You only ever call us when you got a lot on your mind, ya know thinking too much." I can hear the worry in his voice and I smiled.

"Nothing, I just wanted to call and hear my babies voices. I've been working with a patient, she's really special. I just feel it... the connection with her." Placing my hand on my heart, I feel my eyes tear up and I can tell he feels my emotion.

"Momma? You good?" His raspy voice comes out draped in worry and I chuckle, wiping the tears that fell from my eyes.

"Yes baby I'm fine, just got emotional for a second. I really just want to help her, but I don't know how." I shake my head and stare out through my windshield, looking over the parking lot as the sunsets in the sky, making everything a orange purple-ish hue.

"Well why don't you talk it about with us at dinner tonight?" He suggests it so gently and I smiled at how much of a caring person my son is.

"That sounds great. Now put Aiden on the phone." I grin widely and he shouts away from the phone.

"Aiden! Momma wants to talk to you!" The line shuffles and suddenly his small voice speaks out.

"Hey mommy." I can imagine the huge toothless smile, from his previous loss teeth that he's smiling.

"Hey baby boy. What are you doing?" I smile softly as he rambles on about everything that he's done today and is doing.

Talking to my boys really just brightens my day.

                                           ~•~

I go back in the hospital, 30 minutes earlier than usual, so I can talk to Zendaya for a bit. Walking down the hall, I see an officer walking out of it. He sees me and smiles.

"Hello, I was just questioning her." His dark eyes set me off. It's creepy how they're green, but they seem... dark. I frowned.

"I hope you didn't disturb her. She really needs every ounce of sleep she can get." I use my nagging voice and he chuckles, running a hand through his brown hair.

"No ma'am I didn't, she was already awake and I know she does. Have a good day." He nods and walks off.

Something about him is throwing me off completely.

Shaking it off, I walk in Zendaya's room and she's awake, but she looks like she's just seen a ghost.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" I sit beside her and place my hand against her forehead.

"You feel alright? Did that police do something?" I scan her face quickly but her expression stays the same.

"N-No I'm fine. I-I just had a nightmare... that's all." She melts down from the horrified face and scans mine like I did to her.

"You're going home, Cleo?" She frowns and I widen my eyes, blinking rapidly.

Wow... how did she know?

"Yeah, but how can you tell?" I asked, smiling softly and she giggles.

"I can always tells when someone is leaving me. Even if it's not forever, I can tell. But thank you for staying here with me for most of the day. You're a beautiful person and you must have a beautiful family." She smiles and it's a sincere one.

"Thank you, Zendaya. And yes I do, I love them all so much." I stroke her hair and she sighs, then speak words that I will never forget.

"Promise me something, Cleo? Promise me you will never stop loving them, even if they stop loving you. Cause they will eventually need you again and you'll need to be there to help them. Even if it hurts your pride, even if it kills you. They'll need you and you'll have to help them. Promise me you'll always help them. No matter what."

~•~

"Wow. She made you promise that?" I look over at my husband Dwayne as we sit around the dinner table. I just finished telling them about Zendaya. Aiden doesn't really understand, but he listens cause he's a sweetheart.

"Yes she did. Isn't it so deep and emotional?" I pop a forkful of steak in my mouth and Jahseh sighs.

"Yooo that's crazy." He adjusts his chain, well choker is what he calls it.

I then bite down on my lip, about to suggest a big change for our family.

"Everyone, I have something to say." I hold my breath and they all look at me, watching me, waiting for my announcement.

"I really feel connected to Zendaya. I think a foster home would break her heart and well... I want to offer her to live here... with us."

~•~

Do you think Zendaya will end up living with the Onfroy's? Will she say say yes?

How will the rest of the Onfroy family react to Cleo's announcement?