Chapter 2 - The Paper
Mom tried to smile.
"Nothing. Lauren is upset."
"She hit my baby and left you a warning," I said. "That doesn't sound like nothing."
Dad pushed back from the table. "Rachel, take Emma home. We'll talk later."
James didn't move.
"We'll talk now."
His voice stayed low, but Dad heard the difference.
Mom sat slowly. "It was only paperwork."
My stomach tightened.
"What paperwork?"
She looked at me, then at Emma, who was hiccupping against my shoulder.
"When James deployed, you were exhausted. You were barely sleeping. Lauren worried about you."
I stared at her. "Lauren worried about me?"
"We all did."
James folded his arms. "What did you sign?"
Mom's eyes filled with tears. "An emergency guardianship form. Just in case something happened while you were overseas."
For a second, I genuinely thought I had misunderstood her.
"For Emma?"
"It was temporary."
"Who was the guardian?"
Mom looked toward the doorway Lauren had just disappeared through.
I felt cold from the inside out.
"Lauren?"
"Rachel, it was never used."
James pulled out his phone. "Where is the document?"
Dad stood. "This is family business."
James looked at him. "My daughter is my family business."
Mom rushed toward the desk in the living room. She opened a drawer and removed a blue folder.
I took it from her.
The first page said TEMPORARY EMERGENCY CARE AUTHORIZATION.
My name appeared beneath it.
So did James's.
I looked at him.
He was staring at his signature.
"I never signed this," he said.
Mom stopped breathing.
I flipped to the next page.
There was another signature.
May you like
Mine.
And I had never signed it either.
