Custody
"And why do you think that you should still be the mother of your child?"
"I will always be the mother of my child. I gave birth to her."
"That is not what we mean. That is true but this is to figure out if you are safe for your child."
"I understand that." Maya kept her eyes down and averted from Cory.
-
"When was the last time he raped you?"
Maya tightened her grip around her arms, eyes looking a bot to the side and down to avoid his or anyones. He placed the pages of sketches and words in front of her. "You're mother brought this man into your life many times. Did she know what he was doing to you?"
"Objection, your honor."
"Objection suspended." Maya looked up to the judge and then back at the man, slouching.
"You wrote that she found out. When and how did she find out?" Maya looked down.
"He did it to me in front of her."
"And she didn't do anything."
"It's not her fault. He could have hurt her." It did nothing. Her mother would no longer hold custody of her.
///
Cory watched from a distance as Maya broke out if her foster mothers grip in the parking lot.
"Ten times more likely to commit a crime. Seven times as likely to depend on drugs. Forty eight percent chance she will end up unemployed in four years out if foster care." Riley recited from memory, grabbing onto his hand. "Why won't you take her in?"
"I don't want to know if we aren't good enough to fix her." He watched as Maya struggled from the two people grabbing onto her.
"You can't. But won't she have a better chance at life."
"I'm not sure If I can do anything for her."
"But I can." Maya slid down the car, sitting on the ground with someone holding her arm as she pushed her foster moms arm away.
"Riley, you can't. She needs help and I don't want to face that I cant do that for her."
"But-"
"Riley."
"I hate you. You wont even try with her. I thought you cared about her like I do but you don't!"
"I do-"
"Then try." Cory nodded and made his way over to her, sitting criss cross next to her. Her foster mom went back around the car.
"You calmed down?" She nodded, taking a breath.
"What's wrong with me."
"Nothing. You're not able to control it."
"I'm not able to control myself. It won't end."
"It will,"
"You have no idea how hard I try."
"It's okay. It'll come over time."
"And in that time, what, I go from home to home until people get sick of me?"
"They aren't sick of you. They're just- I don't know Maya. Since I read the back of those drawings, I just don't know anything."
"I'm sorry. I wish I never wrote or drew them."
"You should never wish that. They could have saved your life. If you got sent home, you wouldn't be safe."
"I would."
"You wouldn't."
"Cory." Said Topanga, coming around the car. "Don't push her."
"She needs to face the truth. She deserves to be out of her home but that is anything but a bad thing. I've been looking at statistics of foster kids but not of kids that grow up abused and raped and I'm sure they are bad so i'd rather have you being foster kid." His words were directed back and forth amongst the two, the last part being specifically directed to Maya, though she was to hear it all. He pushed his self back to his feet, helping her up.
"Thanks?" She said, confused about what he'd said.
"I'll see you around." He grabbed onto his wife's hand and began to make his way back, turning one more time once at a distance to see her standing with her arms by her side, looking at them plainly he head having followed her eyes, gently, head slightly tilted. Then she ran to them, arms wrapping around Cory tight. After a moment of surprise, he put his arms around her too. Without looking up at him, she slid out and ran back to her foster mothers car.
"Can't you adopt her?" Said Riley, jumping out if his car.
"This is to be discussed at another time." Riley smiled, knowing progress was made.
"And she has to agree." Said Topanga.