8This chapter is I'm sure, is not truly what would happen in this type of situation. So this is total writer's imagination :)
Lena was a kind soul. She cleaned the wound on my head, telling me that she was a nurse at the local hospital. She asked me all sorts of questions. How long had I been living next door? What happened to my head?
Not long after the man disappeared, did he reappear with some police officers and a tired looking woman in an ill-fitting suit.
"Hello, my name is Ms. Brocklehurst. Are you Jane Eyre?"
I nodded.
"I'll need you to come with us." She motioned to the men.
I jumped off the counter and thanked Lena for her kindness and the inconvenience of my being there. She waved her hand in the air dismissing my comment and kissed my forehead.
"God be with you," she whispered.
I was scooped up by one of the police officers and carried outside to a dark car. He opened the door and sat me down. Ms. Brocklehurst came around with a pair of my shoes, a jacket and a blanket.
I put on the clothing and covered with the blanket. Soon we were driving away from the cul-de-sac. I looked out the window, the sign Gate's Head passed by.
The heater and the sound of the car became like a lullaby. I woke up when Ms. Brocklehurst shook my shoulder. She held my hand as she led me into some sort of office building.
We went into a room that looked like a kitchen with a round table in the middle. She motioned me to sit. She took the seat across from me.
"Jane it seems you are having some problems at home. I need to know what transpired last night."
I told her in no great detail what my cousin John had done and how my aunt threw me outside.
"Miss Eyre, I had a chance to speak with your aunt on the phone a while ago, and her story does not corroborate with yours," she dismissed my report. "It seems that in the past you've caused trouble for your aunt and cousins, lashing out or acting up. Is this true?"
I could not believe what this woman was telling me, "I am not a liar!"
"Are you saying your aunt is a liar?"
I bit my lip, nodding my head.
"Miss Eyre, do you wish to return to your aunt's home? Or would you like to go into foster care?" Her stony eyes looked at me with trepidation. "Those are your only options as you have no living relative."
I inhaled deeply. Would my fate be better if I left the Reed home? Would I find some sort of happiness? Would I be loved?
"Foster care," I said firmly, my mind made up.
"You do understand what this means? Mrs. Reed will sign away all rights to you, you'll be an orphan."
"I already am an orphan Ms. Brocklehurst."
She sighed,"Alright. I'll speak with Mrs. Reed. I'll collect your things while I'm there."
