Sirens blared and lights were everywhere as we pulled up. The ride along I was on that night was in a bustling and quite active area of the city. As I was standing, near enough to hear the victim and his plethora of angry words it became clear to me that this wasn't his first rodeo. As grateful as I was to have this first hand look at what these 'big city' police encounter day in and day out I was all too ready to leave the scene. While back in the squad a sense of relief rushed over me with the thought of "well that was quite the night". To be clear, that was only the second call of the night and less than two hours into the shift.
My breathing regulated as my heart regained its normal rhythm.
My cell phone rang and with the words my husband spoke I was sure he was pulling a fast one. Not so much!
As I stood near that victim (that did survive by the way) in one city three little ones miles away in another watched as their parents lie passed out. How long they were in that environment was not told to us but without doubt was days. My husband proceeded to inform me of the words of the officers when he got the call. These wee ones were covered in their own feces and starving. I knew we were on call that night but it had been slow so I felt confident that Jason wouldn't get a call and have to solo it. Oops! First things first here. Those same officers that called my husband did so post bathing these children not just once but several times and feeding them. They came to our home cleaned up and fed! Unfortunately bringing along heads full of lice thus bringing the Neal home lice numbers into the twenties with not once infecting a Neal. Yes this is a claim to fame!
When I finally arrived home my husband and some dear friends had again bathed and fed, played with and read too the wee ones. They were all fast asleep upon my return looking like, albeit worn out, nonetheless angels.
In the month they were with us we laughed like never before, pulled our hair out as never expected, and cried a flood of tears for the pain we saw in them. Two of these darlings didn't answer to their names so we gave them fun nicknames while the third only referred to herself in third person. My heart broke knowing that they were most likely never called by their names and my mind couldn't even imagine what they were called. What mattered was that we had a short time to pour all the love on them we could and allow them to be the beautiful children they were. That month flew by and s fast as they entered our lives they left our house. However they will never for one moment leave our hearts. The memories of these three and the ways they changed our lives, the many things they taught us, those are the things never to be forgotten.
These children were fought for, spoken for, advocated for, and wept for by every officer, social worker, physician, and all those close to us. They were loved. They were protected. Their story, their direction was changed by this team. Healing and hope began.