Colleen and Ray adopted a young boy and found him the next day feeding a baby in his room. Alarming revelations followed that changed the couple’s lives forever…
Ray raised an eyebrow at Colleen, who was all about organic and healthy eating, making boxed macaroni and cheese. “Have you ever made boxed macaroni and cheese?”
“This is for Ben. He’s been so calm,” Colleen replied, mixing the cheese into the pasta. “I read somewhere that kids don’t necessarily like vegetables or new things right away. I thought this might please him.”
Ray patted her shoulders. “He’s still adjusting, sweetie. We just brought him home. Everything is new. Our little trips or walks aren’t the magic solution. But hey, comfort food? It might help.”
They invited the 6-year-old boy to dinner. He came, hesitant, but he seemed quicker, somehow more eager. “Are you a fan of macaroni and cheese?” Colleen attempted small talk. Ben only nodded, wolfing down his meal. It was great to see him eat, but the worry wouldn’t leave Colleen.
“Can I… uh, leave?” Ben mumbled, putting his plate in the dishwasher.
“Sure, darling,” she allowed, worry etching lines across her face. Ben ignored it, already darting off to his room.
Ray exhaled deeply. “We should talk to him.”
Once the dishes were done, they went upstairs. Ben’s door was slightly ajar, so Ray nudged it instead of knocking. “Kid, we thought we’d…” He stopped mid-sentence. Ben was there, startled, leaping out of bed. And the shocking thing was, he was feeding a strange baby, a tiny bundle of joy in a pink blanket, looking snuggly and content with a bottle.
Colleen and Ray couldn’t believe their eyes. This was a twist they hadn’t seen coming…
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“Well, whose baby is it?” Colleen asked.
“She’s my sister,” Ben replied, looking nervous.
“Your sister?” Colleen asked, confused.
“Not really. She’s a new kid from my old foster home. I couldn’t leave her,” Ben explained.
Colleen suggested calling Mrs. Campbell, the foster family coordinator, but Ben protested. “No! She can’t take her back. Mr. and Mrs. Franklin, my foster parents, aren’t good people!”
“What do you mean?” Colleen asked, taking the baby from him.
“They’re mean. She’ll be in danger,” Ben insisted fearfully.
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Colleen and Ray exchanged worried glances. Ben revealed that Mr. Franklin had hurt him.
Ray comforted Ben. “You don’t have to be afraid. We’ll help you.”
Eventually, Ben fell asleep in Ray’s arms, the baby safe in Colleen’s.
Ray wrapped Ben in his blanket, and he and Colleen went outside with the baby.
“What are we going to do?” Colleen whispered. “We can’t keep the baby. We’ll get arrested.”
“I don’t know,” Ray replied. “But I don’t think Ben is lying.”
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“WHERE IS SHE?!” Ben shouted, waking up unexpectedly.
“She’s here, Ben,” Colleen reassured him as he ran towards her.
“Well, we need something concrete. What did the Franklins do?” Ray asked.
“They hit me with a belt… and filmed it,” Ben choked out.
Colleen’s eyes widened in horror. Ray asked if Ben had told Mrs. Campbell.
“No, but she must know. She keeps sending kids home,” Ben said.
Ray thought about it, then decided, “Okay… okay… we won’t put her back there.”
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Colleen agreed. “But we can’t keep it a secret, Ben. I know someone in Ms. Campbell’s department who can help us. We can do something about this,” Colleen said as she took Ben back to bed. Later, Ray called Alana, a Child Protective Services employee. “I’m sorry to call so late, Alana. We have a situation…”
***
At home, Alana listened to Ben’s story. “Do you think Ben is lying?” Ray asked.
“I don’t think so,” Alana replied. “Kids in bad situations often hide the truth. If he told you, he trusts you.”
Alana admitted that she suspected something was wrong with the Franklins. “The kids get kicked out of their homes a lot.”
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“What do we do about the baby then?” Colleen asked.
“I’ll allow you to be her foster parents temporarily,” Alana decided. “I’ll have to be discreet. But this is my problem. Don’t tell anyone. Let me know if Mrs. Campbell calls or anything.”
Colleen and Ray agreed to keep the situation quiet and protect Ben and the baby.
The next two days were quiet until Colleen’s phone rang. She froze when she saw Mrs. Campbell’s name. Ben was home, so she went outside and nervously answered it.
“Good morning ?”
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“Mrs. Ferguson, how are you?” Mrs. Campbell greeted her.
“I’m fine. Ben is adjusting well,” Colleen replied, hoping to end the call quickly.
“I’m calling about something else,” Mrs. Campbell said. “Did Ben say anything about his old foster parents?”
“No, he never talks about his past,” Colleen replied, trying to distract her. “I thought maybe he needed therapy.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Mrs. Campbell replied nervously. “But if he says anything strange to you, please call me.”
“Is there anything I should know about her previous foster parents?” Colleen insisted. She shouldn’t have done that!
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“No, nothing. I’m just busy, so I have to go.” Mrs. Campbell quickly replied.
At that moment, Ben interrupted Colleen. “Mom, the baby is being naughty!”
Colleen’s heart overflowed with joy when Ben called her “Mom.” She ended the call abruptly, but at that moment, fear gripped her. Had Mrs. Campbell heard them and guessed she knew about the Franklins? Mrs. Campbell called her several times after that, but Colleen didn’t answer.
***
“I was too arrogant, I think. But I had a feeling she was hiding something and wasn’t very subtle…” She told Ray everything about the call that night.
Ray sighed. “You shouldn’t have done that. We had an advantage against her and those perverts.”
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“I know, but I already called Alana,” Colleen added. “She told me not to worry because they’ll figure it out eventually.”
“Did she tell you the baby’s name?” Ray asked.
“No, it’s still ‘little girl,'” Colleen replied.
“I’ll stay home tomorrow, just in case,” Ray decided. “We can’t take the baby out. We have to pretend she’s not here.”
The next day, Ray got ready to pick Ben up from school. As he left, a truck sped down the street, slowing down near their house. The driver stared at Ray, then accelerated uncharacteristically.
“HEY!” Ray shouted, outraged. He couldn’t be sure who it was, but at the same time, Ray knew. He chased after him but lost him on a dirt road. Fear for his family’s safety overwhelmed him as he walked home.
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“Alana, this can’t go on. He was in front of our house,” Ray explained to the young woman when she came over.
“It could very well be Mr. Franklin,” Alana warned. “I’m about to find concrete evidence, so we can definitely call the police and put a stop to this.”
“We can’t wait. We’re in danger,” Ray insisted.
“I’ll call my mom,” Colleen suggested. “We’ll stay at her place while Alana investigates.”
Alana added, “I noticed the children were frequently moving out of the Franklin house. I found an adult who was with them years ago. I’m waiting for his call.”
Suddenly, a loud bang and screams interrupted them. Ray saw Mrs. Campbell and a couple, probably the Franklins, through the living room window.
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“It’s them,” Ray whispered, his expression turning serious.
Colleen grabbed her phone. “I’m calling the police!” she shouted.
Ray opened the door. “Who are you? How dare you knock on my door?”
Mrs. Campbell, along with the Franklins, threatened, “You know me, Mr. Ferguson! I can take your son if you don’t let us in to get that baby!”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Ray retorted, “Not after what we know about you!”
Alana stepped forward as Mrs. Campbell faltered. “Cynthia, the only one making threats here is you. I suggest you leave before we call the police!”
“We’re taking the baby!” Mrs. Franklin declared angrily.
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“That would be a crime!” Alana shrugged. “I legally made the Fergusons her foster parents.”
“You had no right!” Mrs. Campbell fumed.
“I did. And I launched an investigation against you,” Alana retorted.
Angrily, Mr. Franklin lunged at Alana, but Ray intercepted him. Amid the chaos, Colleen tried to call 911, but Mrs. Franklin pushed the phone away.
“YOU WILL NOT CALL ANYONE! Give us the baby now!” Mrs. Franklin threatened, and her look sent a chill down Colleen’s spine. Mrs. Franklin was a horrible, soulless woman who beat children and filmed them!
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For the first time in her life, Colleen’s hands turned into fists, and they struck the horrible woman hard. Meanwhile, Mrs. Campbell and Alana bickered as Ben watched from his bedroom.
“BEN, GIVE US THE BABY!” yelled Mrs. Franklin.
“Close and lock your door, Ben!” Colleen shouted. Ben complied and closed his door.
Ray, meanwhile, managed to throw Mr. Franklin out and soon kicked Mrs. Franklin and Mrs. Campbell out of the house as well.
“I’m going to report you for assault!” Ms. Campbell threatened.
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“We’re going to report you for trespassing!” Colleen shouted back.
“I already called the police!!!” A new voice made them all turn toward the driveway, where Colleen and Ray’s neighbors, Sarah and Andrew, were staring at them, their eyes wide.
“Thanks, Andrew,” Ray said, breathing hard.
Mrs. Campbell smiled. “Good! Now I can tell the police everything about the kidnapping. I know almost every one of them in the department! You three are the only ones going to jail here!” she threatened.
The police arrived shortly after. Officer Carson, who knew Ms. Campbell well, appeared to take her story into consideration.
“Stop!” Alana spoke up and introduced herself to the police officer. “I’m a social worker too. And after certain revelations about the child the Fergusons adopted, I entrusted the baby to their care. It’s completely official. I have the papers inside.” She rushed into the house.
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“LIES!” added Ms. Franklin.
“Officer, our adopted son has revealed some disturbing things about his former foster home,” Ray explained everything about the insult Ben faced. He also admitted that Ben had sneaked out and taken the baby from the Franklins. “Our son was wrong to do so, but his intentions were pure.”
Alana came out with the documents. “Officers, take a look, please,” she said, handing the papers to the police officers.
“These papers don’t justify stealing the baby from our house! Nor the way they attacked us earlier!” Mr. Franklin argued, pointing to his injured lip.
“Yes, what these documents say doesn’t matter,” Campbell insisted, tossing aside the papers the officers were examining. “The Fergusons acted illegally. Under state law, this is kidnapping and assault.”
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Colleen trembled with anger and glared at Mrs. Campbell. “I can’t believe you,” she muttered.
Suddenly, young Ben burst onto the scene, cradling the baby. “I took the baby! I’ll go to jail, but you can’t send another child into this house!”
“Kid, give the baby to Mrs. Campbell,” Officer Carson ordered.
“NEVER!” protested Ben. “Ms. Franklin was recording while Mr. Franklin beat me! They showed me videos,” he said, accusing Ms. Campbell and Mr. Franklin. “Mr. Franklin did things to other boys. Terrible things. He had his…” The boy gestured to his pants, and the gathered crowd exhaled several times.
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Ray and Colleen were horrified.
“He’s incomprehensible,” Ms. Campbell tried to deflect, her voice trembling.
“Do you think he’s lying?” Officer Tristan asked Alana.
“I don’t believe so,” Alana said, shaking her head at Ms. Campbell. “I have proof of their irregular foster placements.”
“You’re making baseless accusations! I’m going to sue you!” Mr. Franklin threatened.
“Don’t you dare threaten anyone here, you pervert,” Ray said. “You’ll be in prison for a long time for what you, your ugly wife, and that horrible woman have done to so many children. Go check their house, officers. They probably have the videos.”
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“We have your address right here in this document, don’t we? Let’s go right away.” Officer Tristan started walking toward his car, but he didn’t get far.
“NO!” exclaimed Mr. Franklin and tackled the police officer to the ground. The other officers rushed to help their colleague.
“Well, Mr. Franklin, you just assaulted a law enforcement officer,” Officer Tristan said, wiping his hands as he stood. “You’re under arrest.”
Agent Carson then decided to involve Ms. Campbell and Ms. Franklin in the investigation. “If you’re innocent, you have nothing to fear,” he said, indicating that they would also be of interest.
When everyone left, Ben burst into tears, and Colleen and Ray comforted him. “You were very brave, Ben. You may have saved so many other children,” Colleen said, hugging both children.
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The next day, Alana gave Ray and Colleen an update by phone. “The child, Colin, came forward. He told the police everything about the Franklins. They’re searching their house right now. Mr. Franklin is still in custody. Cynthia is gone. But if she runs away, it will only implicate him more.”
Suddenly, Colleen asked, “And the little girl’s name?”
“This is Grace,” Alana replied. “If you’d like, I can help you adopt her.”
Ray and Colleen looked at each other and instantly agreed.
Later, police found incriminating evidence in the Franklins’ home, including videos implicating Mrs. Campbell. This led to accusations of abuse and more serious crimes against the Franklins and Mrs. Campbell. Meanwhile, Colleen, Ray, Ben, and Grace made a fresh start.
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