Finding Lilibeth

Mark quickly found the number for the company which Darren Staples owned and called. It took him over an hour to get put through to Darren's personal assistant named Paul. Mark was getting impatient, all he needed was a signature so he could place Lilibeth and then he could meet the child. He had other children to tend to as well.

"This is Mr Staples assistant, how can I help you?" The man he knew as Paul asked into the phone. "Yes my name is Mark Little, I am a social worker with child protection. Darren Staples name was given to me by Jasmine Murray in regards to a child who has now been placed in our care. I need to speak to Mr Staples in regards to having him sign the paper work to allow the child to be placed up for adoption" Mark told the assistant. "I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong person" Paul began.

Mark was furious and cut off the assistant who thought he had to much power. "Listen here, you lot have kept me on hold for over an hour now and I have 10 other cases to get through. Mr Staples paid a woman Ms Jasmine Murray 9 years ago to get rid of a baby which she didn't. That child is now laying in a hospital bed after the child was severely hurt and just came out of surgery. I am suppose to be there to let the child know what is happening and yet I have been stuck on hold waiting for you to do god knows what. My patients is running very thin" Mark fumed out.

It clicked in Paul's mind the money he had transferred all those years ago to an unknown woman with the same name. He now knew why he had to erase the transaction after it was done, it was to cover Darren's tracks. "I'll put you straight through to Mr Staples" Paul replied before transferring the call to Mr Staples.

"Darren Staples speaking" Darren fumed out. He hadn't wanted to be interrupted today unless it was an emergency and clearly this had to be important for Paul to put it through. He had a pile of work to complete as he was due to leave in a few days on a business trip and to visit his eldest son Dj who is 21 and studying abroad.

"Mr Staples, my name is Mark Little, I work for child protective services. I have been assigned the case of your daughter Lilibeth ..." Mark started only to be interrupted by Mr Staples. "I don't have a daughter you ..." Darren began furious for the interruption. "Jasmine Murray who you paid to have an abortion and get rid of your child as a 19 year old kid you used, kept the baby. Eight years ago today she gave birth and now that child is in my care and has just woken from surgery by herself due to me being on the phone for close to two hours trying to get you to sign a piece of paper so the child can be placed up for adoption" Mark fumed out.

Darren stopped, he knew the name. He knew Jasmine had been pregnant but he paid her to get rid of the child. "I paid her already I won't give her another cent" Darren replied thinking this was a scam. "Yes I know you paid her. It's people like you who should never have children. All I am asking is you sign a document giving the state all rights to the child so she can be placed up for adoption. No one wants your money Mr Staples" Mark fumed out. Money wouldn't fix the damage that Lilibeth had suffered because she had two incompetent parents.

"How are you so sure the child is mine?" Darren asked. "Your name was given to me by the child's mother. Are you claiming the child isn't yours?" Mark asked. "As far as I know she aborted the child Mr Little" Darren replied just as annoyed. "Sign the damn papers. Let that little girl have a chance at a normal family. She has been through enough already without another incompetent parent" Mark fumed out. He knew it was unprofessional of him but he was at the end of his teether.

Darren was quiet for a few minutes causing Mark to sigh. This wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. "Mr Staples I will send the paper work over for you to sign. For now, Lilibeth will be placed in emergency foster care once she is released from the hospital. As a father myself, it disappointments me that even though you clearly don't want this child, you are still being selfish and not allowing her the chance to have a family. Good evening" Mark said before hanging up his phone. He needed to get to the hospital and speak with the doctors and then organise some where for Lilibeth to stay. He just hoped that Darren Staples signed the papers so Lilibeth didn't spend the next 10 years in a foster home.

Darren was shocked that the man hung up on him. He was so sure it was a scam and that he would ask for money so it wouldn't be made public he had abandoned a child of his. The man never once asked for any form of payment though which didn't sit well with Darren at all.

A ping on his computer drew him back to reality. A new email from one Mark Little from Family and community services had been forwarded to him from Paul. Darren opened the email and it was in fact papers to sign away his rights to one Lilibeth Maree Staples. He reread the documents at least 100 times looking for the clause where he had to pay but there was none. That could only mean one thing and that made Darren nervous. This child existed and was in fact his child, he had a little girl out there who he had never met and was currently in the hospital.

Darren jumped up dialing Paul "get me the number for Mark Little now. My child, my daughter is in surgery. I need to know what the hell has happened. I want to know what hospital my daughter is in" Darren rushed out taking his bag and racing from the office.