Page 9 of Daddy's Damaged Little Girl

“I’ll be right there.” Sage hurried down several hallways until she opened the door to a huge room they had set up to take care of the people they got in. They had a female doctor full-time with an office next to the admission room with a connecting door. On the other side were several counselors on call who were talking to the women and children.

Sage found Lacey in the middle with a clipboard, handing out assignments to the people who worked at the House of Compassion. It had to be all women because any man still freaked most of them out. She waited by Lacey’s side while she gave directions to one of the employees.

Lacey turned to her. Sage could tell Lacey was upset but was holding it together for the victims.

“I have a thirteen-year-old that I need your help with.”

“Do we have any information about her?”

Lacey blinked back her tears. “Yes. Her father sold her to a human trafficker.”

Sage’s mouth dropped open. “God. She can’t go back to him.”

Lacey nodded. “I know. We’ve got a social worker coming for her.”

“Oh, no. That poor girl.”

“This woman will have somewhere for the girl to get the help she needs. I wouldn’t let the girl leave unless I knew the woman and knew how much she helped the victims.”

“How can a person ever get over the fact that her father sold her, and for what? Drugs?”

Lacey shrugged. “We don’t know. Can you get her situated until she gets here? The girl is lost, and I think you’re the best person to take care of her.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Lacey gave her a sheet of paper with all the girl’s information and pointed to one of the partitions. They had twenty little cubicles that held a bed, nightstand, and lamp. There was a curtain that gave each of them privacy, much like an ER. If they wanted a phone, all they had to do was ask, and one was brought to them. They all showered and changed into normal clothing when they got there, and there was a buffet set up when they got hungry.

There were already people coming in to get their loved ones. Sage stopped to stare and pray these survivors had help.

Sage pulled the curtain aside. “Sophia?”

“Yes.” The girl hurried to sit up and press herself against the corner.

“My name is Sage. I’m here to help you with whatever you need.” Sage could tell the girl had shut down and knew how she felt. “What can I do right now?”

Sophia shrugged and still hadn’t looked Sage in the face.

“Why won’t you look at me, honey?” Sage asked.

“Because I’m nothing. I shouldn’t even be alive.”

Sage shook her head. “No. That’s not true. They told you that to keep you submissive so you wouldn’t fight.”

Sophia glanced at her, angry. “How would you know?”

Sage had to swallow as her own nightmare clouded her head. “Be … because I am a survivor, too.”

Sophia’s eyes widened. “You were taken and had … bad things happen to you?”

Sage nodded.

“For how long?” Sophia asked.

“Three months.”

“Oh, God. I was only with them for a few weeks.”

“It doesn’t matter how long we were there. All of us survivors feel the same emotions.”

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