At a restaurant in Anywhere, U.S.A.
Server: Here are your eggs and your pancake.
Little boy: Thank you. Can I get anything else? Can I have a milkshake, Mom?
Woman: Sure, honey, one chocolate shake.
Little girl: Please, I want a milkshake, too.
Woman: Rayna, you know your budget is five dollars. You already spent that on your egg. Just one milkshake is fine. I’ll be right back.
Rayna: But how come he get to have pancake and a milkshake but don’t—
Woman: I’ve told you that a million times. He is my real son and you are just a foster child. You don’t get the same thing he gets because I am his real mom.
Rayna: Well, where is my real mom? I want to see her. (Sniffles) She told me she’d come back for me one day. Will she come back for me one day?
Woman: Well, she lied. She probably don’t even care about it and you are lucky to have me. But I don’t want to hear another word when the social worker arrives in a few minutes. I will tell her I don’t want you anymore. If I can’t—
Rayna: Can I see?
Little boy: Sure.
Woman: Travis, I told you not to give Rayna your iPad. Then she gonna want one, too.
Travis: Sorry, mom.
Rayna: Can I get the iPad? Just for a little bit? I want to play, too.
Travis’s mother: I think you already know the answer to that: No. You know taking care of you is a business. I need to make money off of you. I can’t be buying you expensive things like an iPad. And what if you break it? You don’t have money to fix it. You don’t have any money at all. Yeah, I don’t think so.
Server: One delicious milkshake. Enjoy!
Travis: Mmm, that is so good.
Rayna: Can I try?
Travis’s mother (laughing): That is for Travis. If he has any left when he’s done, you can have some.
Rayna: But I really want my own milkshakes.
Travis’s mother: You need to be more appreciative, Rayna. My contract for taking care of you is up. When the social worker comes, I’m gonna tell her to place you somewhere else and you’ll end up all alone. Is that what you want?
Rayna (crying): No! I just wanna be with my mom. She said she’d come back for me.
Travis’s mother: She gave you up. And she probably didn’t even love you.
Rayna: That’s not true. My mom loved me so much. I just know it.
Travis’s mother: If that were true, then she’d be here right now, wouldn’t she? Is she here?
Rayna (sniffling): No.
But just as the word left her mouth, Rayna saw her mom step into the restaurant, followed by her social worker.
Rayna’s mom: Oh, I’ve missed you so much!
Rayna: I thought you forgot about me.
Rayna’s mom: Oh sweet, you’re ALL I think about. I’ve come to take you home.
Rayna: Realy?!
Travis’s mother: Just wait a second. Why did you bring her here? She can’t just take Rayna back after she chose to abandon her.
Social worker: Oh, she’s Rayna’s birth mother. She’s fully entitled to be here.
Rayna’s mom: And for the record, I didn’t just abandon her. I had no choice. You see, Rayna had a very tough childhood. Her father had a big drinking problem. And whenever he had too many drinks, he would get aggressive and hit her for no reason at all. I would try to stop him. But then he would worry about Rayna constantly. I knew it wasn’t safe for her to be there. So one night, I packed Rayna’s things and we left. I took her to foster care. It was the hardest day of my life, saying goodbye to my child.
She sighs heavily.
Rayna’s mom: But I know I had to. I didn’t choose to abandon her. Everything I did was for her. I am so sorry honey, he’s not around anymore. So you can just come in here.
Rayna (sniffling): You don’t have to worry about him. Don’t be sorry. I know you wanted the best for me. I love you so much.
Rayna’s mom sighs again.
Rayna’s mom: I love you, too. OK.
Travis’s mother clears her throat.
Travis’s mother: So that was really a sad story. But Rayna is still in my foster care and I have a contract on her. So you can’t just dive in here and take her away from me.
Rayna’s mom: You had a contract. It expired today.
Travis’s mother: Well then, I wanna renew. I need the money from foster care to pay my rent.
Social worker: Right. Look, I’m sorry, but it’s not up to you here.
Travis’s mother: Rayna, I know you wanted that iPad. I’ll get it for you if you choose me.
Rayna (crying): I choose my real mom!
Rayna’s mom: Oh, I love you so much. Come on, honey, let’s go home.
End scene.
