“How much detail can you give me by phone?” “Only the bare bones. A police officer burst into the ER about an hour ago, dragging the thinnest teenager I’ve ever seen behind him. She’s four months pregnant and looks like she hasn’t seen a full meal since the year began. She ... she won’t identify herself. She won’t let us call her parents. She’s demanding an abortion but has no way to pay for it, and we can’t possibly do it without knowing something about her or her history first. I wanted you to sit in on the meeting we’re going to have with Social Services. You tend to be significantly more level-headed than most of us are under pressure, and we’re going to need all the help we can find to get through this.” “... wow. Okay, I’ll be there. Is she going to participate? I think I’d like to hear what she has to say--” There was another pause before Jeannette finally said, “Honestly? She may very well be in involuntary commitment before we even get started. You know your classmate Irwin Ludger? She bit him. He had to get a rabies booster and stitches.”
