The nurse came in again. She checked Ella's vitals, and asked her some standard questions, but this time she didn't leave immediately. "Are you signed in on the visitor list? I checked and didn't see anyone here for Ella." "Uh, no. Sister Lazenby brought me here." "Okay. It's not a problem. Just before you leave sign in at the nurse's station up front. Are you her father?" Poitr was tempted to lie, but he figured it would create more problems than it solved. "No. I'm the one who found her."

From the initial face the nurse made, Poitr thought he would be asked to leave. "We're only supposed to let relatives visit for minors, and there hasn't been enough time for you to be okayed by her parents-" "She has no parents, no legal guardian." "I see. Let me get Sister Lazenby."

Poitr was surprised the nurse went for the Sister and not a head nurse. It wasn't long before the nurse and Sister returned. "Hello Poitr, have you given any more consideration to what we talked about in the hallway?" "I have to talk with Lindsey." "That's not a problem, but there is a time limit. I can't put off the foster care process for very long. Can you be back here in the morning?"

It took Poitr a moment to realize the Sister was politely asking him to leave. The nurse was holding the visitor's log out for Poitr. He took it and scribbled down his information.

He turned to Ella. "We'll have breakfast tomorrow morning, okay? Stay strong, you're doing great."l