Letting Go (Healing Hearts) Read Online Free PDF Page B

moaned. “No. Don’t tell me it gets worse. Please . . . ”
    She stared at the large case file on her lap. “I’m sorry, but it does. His mother claimed she entered a drug treatment program last year and was only allowed one contact upon admission. According to the notes in the case record, she left a message with the former case manager regarding her son. Unfortunately, the call occurred before Joey was six months old.”
    “I don’t get it. What does a stupid phone call have to do with anything?”
    “Six months is the cutoff. Any contact the parent makes with the state before the child is six months of age completely eliminates abandonment as legal grounds for pursuing termination of parental rights.”
    Dave stared at her, unable to breathe. “Are you saying what I think you are?”
    She nodded, then stared at her hands. “I’m sorry.”
    His voice cracked. “This is exactly what I was afraid of when you placed Joey with us.”
    “I wish I could say situations like this are very rare, but that wouldn’t be honest. Mistakes happen. Parents unexpectedly show up. It’s the risk you take when you accept a child who is not yet legally free for adoption.”
    “Yeah, but one stupid phone message from his birth mother, and she still has a chance to get him back?” Dave snorted. “What’s wrong with this picture?”
    “I don’t know what to tell you. The problem lies in the way the law is written.”
    He frowned and scratched his head. “Do you have any other proof backing up her claim—I mean, other than case notes?”
    “Her counselor at the drug treatment center verified her statement about the phone restriction. She couldn’t make any more phone calls. It was against the rules.”
    “And she didn’t complain or try to fight it?”
    “Apparently not. But now CPS must work to reunite Joey with his birth mother since she has requested custody.”
    The look of pity on her face caused Dave’s breath to shorten. He fought back tears as he sputtered, “They have to?”
    “Yes. But remember, just because Mom wants to parent doesn’t mean she’ll win her case in court. But we have to give her a chance.”
    Dave’s mouth pulled tight. “No. We don’t.”
    “If she loses, it makes his adoption more secure, so it’s in Joey’s best interest.”
    “Is that supposed to comfort me?” Dave scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “His mother has finally been located—and in jail of all places—and now you’re just supposed to drop everything regarding the adoption? That doesn’t make sense. How can she parent her son when she’s in jail?”
    Nancy cleared her throat. “She gets out next month.”
    He squeezed his eyes shut. “Oh, great.”
    “I know it’s awful.”
    “That still doesn’t tell me how she’ll care for him. Does she have family that can help?”
    “No. She has no one. Because of her unusual circumstances, the same drug treatment program has guaranteed her a spot in one of their halfway houses. The facility she’ll be living in is a home set up specifically for recovering mothers with children.”
    The more Dave thought about all of the ways contact with the birth mother could harm Joey, the more terror gripped his heart. “What about visits? Please tell me Joey won’t have to go to the jail to have contact with his mother.”
    “Yes, there’ll be visits. But his mother agreed to wait until she goes to the halfway house. She said she doesn’t want her son’s first memory of her to be associated with the jail.”
    “How noble to think of him for one second.”
    “I know this is hard, but try to be supportive so the visits will go easier for Joey. You can’t change anything by being negative and hostile. You’ll just upset him.”
    Dave grimaced. “I know.”
    “Since the name on the birth certificate is Little J, you need to be prepared for her to start calling him by a different name.”
    “Just what he needs,” he groaned, “more confusion. It’s bad