Chapter 2 - The Report
I did not ask Lucy what Grandma meant.
Every instinct screamed to.
Instead I called our pediatrician.
Then a child therapist.
Then an attorney.
In that order.
My attorney, Nadine Cole, handled family law and child-welfare matters.
She said:
“Do not panic because someone made a report.”
“I’m not panicking.”
“You sound like you’re driving ninety.”
I looked at speedometer.
Forty-eight.
“Fine.”
“CPS may contact you today. Cooperate. Don’t speculate about reporter. Don’t coach Lucy.”
“I won’t.”
“Do you have food in house?”
“Yes.”
“Medical records?”
“Yes.”
“School attendance?”
Good.
“Any history with CPS?”
“No.”
“Any reason a teacher would independently suspect food deprivation?”
I hesitated.
“Lucy sometimes eats a lot.”
“She’s six.”
“Exactly.”
Then I told her Christmas.
Including table.
“You flipped the table?”
“Yes.”
“Anyone injured?”
“No.”
“Property damage?”
Dishes. Maybe table leg.
“Your mother may use that.”
“I know.”
“Good. Don’t minimize.”
Then:
“Why were you paying her mortgage?”
I explained.
Nadine paused.
“Any written agreement tying payments to access to Lucy?”
“No.”
“Any agreement at all?”
“No. Gifts.”
“Good.”
Not recoverable.
Not debt.
Simply stop.
Then CPS called.
A worker named Marissa Reed came that afternoon.
She did not arrive with police.
No dramatic removal van.
She sat at my kitchen table.
Lucy was at school by then after I met with counselor and principal.
Marissa asked permission to look at food storage.
I agreed.
Pantry.
Refrigerator.
Freezer.
Lunch supplies.
Snacks.
Normal.
Then she asked about routines.
Breakfast before school.
School lunch.
After-school snack.
Dinner.
Dessert sometimes.
Any food consequences?
“No.”
Any restricted foods for medical reasons?
No.
Any concerns about weight?
No.
Pediatric growth records stable.
Then:
“Who regularly provides childcare?”
Me.
After-school program three days.
Grandmother one afternoon some weeks.
Caroline occasionally.
That changed now.
Then Christmas.
I told it exactly.
Including my own conduct.
“You overturned table?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I was furious.”
“Did Lucy witness?”
“Yes.”
“Do you believe that frightened her?”
“Yes.”
Marissa wrote.
Good.
No hero edit.
Then she interviewed Lucy separately in living room where I could not hear.
Twenty-five minutes.
Afterward she said:
“We’ll arrange a child advocacy interview only if needed. I do not want repeated questioning.”
“Did she say I starve her?”
“I’m not going to summarize all statements yet.”
Fair.
Then:
“The report includes specific dates.”
My stomach tightened.
“What dates?”
“I can’t provide full source material during initial assessment.”
“Were they dates Lucy was with my mother?”
Marissa did not answer.
Her face did.
Maybe.
Or I imagined.
She stood.
“For now, there is no basis to remove Lucy or change your custody. We continue assessment.”
I exhaled.
Then:
“One thing I can ask. Did Lucy spend the weekend of October twelfth with Evelyn?”
I opened calendar.
“Yes.”
“November second?”
“Yes.”
“November twenty-third?”
“Yes.”
All grandmother weekends.
My skin went cold.
“What does the report say happened those dates?”
“I can’t give full detail.”
“Were they at my house?”
Marissa paused.
“The allegation describes incidents as occurring under your care.”
There.
Dates when Lucy was not with me.
May you like
Someone had either made mistakes.
Or knew exactly what they were doing.
