Chapter 4 - Ryan goes to Adam
Adam Cole lived forty minutes away.
Forty-three years old.
Married.
Two teenage daughters.
Ryan knew him well.
Child welfare approved an emergency kinship placement there while investigations began.
I was not allowed to simply take him because:
He had just seriously injured Lily.
I had just struck him.
The household was unsafe for immediate reunification.
Adam met me outside his house.
He did not shake my hand.
“You finally told Claire?”
“Ryan did.”
Adam closed his eyes.
“How’s Lily?”
“Concussion. No bleeding.”
“Thank God.”
Then:
“Ryan didn’t mean to kill her.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
He looked at me.
“He meant to hurt her.”
That was harder.
“Yes.”
Adam said:
“He’s been falling apart since Megan died.”
“I know.”
“No, Daniel. You know what the therapist tells you. I’ve had him crying in my kitchen at two in the morning because you keep saying you’re going to bring him home and then sending him back to that apartment.”
The apartment.
Claire did not know about that either.
After Megan died six weeks earlier, Ryan should have come into my custody.
Legally, I was his surviving parent.
Instead I panicked.
I rented a furnished apartment near Adam.
Paid for a familiar caregiver to stay during weekdays.
Spent nights there when I could.
Told Claire I was handling a complicated estate matter.
I kept promising Ryan:
“I’m going to tell them.”
First weekend.
Then after Lily’s school recital.
Then after Claire’s mother left town.
Then after my board meeting.
May you like
Every delay said the same thing to Ryan:
You are not important enough for the truth.
