Chapter 4 - Emergency Placement
Child protection obtained an emergency protective order that evening.
The children would not return to Reena pending initial hearing.
Where would they go?
Not automatically me.
Rachel asked:
“Would you be willing to be considered for kinship placement?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have criminal history?”
“No.”
“Substance issues?”
“No.”
“Firearms?”
“One hunting rifle locked in a safe.”
“Children know access?”
“No.”
She wrote.
Home inspection next morning.
Background check.
Sleeping arrangements.
I had two bedrooms.
One mine.
One guest.
Could Drew and Lily share temporarily?
Likely.
Beds needed.
Outlet covers for Lily.
Medication storage.
Basic.
No luxury.
No perfect uncle montage.
In the meantime, they stayed overnight in a pediatric observation unit because of medical needs and placement processing.
I stayed.
Drew woke at 2:03 a.m.
“Peter?”
He had stopped saying Uncle.
Maybe half asleep.
“I’m here.”
“Lily?”
“In the next bed.”
He looked.
Relaxed.
Then:
“Mom mad?”
I took time.
“Probably.”
“Because we left?”
“I don’t know.”
“I opened the door.”
“What door?”
“Downstairs.”
I did not question further.
Investigators should handle disclosures carefully.
“Okay.”
“Am I trouble?”
“No.”
He stared.
“You promise?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Dad said if I ever get out, go to you.”
My throat closed.
“When did he say that?”
Drew shrugged.
“Before he died.”
There.
Aaron had built an escape route into his child’s mind.
May you like
And I had not known.
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