Where are you?
Caleb took me down to the cafeteria. I needed a minute.
I need to talk to you.
Call?
Umm. Face 2 Face.
I’ll be there in a minute.
Bridget paced as she waited, hand pressed to her mouth, trying hard not to start chewing on a fingernail. The stress was pressing against her as she tried to think about how to broach the ask to Dani. Finally, an elevator pinged and Dani stepped onto the floor.
“Thank goodness you’re here.” Bridget hurried to her and Dani stepped back as the doors closed behind her.
“What happened?” Dani held up her hands in front of her as if to ward off a blow.
“Sydney may have found a way to get access to the adoption paperwork, but it’s going to be hard to do that on a Friday afternoon.”
“Okay.” Dani’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “What’s that have to do with me?”
“Only certain people can petition for the paperwork to be released, and you’re one potentially as a birth parent. It may not be Eliza's paperwork, but you can petition to have your paperwork released. If it’s a match, then we move forward. If it’s not, then you’ll know.” Bridget took a breath. “Does that make sense?”
“Not really, but Sydney can explain it to me.”
“She doesn’t know you’re the birth mom I’m working with.”
Dani paled. “She doesn’t?”
“No. It’s not my story to tell. If you want to do this, then you need to call her and tell her the relevant information so she can complete the paperwork and meet you at court as soon as possible.” Bridget took Dani’s hands and squeezed them, trying to warm them as she anchored Dani in place. “I wouldn’t tell your story without permission.”
Dani swallowed as her eyes swam behind tears. “I believe you.” The words were barely a whisper. “I’ll call her now.”
“Thank you.” Bridget pulled Dani into a hug. “I don’t know if Eliza is yours or not, but you’re my hero for being willing to risk this. I know it must be hard.”
Dani nodded then sniffed. “So hard. I need to do this before I chicken out.” Then she scuttled down the hall to a corner.
Bridget took a breath and then placed a call to her supervisor. She needed a Plan B in case this long shot to prove Dani was her birth mom didn’t work. Even thinking that reinforced how crazy a hope this was.
“How’s our Jane Doe?”
“A bit has changed since we talked this morning.” Bridget quickly caught her up. “So that’s why we think she might be Eliza Brandenberg, but we haven’t located her parents.”
Silence stretched from the other side of the line. “That doesn’t help us.”
“But you can check our records. See if anyone’s filed any guardianships for an Eliza Brandenberg.”
“That only works for Lancaster County.”
“There has to be a statewide database.”
Leticia sighed. “You’re assuming everyone updates it as cases come in. Some of these counties make ours look fully staffed. They’ll get reports in, but as they have time. Or once a month.”
Bridget tried to process that. “So there could be a file, but we wouldn’t know about it.”
“Correct. There could be a sizable delay.”
“But Waverly is part of Lancaster County, right?”
