AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Curling her fingers around her coffee, Ellie leaned forward. “So what’s up?”
“One of my clients was asking about providing for a foster child,” she began, telling the story she’d constructed. “Since I didn’t know she had one, I asked her about it. Turns out she’s trying to get guardianship of a child whose mother recently passed away. The boy’s father is neglectful, and she wants to know how to get temporary guardianship. Maybe even adopt the boy eventually.”
Ellie tilted her head. “And she asked you this because…?”
“She wanted to know the tax implications. Could she claim the boy as a dependent if she was just his guardian? Should she increase her exemption for withholding? I’m sure I studied that in school, and when I took the CPA exam, but I’ve never dealt with it in my practice. So I thought you’d be the person to talk to.”
Ellie spun the paper cup in her hands. “Is the boy in DCFS custody right now?”
“No. He’s still with his father, but my friend is worried about him. She was a good friend of his mom’s, so she already knows the boy.”
Ellie pursed her lips. Studied Lainey as if she suspected the story was made up. But eventually she said, “She would have to prove that the father was neglecting the boy. How old is he?”
“The boy?” Lainey frowned. “She didn’t say for sure, but it sounds like he’s maybe in middle school.”
Ellie nodded. “Good. Old enough to be questioned by a judge. They’d call the father in, as well. Get his side of the story.” Ellie smiled. “Sometimes kids will say their parents are neglecting them because they limit the child’s screen time. Or they won’t let them go out on a school night. The judge isn’t going to just take the child’s word for it.”
“It sounded like it was a lot more serious than that. And if the judge finds that the boy is being neglected?”
“He or she would order a home study done. In a small town like Helena, where almost everyone knows each other, or at least knows of almost everyone, that’s not as big a deal as in a larger city. And depending on the circumstances, and what the boy and father both said, the boy would probably be able to stay with your friend while the judge made up his or her mind.”
Lainey nodded, the knot that had been twisting her stomach for the last few days loosening. “Thanks, Ellie. Could I give her your name and tell her to call you?”
“Please do,” Ellie said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a card. “Sooner rather than later. I suspect your client wants to get this nailed down. If she’s already concerned about taxes and deductions, she’s likely been giving it a lot of thought.”
“She sounded as though she had been,” Lainey said. She stood up, and so did Ellie. Hugging her friend, Lainey said, “Thanks so much. I’ll call her tomorrow and have her stop by my office to pick up your card.”
Ellie nodded, studying Lainey’s face. “You do that, Lainey. I hate hearing about neglected kids.”
“I do, too.” She hugged her friend once more. “See you at book club next month.”
“I’ll be there,” Ellie said.
Lainey hurried out of the coffeeshop, taking her first deep breath since she and Ellie sat down. She’d hated lying, but she’d promised Brody she wouldn’t go behind his back. As far as she was concerned, a ‘what if’ for a friend didn’t count.
