AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Remi’s fallen face lit up. “You do?”
“I do.” He smiled and winked. “You meet all the requirements for adoption except for income. Tennessee doesn’t require any certain marital status or home ownership, but they do require you be twenty-one years of age and have the financial means.”
“Wait,” I interjected. “Don’t we have to foster first?”
He nodded. “Normally, yes, but Rory’s circumstances are such that I will petition the court to terminate parental rights, given, once married, the income will be there with you, Dylan.”
I felt defensive of Remi. “She’s going to be a doctor,” I put in.
“Yes, I know but that is years away. However, professional soccer players make a lot of money, right?” He smiled. “And you’ll be getting married, soon. Normally, it wouldn’t be a factor, but given the income requirements, the court won’t consider your contribution unless you are a permanent part of the household, and live-in boyfriends can always leave.”
I nodded. “I understand. We can do it at the courthouse as soon as it’s needed.” I turned to Remi. “We can have a big wedding later.”
“Yes,” she agreed.
Jonathon continued. “It will take time while they try to locate her parents and the court won’t grant termination of parental rights before an attempt has been made to locate them, but I do think we can get the department to allow you to foster in the meantime. You realize that you won’t have any decision-making power as foster parents. That stays between us, and we will get a guardian ad litem appointed with approval through the courts. You’ll have plenty of time for a wedding during that time. It can take years.”
“Rory may not have years,” Remi said sadly. “That’s the reality.”
I exhaled a deep breath. While our chances of fostering and adopting Rory seemed promising, it was still very complicated. “What about finding a relative?”
“We did find a DNA match. A maternal grandmother and I’ve reached out to her,” Jonathon put in.
“Oh, my God!” Remi exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears. “That’s great news, but it still doesn’t mean she will be a marrow match.”
I rubbed her back. “Hey, have faith, honey. You’re allowed to get your hopes up a little bit.”
“Yes,” the older man agreed.
“Do you think I could speak to the grandmother? I mean, I can tell her what it’s like to be a kid with leukemia.” Remi’s idea was sound. “And how a marrow transplant saved my life.”
“I can’t give out her name or contact information. I’m sorry, Remi,” he said, writing away on his legal pad.
“What if you call her on your cell phone, and let Remi speak or leave a message?” I suggested. “You won’t be sharing information or breaking any rules, and hopefully, it will get the grandmother to come in and test.”
He nodded. “That could work. Let me clear it with my boss after lunch.”
“Outstanding!” I exclaimed. “That’s a great start. Then, if she returns Remi’s call, we can offer to hire someone to help her find her daughter.” My mind was racing. If I had to give her all of my income for a year just to test and then, if a match, donate her marrow, I would.
“Let’s just pray we can get in touch with her first,” he said.
“And, more importantly, that she’s a match. I know, firsthand, how difficult it is to find a donor.” Remi’s smile was gentle, but I could hear the worry in her voice. She couldn’t hide it from me.
I understood her hesitation. This was good news, but it was only the beginning of the battle.
Remi
“Hello? This is Remi.” My heart was pounding out of my chest. I didn’t recognize the number and Jonathon Atkins had called her and left my name and number. His supervisor had approved it but would not let me call and leave a message of my own because the number would show, and they had to protect this woman’s identity until she gave consent. Thankfully, it had only taken about twelve hours for her to call back. Both Dylan and I were anxious.
Dylan was sitting beside me in Rory’s room, and he was playing with her. He’d made a puppet out of one of those orthopedic socks he’d gotten from one of the nurses and drawn eyes and a mouth around the opening at the toes. I’d never look at one of those socks in the same way again. But when my phone rang, he and I both froze.
“This is Josephine Wagner.” Her voice was weak and shaky, with a slight southern drawl. “So, I have a granddaughter and she’s very sick.” It wasn’t a question, so I was thankful she believed Mr. Atkin’s message and then my plea for her to come in. “Bill and I were working in the field, and I didn’t take my phone with me. We’re farmers. Our place is east out by Somerville.”
My eyes met Dylan’s blue ones and I nodded so he’d know it was the call we’d been waiting for. I turned my back and walked out of the room, so I could speak freely, leaving Dylan to continue trying to amuse Rory. “Yes, ma’am. I take it you didn’t know about her?”
“No. My daughter, Lori, hasn’t been home in years. My husband and I have given up trying to help her to save our sanity. She’s a slave to her addictions and I had to stop all contact, because nothing we did made a difference.” The woman’s voice was filled with both sadness and desolation.
“I’m very sorry to hear that, ma’am.” Now my mind was racing about whether Rory had been born addicted to anything, but that wasn’t important, now. “Should I address you as Mrs. Wagner?”
