Tuesday Afternoon, February 17th
Morelville, Ohio
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“He’s finally asleep,” Kris said, as she walked into the family room where Hannah and I were sitting. Hannah had shown up distraught and looking for answers. I didn’t have any to give her.
“I want to take Jef back with me tonight. He’s my responsibility now.
“Come again?” Kris asked.
“I promised Katie that I would help her no matter what when Katie told me early on that she was considering giving Jef up for adoption. I didn’t want her to do that and I talked her out of it. Now that she’s gone, someone has to take care of Jef and since I promised her, I’m going to keep my promise.”
“Sweetie,” I began, “It doesn’t work quite like that. Every state’s laws are different and I’m no expert on Ohio law but I expect that since Jef is now an orphan, he becomes a ward of the state. The state will seek a family member to take him or...”
She interrupted, “Katie’s family doesn’t want him. The state...or whoever...might as well give him to someone who really does.”
“We don’t really know what her parents want or don’t want for sure,” Kris told her gently. “I’m sure Mel or one of her deputies will tell them about Katie and then, when the courts get involved, they’re going to need to make the decision about custody of Jef and that’s their right to do. In most cases that I know of, a near blood relative got temporary custody right away.”
I nodded. “She’s right. I know it’s hard to think about because you loved your friend and you want to do what you think in your heart is the right thing but, even side from the legal questions here, you’re really in no position to take him right now yourself. You need to finish school and get yourself established...”
“And besides,” Kris jumped in, “If Katie was right, from what Dana’s told me – and obviously she may well have been – it might be dangerous for Jef to be in Zanesville. You have to think of that too.”
“She’s so sweet,” Kris was saying. “We should all have friends who will bend over backward to do anything for us without a thought for themselves.”
“You and Mel are both the same way. Your whole family is, so don’t even go there.”
“And, do tell, I know Mel wasn’t going to turn Katie out on the street but I also know she wouldn’t do a thing without talking to you first. You were all set to take the girl in here so don’t even go there.” She smiled then softening her assault and I smiled back.
My mirth was short lived. Jef let out a wail from the bedroom. I levered myself up off the couch. “My turn.”
“Girl, you’re exhausted. I’ll get him. He probably needs a fresh diaper anyway.”
While she was in the bedroom tending to him, I heard the kitchen door slam. Thinking Hannah had returned, I called out to her, “What did you forget?”
“It’s me Aunt Dana,” Beth called back. “Where is everybody?”
I got up again and made it as far as the archway between the family room and the more formal sitting room in time to converge with Kris and Jef emerging from the master bedroom and Hannah coming through from the kitchen.
“Ooo, mom, I didn’t know you were here!”
“Did you even stop at home?” Kris asked.
“Um, no. I wanted to see if Aunt Mel found Katie and...well, the baby.”
Kris swayed side to side a bit rocking Jef. She turned her gaze to his tiny little face but I caught her eyes just before she did. I could tell she was trying to figure out what to say to her daughter.
“Do you want me to tell her?”
“Tell me what?” Beth asked me.
Kris didn’t even look up so I took the lead. “Beth, honey, it’s not good.”
“What’s not?”
“Honey, Katie’s dead.”
“No she’s not! Why would you say something like that?” the 13 year old wailed. “She’s only 17! She can’t be dead!”
Kris moved toward me then and handed Jef to me and then went to her daughter. She took her by the shoulder and pulled her in close. “It’s true,” she said simply and then held Beth while she cried.
Once Beth calmed down, Jef started crying. Figuring he was hungry, I handed him off to Kris while I went into the kitchen to make him a bottle. By the time I got back not two minutes later, Beth was comfortable in a chair and holding him as he squalled. She smiled when he calmed as soon as the nipple of the bottle I handed her touched his lips.
“Dana,” Kris said to me, “You really do look beat.”
“It was a long night with him. I’m just not used to it.”
“What’s going to happen to him now, mom?” Beth asked.
“We don’t know. You’re aunt Mel’s probably going to have to do something.”
“I wish we could keep him with us. I’d take care of him.”
“Oh no, no,” Beth told her. “I’m not ready for you to be a mommy yet!”
“That’s not what I meant...just that...that...oh, never mind!” She squirmed around a little to maneuver Jef into a different position.
“Tell you what; just for now, how about we take Jef over to our house and we let Dana get some rest? He’s worn her out.”
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