Chapter 3 - THE FIRST REPORT
By Monday, Daniel had learned that keeping five siblings together required more than wanting it badly.
His supervisor approved remote work for two weeks.
After that, nothing was guaranteed.
The agency arranged temporary daycare.
A licensing specialist measured bedrooms.
Daniel’s grocery bill nearly tripled.
His washing machine ran every day.
Somebody was always missing a shoe.
The house smelled permanently of applesauce and baby shampoo.
And Mason watched every adult conversation.
On Tuesday, Daniel received the first incident report.
Mason had shoved another child at daycare.
The director said the other child grabbed Ellie’s backpack.
Mason crossed the room and pushed him.
No injury.
But the report went into his file.
On Wednesday, another problem.
Nora drew on a wall with marker.
Mason said he did it.
Daniel had watched Nora do it.
“Why are you saying it was you?”
Mason shrugged.
“You saw her.”
“No.”
“Mason.”
“I did it.”
Daniel looked at Nora.
She began crying.
Mason immediately stepped in front of her.
“It was me.”
There was no point forcing a confession from either child.
Daniel cleaned the wall.
That evening he called Renee.
“Can I see the incident history from Judith’s placement?”
“What for?”
“I think something doesn’t add up.”
“You’re not their caseworker.”
“I know.”
Renee sighed.
“What are you seeing?”
“He keeps taking responsibility for things the younger kids do.”
Silence.
“How often?”
“Twice here. Maybe more.”
“Kids lie.”
“I know.”
“Mason especially.”
“That’s what everybody keeps telling me.”
Renee caught the challenge.
“Daniel.”
“I’m not accusing anyone.”
“Good.”
“But if his behavior is the reason the children are being split, I want to understand the behavior.”
Renee promised to review what she could legally share.
The next morning, Daniel found Mason hiding crackers inside his pillowcase.
“You hungry?”
“No.”
“Then why hide these?”
Mason’s face changed.
“Don’t take them.”
“I’m not taking them.”
“They’re for Sophie.”
“She has food.”
“What if we leave?”
Daniel sat on the bed.
“You mean if you leave here?”
Mason nodded.
“Do you think the next house won’t feed her?”
Mason shrugged.
That answer was worse than yes.
Daniel left the crackers.
Later that day Renee called.
“I looked at the grandmother’s reports.”
“And?”
“Some of the incidents are serious.”
“Such as?”
“A broken window. Food hoarding. Hitting. Running away from the house.”
Daniel leaned against the kitchen counter.
“When was the window?”
“June ninth.”
Daniel looked through the doorway.
Mason sat on the floor building a block tower with his left hand.
“What did the report say?”
“That Mason threw a baseball through the back window.”
“With which hand?”
Renee paused.
“What?”
“Does it say?”
Paper rustled.
“Right.”
Daniel looked at Mason again.
For three days he had watched the boy eat, draw, throw a foam ball and brush his teeth.
Left hand.
Every time.
It proved nothing by itself.
But Daniel had started with one inconsistency.
May you like
Now he had two.
And the child everyone blamed for making sibling placement impossible seemed terrified whenever someone believed him.
