Chapter 2
TWO
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Thankfully, Kendra’s phone finally stopped ringing, so she didn’t have to continue talking over it to answer the prospective foster parents’ questions. “We do have foster parents who take temporary placements on short notice,” Kendra explained. “Typically, you’re given the child’s history and why they are in foster care before you agree to a long-term placement.”
“Would we know up front if adoption is a possibility before accepting a child into care?” Charlene asked.
“Yes. Is that your hope?” While reuniting children with their families was the goal, in situations where that wasn’t a possibility, the ideal outcome for a child was a permanent placement with a family willing to adopt.
“It is.” Charlene answered without hesitation. Her husband placed his hand over hers. “Unfortunately, several rounds of in vitro didn’t work for us. We looked into adoption, but we can’t afford to go through a private agency. Friends at church mentioned foster care to adoption, and we think that’s the path we’re meant to take.”
“That’s great to hear. Are you open to older children?” Kendra eased into giving them realistic expectations if they had their hearts set on a newborn or infant.
“Considering our age, we think a toddler or preschool age would be a good fit.” Charlene’s gaze flicked toward Kendra’s purse as her phone rang for the third time in the last five minutes.
“I am so sorry. Let me check this.” Telemarketers and spammers weren’t usually this persistent. Seeing Bright Beginnings Daycare on the phone’s screen likely meant a problem with one of her clients. “I’m afraid I need to take this.”
“Go right ahead,” Charlene said.
“Kendra Andrews.”
“This is Rachel Davis at Bright Beginnings Daycare. Sorry to bother you this late, but no one has picked up Jalen Porter today. According to his teacher, Brianne’s out of town. A relative dropped him off, but she’s not answering the number Brianne gave us, and neither is Brianne. We tried calling his uncle, listed as the emergency contact, and can’t reach him either. I’ve had Jalen in my office for the past hour hoping to hear from someone, but our procedures require that I notify Brianne’s case worker—or law enforcement.”
“I’m glad you called me. I’ll head there right away,” she promised and ended the call. It wasn’t solely the terrible timing that twisted her stomach in knots. Not showing up wasn’t like the Brianne Kendra had come to know serving as her case worker. She also knew Bri’s history—and that history settled on Kendra’s chest like a two-ton weight.
“I am sorry to do this, but I’ll have to reschedule to complete your interview,” she told Charlene and her husband. “I promise I’ll make it as soon as possible.”
Charlene escorted Kendra to the door. “I hope everything works out.”
“Me too.” Now, she had to figure out where she could place Jalen. Hopefully, on a temporary basis. This didn’t make sense. Bri was one of the success stories. She was off probation. All her drug tests had been clean. She’d moved up to a customer service representative at the car dealership where she worked. Maybe the person watching Jalen was confused about the pick-up time or had been in an accident. Please let there be a reasonable explanation.
Kendra pulled up to the curb at the daycare, which specialized in providing early intervention for children with developmental delays. As she exited the car, a woman with long, brown hair exited the building and locked the glass front doors. She led Jalen over.
“Hey, Jalen.” Kendra bent over to get closer to his level. “I’m your mom’s friend. Do you remember me?”
His adorable face scrunched as he shook his head.
“That’s okay. I remember you had a stuffed dog. What was his name? Tanner?” Kendra tried to remember to establish some trust.
“Champ! Uncle Linc gave me him for my birfday.”
“Yes. You showed me Champ when I came to your apartment.” A plan started to form. “You said Bri was out of town. Do you know where?” she asked the director.
“I don’t. I can check to see if she told Jalen’s teacher.”
“Who brought you to school today?” Kendra asked.
“Grams.”
“I wrote down the contact name and phone number Bri gave us on the authorization to pick him up.” Rachel handed Kendra Jalen’s backpack and a sheet of paper.
She looked at the name on the paper. Regina Feldman.
If she remembered correctly, that was Bri’s grandmother. How old would that make Jalen’s great- grandmother? She’d pull up Bri’s file and verify that. Also listed was Linc Porter’s number. The soldier who’d gotten his sister into rehab after her arrest.
Kendra hadn’t seen him since they’d met when he’d been at Bri’s when she came to do the home inspection. However, Bri had brought Linc up. Usually, complaining about him acting like an overprotective dictator. Kendra understood he cared about Bri staying clean and out of trouble, probably so he didn’t have to keep coming to her rescue, but she’d rather not have to deal with the alpha soldier. He likely felt the same after what happened before.
“Do you have a booster seat?” Rachel asked.
“I do.” One of the job’s requirements, even if she didn’t have kids of her own—yet.
“Jalen, it’s okay to go with Miss Andrews.”
He settled onto the booster seat, and Kendra fastened him in. The older Jalen got, the more he resembled his uncle. Same brown eyes and soft brown skin color. Similar facial features, though she didn’t know if Linc had a dimple. Jalen’s smile was all Bri’s.
“I hungry,” Jalen said.
“Me too. Would you like chicken nuggets or a hamburger?”
“Chicken nuggets and French fries.” His face brightened.
Perfect. She knew where they could eat, and he could go to the play area to buy her more time to reach Bri, her grandmother, or her brother to avoid entering Jalen into the system.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Rachel said.
Hopefully. Kendra closed the car door. “If you hear back from anyone, have them call my cell. I’ll take Jalen to my office and try to reach them again before I find a respite care placement.”