The Call No Adoptive Parent Wants

Yesterday, my phone rang.  These days, I get so many unwanted calls from spammers and robots that I don't answer unless I recognize the number.  I let the call go to voicemail.  Usually, robo-callers don't bother to leave a message, so I was surprised to see that the caller had left one.

This is the message that I received:

Hi this is <name> at <county> Child Welfare Services.  If you can, please give me a call back at <number>.  I'd greatly appreciate it.  Again, my is <name> with <county> Child Welfare Services. <number>.  Thank you.  Bye-bye.

My first reaction came from all the times we dealt with CWS in the past.  A flood of adrenaline sent my heart into overdrive.

What are they accusing me of now?

Then I remembered.  Danielle is an adult, and she's living on her own.  It wasn't me that they were calling about.  It was Danielle.  I called the worker back, left a message, and within a few minutes she returned my call.

As typical, the worker wasn't willing to share a lot of information.  Danielle had just given birth to her second child, and "someone" (I am assuming hospital staff) had seen something of "concern."  The worker wanted to know if I knew whether or not Danielle used drugs.

"I've been expecting your call," I told her.

I always knew this day would come.  It's taken longer than I figured.

And the cycle begins again...