“There’s no question that Kathleen’s parental rights relating to Isaac will be terminated.” The social worker flipped through the manila folder on the table in front of him. “It’s obvious that she poses a threat to his well-being, no one can argue that. However. . .” his eyes met Nora’s, solemnly, “under current law, she does not have to forfeit her parental rights over Taylor and Zachary.”
Nora stared at him, unable to believe what she was hearing. “What?”
“She won’t regain custody,” Eric Jordan was a young man, scarcely older than Kathleen, and he hadn’t been a social worker long enough to become desensitized to some of the worse parts of the job. He was almost as concerned as Nora. “I mean, she won’t regain custody within the next few years, because she’ll certainly incur jail time, probably for attempted murder. She might not get out until they are over eighteen.”
“But if she gets out earlier, she could regain custody?” Nora was incredulous, and she was in no mood to be patient. The last twenty four hours had been hell. Isaac had begun bleeding again, then had a reaction to the blood transfusion they gave him, which necessitated more drugs, another transfusion, and at least two more days in the ICU. In the midst of all of this, two heavily armed security guards had shown up, on orders to stand outside Isaac’s door in case Kathleen found out where he was and tried to see him. Then, the sedative Isaac had been given ended up having the opposite effect, and he’d been up most of the night. Nora had stayed with him, not wanting to leave until he was asleep.
Over the past four days, Nora had gotten nine hours of sleep, none of it continuous. She hadn’t had a meal since the night Isaac had come into the emergency room. She was running on the calories provided by twenty four cups of coffee, three cans of diet Coke, a bagel, a bag of Doritos and few hospital cafeteria tuna fish sandwiches. She hadn’t been home in what felt like years.
Right now, Nora was in no mood to hear that, despite all the havoc Kathleen had wreaked, Taylor and Sac might still be forced to live with her.
“If she gets out and proves herself to be sufficiently rehabilitated, she could regain custody,” Eric confirmed. “And even if the boys never live with her, as long as she maintains her parental rights they’ll remain in foster care, technically her children.”
“Is there anything we can do?” Nora asked.
“I can recommend that parental rights be terminated for all three boys,” Eric proposed. “Custody rights will probably be decided when Kathleen is put on trial for the stabbing. That should happen in about three months.” He took a sip of his coffee. “A hearing to decide temporary custody of Taylor and Zachary, and of Isaac, if he should get out of the hospital before the trial begins, has been set for Thursday. I can’t make any promises, but they will probably end up staying with you and Dan, until the trial.”
“Will Isaac have to testify in that?” Nora asked.
“He probably will,” Eric conceded. “And Taylor and Zachary might have to, as well.”
Nora rested her forehead in the palm of her hand. “With their mother in the room?”
Eric swallowed hard. “Well, there was a law passed recently that ensures each defendant to come face to face with the person who is accusing them of committing a crime.”
Nora let out a long, irritated sigh. If she never again found herself involved with the legal system, it would be too soon. “I guess we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it.”
“Exceptions will probably be made, considering the circumstances,” Eric assured her.
“How good do you think the chances are that Kathleen’s parental rights won’t be completely terminated?” Nora asked.
Eric took a deep breath, looking into her eyes. “Dr. Conway, the only way to say for certain that a parent’s rights will be completely terminated is if they actually murder their child.”
Nora’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t want to think about the implications of his statement, or that they might come true.