Chapter 14 - The Home Visit
Elise sabotaged the home visit.
That was what Thomas called it later.
Maya Ellis called it normal attachment testing.
Elise refused breakfast.
Threw one magnetic block across the room.
Told the caseworker:
“Thomas yells.”
Thomas stared.
“When?”
“When Celtics lose.”
The caseworker tried not to laugh.
Clare failed.
Elise continued:
“Clare burns eggs.”
“Relevant,” Thomas said.
The caseworker asked:
“Do you feel safe here?”
Elise stopped joking.
“Yes.”
“Has anyone hurt you?”
“No.”
“What happens when adults are angry?”
“Thomas walks.”
Thomas frowned.
“I walk?”
“You walk around kitchen.”
Ah.
“Clare cleans.”
True.
“What happens if you’re angry?”
“I yell.”
“And then?”
“Nothing.”
Clare corrected gently.
“Sometimes you lose screen time if you throw things.”
Elise shrugged.
“Nothing important.”
The caseworker asked:
“Do you want Thomas and Clare to adopt you?”
Elise stared at her.
Then:
“Are you asking because if I say yes you can say no?”
“No.”
“Then yes.”
Simple.
The report recommended finalization.
But before court date, a new complication arrived.
A woman named Dana Mercer filed a petition for kinship consideration.
Noah’s younger sister.
Thomas had known her years ago.
They had not spoken since Noah’s funeral.
Dana lived in Oregon.
Married.
Two children.
She had learned about Elise through press.
She wanted contact.
Not necessarily custody.
Her initial petition asked the court to pause adoption long enough to evaluate biological family placement rights.
Thomas was furious.
Sarah said:
“She has standing to ask consideration, not automatic priority after years of no knowledge.”
“She didn’t know.”
“Exactly.”
Thomas stopped.
Dana was not Voss.
Not Patricia.
Not enemy.
She had just discovered she had a niece.
Dana’s letter:
I do not want to take Elise from people she loves. I need the court to understand I would have come if I had known she existed.
Thomas read twice.
Clare said:
“That’s fair.”
“I hate it.”
“Still fair.”
Dana came to Boston.
First meeting without Elise.
She looked like Noah around eyes.
Thomas nearly lost breath.
“Hello, Tommy.”
Nobody called him that anymore.
“Dana.”
She cried.
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
“Mom didn’t tell me.”
“Helen knew late.”
“Why didn’t she call?”
“She was ashamed.”
Dana covered face.
“My whole family deals with shame by disappearing.”
Thomas thought of Noah.
Maybe.
Dana said:
“I’m not trying to steal her.”
“Your petition…”
“My lawyer told me if I didn’t ask now, I might never be heard.”
“What do you want?”
“To know her.”
“That is Elise’s decision eventually.”
“Yes.”
“And adoption?”
Dana breathed.
“If she is happy with you, I won’t fight.”
Thomas did not expect.
“Why file?”
“To make sure she wasn’t being adopted because of money.”
He almost laughed.
“Mara would like you.”
Dana’s face crumpled at name.
“Tell me about her.”
Thomas did what Voss had refused to do for years.
He told truth.
Dana withdrew opposition to adoption after reviewing independent home study and meeting child representative.
She requested a gradual biological family contact plan.
Elise’s therapist recommended letters first.
Dana agreed.
Her first letter included a photograph of Noah at age five.
Elise stared.
“He has my nose.”
Thomas smiled.
“Yes.”
“Is she my aunt?”
“Yes.”
“Do I have cousins?”
“Yes.”
“Too many families.”
“That is a problem.”
She looked at him.
“Am I still Lawson if adopted?”
“If you want.”
“What about Harper?”
“You can keep Harper.”
“Mercer?”
“That too, eventually if court approves.”
Elise thought.
“That’s too long.”
In final petition, her name remained:
Elise Mara Harper Lawson.
Harper kept.
Mara honored.
Lawson added.
Mercer lived in story, not required on paperwork.
Dana approved.
May you like
“Perfect.”
One final obstacle was gone.
