Parenting?

Alana made Marc mop. He always hated mopping. But he did it. Alana was doing her nails. Black polish. She was making plans to go out. Not. She just had to look good.

Anat got all of the packages of clothes and toys for the kid she found a few days ago. She put on her black mask and gloves and went to the child center. She signed in. The boy, whose name they found out is Jerry ran right up to her and jumped. He smiled. She cried. She wasn’t sure what this was supposed to feel like. Other than her grandma no one ever was happy to see her.

She held Jerry for a few minutes. Then she gave the social worker the clothing and toys. He was probably going to be the only kid in protective services in genuine Lacoste, Fendi and Ralph Lauren clothing. Nothing for the best for a three-year-old kid she’s known for about a week. The toys were great, too. She wasn’t sure if he was too young for an iPad? So she got him Tonka trucks, coloring books, a classic Etch A Sketch and a baseball glove.  Oh, she did get him a Red Sox hat.

She hung with him under the social worker’s watchful eye for about 30 minutes. She walked out of the rec room. The social worker said he was doing better and talking a little. He mentioned the lady with black boots that helped him. Her eyes teared again. They are trying to locate his parents. The social worker told a little more than she should have. It seems the kid was abused. He kept saying people hit me. They drop me.

Anat asked what the rules were for adoption or foster care. What was she thinking? Here she was a single woman who fights with dried fruit and never a relationship with anyone other than her grandma and grandfather. Sadly he died when she was quite young. She has faded memories of him.

She walked out of the center and started Googling info about raising a child. But then thoughts went through her mind. What if Jerry’s parents try to come and get him? Would the city let them?