Jon Teel by Lana Laws Downing

Author:Lana Laws Downing
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-64258-216-1
Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc
Published: 2018-07-24T21:49:44+00:00

More Hoops

As Julia finished the call to Jamal, the front doorbell chimed. Telling Florida she would answer it, Julia went to the door to find Ronnell and her supervisor, Hannah Clarkson, on the front gallery, briefcases in hand. They were all business, and Julia appreciated their professionalism. For her part, Julia called Florida in to be a part of the proceedings. In fact, it had occurred to Julia that it might be a good idea to have Florida as a witness and also to perhaps have her certified as a foster parent. She would see how things went today before she floated the idea by Flo.

Julia invited them into the front hall, and then directed them to the formal living room just off the hall. It was a lovely room, decorated at great expense by Julia’s mother, but it proved the old adage that one got what one paid for. It was as pristine and attractive today as it had been fifty years ago.

Good taste stands the test of time was Julia’s fleeting thought before getting down to the business at hand.

“Can I offer you ladies coffee or tea before we begin?” Julia asked.

Hannah Clarkson declined for the two of them and began.

“We are here at the direction of Judge Porteous Green of the Sixteenth Judicial Court to conduct an interview of Julia Chandler Hancock and an inspection of these premises prior to the possible placement of a foster child into your care here in this residence.”

Julia noted with surprise that Ronnell was videotaping the proceedings.

Hannah stopped and said, “Mrs. Hancock, I neglected to ask your permission to video what we do here today. Judge Green is a stickler for the law, and I assure you this is for your legal protection as well as for verification for legal purposes.”

Julia readily agreed, but she knew that in all her dealings with CASA and the juvenile court, she had never heard of such meticulous record-keeping. It was as though Porteous knew there would be legal troubles down the road.

The interview and inspection went off without a hitch, the video camera recording every word and panning every room in the house, including the upstairs bedroom next to her own that Julia had earmarked for Jon Teel. Instead of the tall canopy beds in most of the other bedrooms, this room had two twin beds with turned Jenny Lind spindles. It had been Julia’s when she was a child, but in later years, it had been transformed into a guest room. It was simply furnished, light and airy, and thoroughly attractive. The two child welfare specialists representing the Department of Children and Family Services made no comments whatsoever. They did not so much as raise an eyebrow in approval or disapproval. They made it clear that they were there to question, record, and report but to give no opinions or answers. Julia understood and asked nothing of them. Julia could tell that Florida was using every ounce of her willpower to contain herself and hold her tongue.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.