trying.”
Tino’s words made her feel really good. Candace smiled and checked her watch.
“Dang! It’s already 1:30. I have a doctor’s appointment.”
“I’m late for my next class,” Tino said.
“Thanks for talking with me,” Candace said. “You made me feel a lot better.”
“I’m a good listener,” Tino said. “So long as you don’t dump me in that platonic pile.”
“Okay,” she said.
He reached over and touched her hand. Then he got out and went to class.
* * *
The prenatal assistance provided by the fair city of Overbrook Meadows could be described as no less than remarkable. The county hospital assigned Candace a caseworker named Kayla. Kayla not only set up appointments at an OB/GYN clinic free of charge, but she also instructed Candace on how to get diapers, milk, a car seat, a stroller, and even cash money through the many mother/baby services throughout the city.
After her doctor visit, Candace met with the social worker to discuss the baby’s postpartum needs. There was no way she was going to cry again that day, but questions about her family life, financial standing, and overall knowledge of child-rearing had Candace on the verge of tears.
“I’ve been thinking about putting her up for adoption,” she said out of the blue, as casually as if she were asking where the restroom was.
“Really?” Kayla said. She wore a gray skirt suit with a white blouse. Her hair was styled in baby dreadlocks. Candace’s caseworker was slim and attractive.
“Yeah,” she said. “Do you have the number for any agencies?”
Kayla cocked her head at her young client. “Why do you want to put your daughter up for adoption?”
“That’s what I’ve decided.”
“But why?” Kayla asked.
Candace immediately didn’t like where this conversation was going. She didn’t think she’d have to bare her soul this early in the game.
“What do you mean, ‘ why? ’?”
Kayla shrugged. “I think that’s a very difficult decision, Candace. I’d like to know how you came about it.”
“Are you trying to talk me out of it?”
The caseworker sat back in her seat and stared at her confused client. Candace was young and naïve. She was more educated than most of the girls who came to this office, but she was becoming more and more of an anomaly.
“I’m not trying to talk you out of it,” Kayla said. “You don’t have to get defensive.”
Candace didn’t think she had gotten defensive. “I think more experienced parents could take better care of her,” she said. “I don’t think I’m ready to have a baby.”
“Those are perfect answers,” Kayla said.
Candace thought so, too.
“What about the baby’s father?” Kayla asked. “He wants to put her up for adoption, too?”
“No. He can’t wait to have a daughter.”
The caseworker chewed on the end of her pen. “Are you still with him?”
“Yes, but I’m leaving after I have the baby,” Candace said. “I’m going back to New York.”
“And you don’t want to take the baby with you . . . .”
Candace knew the woman was tying to judge her reactions, so she kept a straight face. “Right. I’m going to finish this semester at the community college, have the baby over summer break, and be back in New York by the fall. I’ll have my credits here transferred to Columbia.”
“Why don’t you leave the baby with her father, rather than put her up for adoption?”
The color drained from Candace’s face. “I don’t want to give her to him. He’s not a good father.”
“How come?”
“He’s a thug,” Candace said. “He sells drugs. He won’t treat her right, either.”
“Do you think he might fight your decision?” Kayla asked.
“You mean, like in court?”
“It’s his baby, too,” Kayla said. “Just because you don’t want her doesn’t mean he can’t have her. You might be right about him not being a good parent, but yes, the father could take you to court.”
This was a worst-case
Tino’s words made her feel really good. Candace smiled and checked her watch.
“Dang! It’s already 1:30. I have a doctor’s appointment.”
“I’m late for my next class,” Tino said.
“Thanks for talking with me,” Candace said. “You made me feel a lot better.”
“I’m a good listener,” Tino said. “So long as you don’t dump me in that platonic pile.”
“Okay,” she said.
He reached over and touched her hand. Then he got out and went to class.
* * *
The prenatal assistance provided by the fair city of Overbrook Meadows could be described as no less than remarkable. The county hospital assigned Candace a caseworker named Kayla. Kayla not only set up appointments at an OB/GYN clinic free of charge, but she also instructed Candace on how to get diapers, milk, a car seat, a stroller, and even cash money through the many mother/baby services throughout the city.
After her doctor visit, Candace met with the social worker to discuss the baby’s postpartum needs. There was no way she was going to cry again that day, but questions about her family life, financial standing, and overall knowledge of child-rearing had Candace on the verge of tears.
“I’ve been thinking about putting her up for adoption,” she said out of the blue, as casually as if she were asking where the restroom was.
“Really?” Kayla said. She wore a gray skirt suit with a white blouse. Her hair was styled in baby dreadlocks. Candace’s caseworker was slim and attractive.
“Yeah,” she said. “Do you have the number for any agencies?”
Kayla cocked her head at her young client. “Why do you want to put your daughter up for adoption?”
“That’s what I’ve decided.”
“But why?” Kayla asked.
Candace immediately didn’t like where this conversation was going. She didn’t think she’d have to bare her soul this early in the game.
“What do you mean, ‘ why? ’?”
Kayla shrugged. “I think that’s a very difficult decision, Candace. I’d like to know how you came about it.”
“Are you trying to talk me out of it?”
The caseworker sat back in her seat and stared at her confused client. Candace was young and naïve. She was more educated than most of the girls who came to this office, but she was becoming more and more of an anomaly.
“I’m not trying to talk you out of it,” Kayla said. “You don’t have to get defensive.”
Candace didn’t think she had gotten defensive. “I think more experienced parents could take better care of her,” she said. “I don’t think I’m ready to have a baby.”
“Those are perfect answers,” Kayla said.
Candace thought so, too.
“What about the baby’s father?” Kayla asked. “He wants to put her up for adoption, too?”
“No. He can’t wait to have a daughter.”
The caseworker chewed on the end of her pen. “Are you still with him?”
“Yes, but I’m leaving after I have the baby,” Candace said. “I’m going back to New York.”
“And you don’t want to take the baby with you . . . .”
Candace knew the woman was tying to judge her reactions, so she kept a straight face. “Right. I’m going to finish this semester at the community college, have the baby over summer break, and be back in New York by the fall. I’ll have my credits here transferred to Columbia.”
“Why don’t you leave the baby with her father, rather than put her up for adoption?”
The color drained from Candace’s face. “I don’t want to give her to him. He’s not a good father.”
“How come?”
“He’s a thug,” Candace said. “He sells drugs. He won’t treat her right, either.”
“Do you think he might fight your decision?” Kayla asked.
“You mean, like in court?”
“It’s his baby, too,” Kayla said. “Just because you don’t want her doesn’t mean he can’t have her. You might be right about him not being a good parent, but yes, the father could take you to court.”
This was a worst-case
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