She sounded surprised. “Of course. We can meet this afternoon.”
On the drive over, I kept telling myself, You’re just asking questions. Deep down, I knew that wasn’t true.
In her office, Karen laid a file on the table. “They’re good kids,” she said. “They’ve been through a lot. Owen is nine. Tessa is seven. Cole is five. Ruby is three.”
I repeated the names in my head.
“Their parents died in a car accident,” Karen continued. “No extended family could take all four. They’re in temporary care now.”
“So what happens if no one takes all four?” I asked.
She exhaled. “Then they’ll be placed separately. Most families can’t take that many children at once.”
“Is that what you want?”
“It’s what the system allows,” she said. “It’s not ideal.”
I stared at the file. “All four?”
