Chapter 16 - CPS at the Door
Three days later, there was a knock on our door.
When I opened it, two women stood there with official badges. One introduced herself as a social worker from Child Protective Services.
My stomach dropped.
“Mrs. Thompson,” she said politely, “we received a report about possible neglect and emotional abuse involving your daughter Grace. We’d like to speak with you and see Grace if possible.”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
I already knew who had made the report.
Lauren.
I invited them in and remained calm. I answered their questions honestly. I showed them Grace’s medical records, her glasses prescription, and the documentation I had been keeping.
When they asked to speak with Grace privately, I agreed — but only after explaining to Grace what was happening and telling her she could stop anytime.
After twenty minutes, the social workers came back out.
One of them looked at me with a softer expression.
“Grace is very clear about what happened at her grandmother’s house,” she said. “She’s also very clear that you’ve been protecting her since then. We’ll need to do a full investigation, but based on what we’ve seen so far, we don’t have concerns about your home.”
After they left, I sat on the couch and put my head in my hands.
Lauren had tried to use the system against me.
She had called CPS on her own niece, hoping it would make me look bad.
I felt anger rise in my chest — hot and sharp.
But underneath it was something else.
Fear.
May you like
Because if Lauren was willing to do this, she was more desperate than I thought.
And desperate people were dangerous.
