Water from Stone - a Novel by Katherine Mariaca-Sullivan

mouth. “Yuck.”
    Shirley taps a folder on her desk. “They’re not going to go away. They desperately want a child and they’re very good candidates.”
    “I know, but look at her. She’s doing fine, aren’t you Dizzie Lizzie? We’re doing just fine. Why can’t we just leave things like they are?”
    “Damn it, Mar!” Shirley’s hand slams down on the desk, causing both Mar and Lizzie to jump. The little girl drops her crayon and cowers at Mar’s side. “Sorry, Lizzie,” Shirley says, her smile more of a grimace.  “Look, Mar, you’re going to have to commit. Either you want Lizzie and make a formal plea for adoption, or you’re going to have to give her up to someone who’s willing to make that commitment.”
    “It’s not the commitment!”
    “Look, I understand your fear. What I’m having a problem with is reality. See, the world is a messed up place. And shit happens. Every day. To perfectly nice people. But if you don’t take the chance, you might as well just roll over and play dead because that’s certainly not living. That’s just floating.”
    “Well, screw it, then,” Mar moves over to the window and looks out at the towering Front Range. Today, even its majesty doesn’t soothe her. “Then I’m a floater, I guess.”
    “Mar,” Shirley tries again, in a different voice, “you two are a good team. She’s come a long way with you. Look at her. When you got her, she wouldn’t make a sound. Now she babbles non-stop, she’ll barely shut up. She’s lively and happy and she trusts you. How is she going to feel if you abandon her to someone else?”
    “I’m not abandoning her!”
    “Yes you are. What else are you going to call it?”
    “Alright then, what do you think my chances are?” Mar turns back to Shirley. “Really are? It’s like you said, these other people are good candidates. There’s a mom and a dad, they’ve got money, they do community service, probably go to church, yuck it up with the mayor, the governor. They’ve got a public building named after them, for god’s sakes! I can’t compete with that.”
    “Take my word for it, Mar, they’re worried about Lizzie’s mom taking drugs during her pregnancy.”
    Mar’s mouth drops open and she looks over at the little girl happily scribbling away. As if sensing her attention, Lizzie looks up and grins at her. Mar’s eyes fills with tears. “I told you,” she whispers, “she shows no signs! Nothing, nada, not even a blip.  The tests all come back negative.”
    “Except that her babbling is not really talking. She’s making noises, yes, but she’s not making words. You know Dylan says she should be talking by now. Other than that, yeah, she’s great. But Mar, and this is a big but, these things can show up later.”
    “What are you saying?” Mar’s eyes narrows. “Are you saying you’d tell them she’s not OK?”
    Shirley puts on her best business voice as she considers Mar across desk. “No, Mar, I’m not going to lie to them. My job is to find the best home for the children that come under my care. My recommendation to the court, should you decide to pursue adoption, would be that you can provide Elizabeth with the best home. There will be other babies and the Ferrins are on the top of the list as adoptive parents. The fact that there is concern that one day Lizzie may show developmental or behavioral problems associated with her mother’s drug abuse is not debatable. That being the case, and knowing the Ferrins, I believe that they’ll opt to wait. If, however, you decide not to pursue adoption, I think that it is best that Elizabeth be placed as soon as possible so that she can begin to develop bonds with her new parents. Whatever the case, though, I need an answer. Today.”
    Mar looks up, panicked. “Today?”
    “Today.”
    The fight leaves her swiftly and Mar drops down on the bench next to Lizzie. “Yes, honey, you see? The Strawberry Shortcake did the trick.” With a finger, she