Chapter 9 - SOPHIE DID NOT MOVE IN WITH ME IMMEDIATELYPeople expected that.
Biological father found.
Child rescued.
Happy family.
No.
The court and child-welfare team moved carefully.
Sophie had lost her mother four months earlier.
Then been transferred between adults.
Then hidden.
Then suddenly introduced to a father she knew only from photographs.
She needed stability.
A licensed kinship-placement assessment was conducted.
Helen Brooks remained involved.
I underwent home evaluation.
Background checks.
Parenting assessment.
All normal.
I wanted Sophie immediately.
That did not mean immediate placement was automatically best.
For three weeks, she stayed with Helen under temporary arrangement while I visited daily.
Then weekends.
Then overnight.
Gradual.
Ethan joined.
They argued over crayons on day four.
May you like
Excellent.
Normal sibling development had begun.
