Journey to Love

Chapter 18

A couple of hours later:

"Hello, how can I help you?" Diana smiled sourly at the couple who had just knocked on to her front door.

"Good afternoon ma'am, are you Mrs Diana Stone?" the lady standing on the other side of the doorframe asked. A small forced smile decorated the lady's tanned face. 

"Yes I am, and who might you be?" Danielle bit back harshly, annoyed by the couple standing at her door, interrupting her TV show. 

"My name is Krystal Parker and this is my companion Tyler Sanders.  We are social workers from the Children's Protective Services. I was wondering if I could have a talk with you, your husband, Jackson, and your foster daughter Layla?"

Danielle stilled at the mention of the children's protective services. A lie rambled off of her tongue, "well, my husband is currently at work till 5 pm and Layla is staying over at a friend's house. What brings you here unannounced?"

"We have just come to do a routine check ma'am.  If you would, could you please show us around your house so I can make sure that everything is up to standard? Then afterward we can make an appointment so we can discuss some issues at a later date," Krystal continued, staring at Diana who was paling slightly, trying to find her words.

"Y-yes um sure, come inside." Danielle moved out of the doorway, allowing Krystal and Tyler to enter through the door. "Would either of you like something to drink?"

"No thank you, ma'am," Tyler spoke up for the first time.

Upon entering the foyer of the house, both Krystal and Tyler were slightly surprised at how clean the place looked. From the call that CPS had received earlier, they were expecting some sort of red flag to emerge from the start. But it all seemed fine.

Danielle walked the two social workers around the ground floor of the house. Though Krystal and Tyler found the house was all up to standard. All the sharp objects were kept out of Layla's reach, medicine was in the top cupboards, no signs of any drug abuse, and nothing seemed wrong with the house. Everything was normal. Both Krystal and Tyler began having doubts about the caller and their intentions. It wouldn't have been the first time someone had called them out of jealousy or hatred of another parent. 

"Well that is the ground floor, would you like to see the top floor?" Danielle bluffed. She was hoping that they would say no. But as it was a part of the routine inspection, they had to check all of the rooms. Not only to make sure nothing was being hidden but to make sure Layla's bedroom and the bathroom were adequate. 

"Yes please Mrs Stone," Tyler nodded his head in confirmation. 

As they started making their way up the stairs, Danielle spoke, "Layla is such a wonderful child, I'm so glad to have her come into my life, she is such a blessing".

"That is good to hear Mrs Stone," Krystal continued, "We always try and make sure that both the child and their foster parents are happy with the decisions being made. How has Layla been, living with you?"

"She is so well behaved, always striving to do her best" Danielle smiled. 

Once they reached the top of the stairs, Danielle showed Krystal and Tyler her master bedroom, the bathroom and the guest bedrooms. It wasn't till they stepped in front of the final door did Tyler's stomach twist in uncertainty. 

"Why is there a bolt on the door?" Tyler asked in confusion. There had been no other locks on any other doors, not even the master bedroom. But here, standing in front of Layla's bedroom, there was a bolt on the door. 

"Layla doesn't like anyone in her room when she's gone. It's about keeping privacy or something" Diana answered straight away, as if she may have rehearsed it previously.