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“I’M HERE TO ask you some questions about your son” Lacey hated this part of her job, where she tried to instill confidence so she could deterhtmare

In order to help Always in order to help Unfortunately, most parents in need of help didn’t see her as someone to turn to

That night, for whatever reason, she wished she could just be having a glass of ith the woman

across fro styles, blond hair and a penchant for iced tea they had in common

“You want to know about Levi? Social services wants to know?” Tressa sat up straight, ’s happened to hi to Je as that reat with Levi That’s the only reason I can bear to be without reat dad”

“And you don’t think you’re a great mom?”

“Of course I do,” Tressa said And then added, “Well, oofy with Levi as Jeh as , they had this rapport Everyone noticed it I had a baby and it was like I beca to Levi since he was born and I taught him to read He’s only four, you know”

Tressa took a sip of tea, as though confident that everything was going to be just fine

Jereed lion

“My office received a report that so him”

Those big blue eyes opened wide in shock, and alarlance or prevarication Tressa was staring her straight in the eye

“That’s a lie,” the woman said “I just had him this weekend and he was perfectly fine He’s always fine Every single time I see him He may not live with me full-time, but I’m his mother He’s my only child I’d have noticed if he wasn’t okay”

Not an atypical response Either way—if she was an abuser or if she wasn’t

“So you don’t think your husband could be hurting him?”

“Jeentle man I know Except maybe when people screw up at work, and only then because construction is a dangerous business and people could get hurt He’s really protective of his crews It’s not like anyone would think they could walk all over hi But he’d never hurt Levi Not ever”