Page 87 of Fierce-Dane

She needed to know these things. Especially if her mother was back in Tennessee. There was no saying if her mother went back into the cult and Shiloh was just another child born into it like all the other half siblings she had.

Though this was different and she knew it.

“There is no father listed on the birth certificate,” Miranda said. “We’ve asked around and no one knows.”

“Can I ask where my sister was born?” This would give her an idea of if it was in a cult or not.

“North Knoxville Medical Center,” Miranda said after she clicked a few more keys. “Can I ask why you needed that?”

“The last I knew my mother was in Virginia,” she said. “I was just curious.” Which at least told her one thing, but not much more. If Shiloh was born into the cult there’d be no hospital records.

“We can keep Shiloh in foster care if that is your preference, but you’ll need to sign off on rights. I’d recommend you retain an attorney.”

“No,” she said. “I need to come get her. I should.”

“Again,” Miranda said, “I’d advise you to consult an attorney. When we let you leave the state with her we’ll have to set up visitations with services where you live. That’s in Durham, correct?”

“Yeah,” she said. “How soon can I come there? What do I need? I’m sorry. I own a business. I need to get an attorney and get my affairs in order. I’m not sure where to begin, but I’d like to come get her as soon as possible. I should, right?”

She at least had a spare bed already, but that was it.

“That is your choice,” Miranda said. “We’d need to make an assessment first, but I’m sure you could be granted temporary custody as you are listed as her legal guardian should something happen to your mother.”

“Can I come tomorrow? Then it’s the weekend so I’m sure your office is closed.”

“If you can get here tomorrow, why don’t we schedule an appointment in the afternoon? You’ve got at least a five-hour drive.”

“If you can do it around lunch or so that will work,” she said. “I’ll leave first thing.”

Sloane was writing notes to have all her appointments rescheduled or canceled or if anyone else could take them. Thankfully she’d scheduled somewhat of a light day tomorrow because Dane was off and they had plans before he got his kids on Sunday.

“Do you have an email where I can send you everything we’ll need from you tomorrow when you come? If you don’t think you can get it, we’ll reschedule for next week.”

She read her email off to them and then hung up.

There was a knock on her door and she answered for them to come in. “Everything okay?” Natalie asked.

“No,” she said. “It’s not. I need you to cancel, rescheduleor see if anyone can take my appointments the rest of today into Wednesday next week.”

She hoped that was enough time to figure things out. She’d have to get daycare and school set up. Much more for sure, but the least she could do was bring Shiloh here if she had to.

“Are you okay?” Natalie said. “Are you sick?”

“No,” she said. “It’s a family emergency. I need to go out of town tomorrow.”

“I’ll get to it then,” Natalie said, closing her door.

Sloane didn’t even know where to start.

She did the one thing she’d said she’d never do. She called someone for advice.

She called Dane.

He was the first person in her life that she felt she could talk to about this.

She’d have to let him know anyway since she’d be canceling her plans with him.

There was no way he was going to answer though, so she decided to text him instead that she needed to talk to him when he had a minute.

---