Chicago, Summer, 1942
"She flies fighter planes and bombers in England and gets shot at! She's not even in the military. She does it for the excitement! How can she be granted custody of our grandson?"
Isobel Eaton, after spending three hours in a beauty shop and wearing pearls with her best summer dress from Saks, hoped with that approach to influence the social worker to her favor in making a temporary custody evaluation in the case of Timothy Riordan, orphan. Millie Ryan, a career civil servant-sociologist of plain looks and slight figure, with no psychiatric or psychology degree, had been assigned by a magistrate to assist the judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County in Chicago because of the court's heavy backlog of Family Court cases.
"I am no longer a volunteer ferrying pilot for the British," Barbara said, then explained her work for the previous year. She was more simply dressed in skirt and sweater. "And it was Tim's late mother's wish, in her will, that I adopt him."
"It's in a will?" Miss Ryan asked.
"What will?" Mrs. Eaton demanded. "We know of no will, do we Hubert?"
Mr. Eaton and their lawyer stood with wonder on their faces, then confirmed what Mrs. Eaton had said.
It nearly blew Barbara's mind. But her asthmatic, pock-faced attorney, Roger Silverman, signaled her to let him speak for her.
Producing Barbara's copy of the will, Silverman told the social worker, "Tim Riordan's late mother, Gail Riordan, had this will drawn up specifying my client Barbara Markey be granted legal guardianship and adopt her son."
"Gail told me she gave a copy of the will to her parents and their attorney," Barbara put in.
"We received no such document," Mrs. Eaton insisted.
Miss Ryan read aloud that section of the will that pertained to the adoption, then concluded, "I will consider this strongly in writing my custody evaluation report."
Mrs. Eaton's over-rouged cheeks puffed up. "My daughter must have been distraught and distressed when she wrote that, if indeed she did."
She's using the same words on the social worker as she used on me, Barbara remembered. She's memorized her spiel. "I challenge the will's authenticity," Mrs. Eaton went on, "because I doubt Gail ever had such a thing drawn up. And I also challenge its validity because of her mental state. She was still grieving over the tragic death of her husband."
"This temporary custody hearing has taken more than two hours already," Miss Ryan said wearily. "I will take into consideration both parties' arguments. But the laws of the state of Illinois and of Cook County much also come into play in order for me to recommend what is best for the boy in question. With both parties' testimony today, and having all pertinent documents, depositions, and other background, I believe we can call it a day. You will all be notified by the court after a judge reviews my recommendation."