“Will that help?” I ask.
“I don’t know. But we’re going to try everything we can. No matter how small.”
“Mama!” River calls out as he runs in and I pick him up.
“Are you having fun?”
“Yes. I got to play in the pool wif Rowan and Sansone.”
“That sounds like so much fun.” I smile as I kiss his face.
“Can we go and see da otters?”
“Not today, baby. Maybe later on this week.”
“Awww. Otay, Mama.”
“Why don’t we have lunch and then go swim again?” Eden smiles at him.
“Yayyyy!”
“Thank you,” I say to Eden.
I’m so glad that River’s too young to really know what’s going on. I think this would be so much harder if I had to explain this to him.
“I know it’s hard to try and relax, but you should try. We have our monthly barbecue this weekend, hopefully it’ll help get your mind off things. Even if it’s just for one night,” Luciana says.
“That does sound nice, thank you. I was telling Emerson I don’t know what I’d do if I had to do any of this alone.”
“I know what you mean. I was lucky to have been born into my family. And now it’s growing and we all take care of each other. That includes you and River. I know that we’ll figure this out. River won’t be taken from you.”
Luciana hugs me, the whole family makes me feel so loved. I feel Emerson wrap his arms around me and I lean back into him.
“I love you,” he whispers in my ear. “We’re going to get through this.”
I turn to face him.
“I’m just so afraid that Palmer will pay off enough people and take River from us.”
“That’s never going to happen. Enzo will find a way to fix this.”
I want to have the kind of faith that he has. But when I saw my parents and my sisters on that stand lying about me? That was something I’ve never felt before. That betrayal is something I’ll never forget.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sawyer
It’s been two days since that nightmare day. Lorenzo was able to get us another hearing date with a new judge. And he’s also said because of that, the deadline the first judge gave us is postponed. It’s been such a relief to know we’re getting another chance. And with a judge I hope will see Palmer and my ex-family for the liars they are.
“So, Lorenzo said that our hearing got moved up to tomorrow. He thinks that’s a good thing. And he’s been in front of this judge before. He said he’s a fair and honest judge,” Emerson says to me as we’re getting ready.
“That’s such a relief. I don’t know what we’d do if we got the same one. Or one with a different reputation.”
“My only worry was how long this would take. I didn’t want to have to leave for a race without you and River.”
I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her.
“I don’t know if I can ever express how thankful I am for you.”
