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"Me as well. See you later. Call me any time you need to talk. And please, I'd like to spend more time with Liam. I'll be talking to my lawyer about joint custody and we'll get going on it as soon as possible."
"I hope it works out," she said but didn't look all that positive about the prospects. "You'll have to be prepared in case your personal history makes a judge hesitate to give you joint custody. Even given the circumstances."
"I know," I said. "I'm trying to be realistic about it."
I waved goodbye and went back home, feeling good about seeing Liam, but torn about what I was facing with getting joint custody. I knew it would be an uphill battle.
When I got back home, it was almost time for dinner and Kate was standing at the stove, stirring a pot of Italian tomato sauce. In a frying pan next to it, about a dozen meatballs sizzled. Sophie sat in her high chair and played with her toys. She gave me a big smile when I went to her and kissed the top of her head.
"How did it go?" Kate asked when I went to her and slipped my arms around her.
She turned around in my arms and held my face in her hands, giving me a quick kiss.
"Good. I saw Liam, had a nice visit with him. Brenda and I had a good talk about Maureen and Chris. Not much to report other than that. We'll have to just give it a try and hope the judge we get is reasonable about my past."
"He or she would be a fool not to grant you joint custody, especially considering Maureen is planning to go to Indonesia for at least six months."
"You're biased," I said and kissed her.
"I am."
Two days. Forty-eight hours of family bliss with my beautiful wife and baby.
That's all I had before getting a call to cover the shift of one of the other neuros who had a family crisis and couldn't come in to work. I'd promised my supervisor that I'd be as flexible as possible, covering shifts when needed because I wanted to work and would be happy to be the grunt doc at the hospital.
When I got the text, Kate was sitting with Sophie on the beach down from our house, digging in the sand. I stood on the deck and watched them while I decided what to do. Technically, I was due five days off because that was my shift – five on and five off. But I had agreed to be the resident neurosurgery float who would come in and cover a shift if necessary, so that's what I had to do.
Kate was supposed to go to her studio after lunch and work on her painting, while Sophie and I were going to spend the afternoon together, walking the beach and doing baby daddy things.
Now, I would have to screw everything up.
I felt bad that I would be leaving Kate after being away the previous day all afternoon. She'd happily forgone going to the studio so I could visit with Brenda. I texted Elaine to see if she could sit for us so that Kate could go to the studio as planned.
DRAKE: I was supposed to be home with Sophie to let Kate go to the studio and get some work done on her painting, but I was called in to cover a shift and I can't say no. Would you be able to come and sit with Sophie so Kate can still go to the studio?
I sent the text and waited. Elaine was usually on top of things so I got a response within a couple of minutes.
ELAINE: I'd love to come by. I'll see if Ethan will join me so we can both play with her.
DRAKE: Kate could drop Sophie off at your place if that would be easier for Ethan.
ELAINE: No, it's better that Sophie is at her house. Besides, it gets Ethan out of the house, which is good for him. He gets a bit down when he stays in the house too long. I'm sure he'd love to be able to come to your place. I'll text you right back.
I waited while she talked to Ethan and sure enough, in a couple of minutes, she replied.
ELAINE: Ethan has a teleconference at 3 so maybe it's best if you drop Sophie off here. Sorry! I forgot about it...
DRAKE: No, that's perfectly fine. I'm sure Kate will be just as happy to leave Sophie with you. Thanks again for all your help, I just hate to disappoint Kate when she's so eager to get to work on her painting.
ELAINE: We're always happy to sit with Sophie. Never hesitate to ask.
DRAKE: Thanks again. Talk later.
It was great of Elaine to be so willing to look after Sophie on a moment's notice but I figured that she never had her own kids and probably saw Sophie as her only chance to mother a child. Whatever her motivation, I was glad. I knew how much Kate was looking forward to her trip to the studio that day and wanted her to feel able to go even if I had to take an extra shift at the hospital.
I put my cell down and took my coffee out to the beach where Kate and Sophie were sitting under a sun umbrella.
"Hey there, pretty ladies," I said and plopped down beside them. "What are you making?"
