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I kept my fingers crossed that the custody hearings scheduled for later in the summer would turn out positive for us all.
Our second-last evening in England was spent in each other’s arms, both of us feeling a bit melancholic at the prospect of leaving the peace we’d felt there.
“I’ll miss Southampton,” Kate said, and I heard her sniff, a little teary at the prospect of leaving.
“So will I,” I said and kissed her cheek, wiping away a tear I felt there. “We’ll be happy in Brooklyn. Wait and see.”
“I hope so,” Kate said and sighed, snuggling closer.
I pulled her against my body, secure in the knowledge that whatever happened in our journey back to the USA, we loved each other.
That meant everything and would get us through any rough bits on the way.
CHAPTERELEVEN
We made a trip back to the house the next day to see how the move was going and were surprised at just how empty and big the house was when almost all the furniture and possessions were removed.
The moving truck was parked in the driveway, and I could see our furniture inside. Some of it — the possessions we didn’t feel we could part with — was going to be shipped back to New York, but the rest was going to be donated to a local charity. No need to ship it all back. It would give me something to do when I was back for the first few weeks. It would allow me to make whatever home we finally settled on our own.
Drake spoke to the movers about the furniture drop off at the charity office, wanting to ensure the right part of the load went to the appropriate place, while Sophie and I walked down the length of the property to the beach for one last look.
“Is there a beach in New York?” she asked, standing with her bare feet in the surf.
“There are many beaches in New York. We’ll get a cottage in the summer and will be able to walk the beaches. In the school year, we’ll be living close to Maureen and Chris so Liam can go there on the weekends.”
“Liam will go to school with me?”
She glanced up at me and I felt bad for her. I hoped whatever judge we got saw the wisdom in continuing the current arrangements when we got to the US.
“I hope so. That’s what we’re going to ask. Let’s keep our fingers crossed, okay?”
She tried to cross her fingers, using one hand to do it properly, then she held up both her hands for me to see.
“Fingers crossed.”
“Fingers, toes and eyes,” I said and crossed my eyes.
She laughed and crossed her own, which had us both in giggles.
Drake walked over and stood beside us. “What are my two girls giggling about?”
“Mommy crossed her eyes,” Sophie said. “I did, too. We want Liam to go to school with me and are crossing our fingers, toes and eyes.”
“Ahh,” Drake said and bent down, doing the same, which made Sophie laugh out loud.
“Oh, Daddy, you’re silly.”
Drake tickled her and then picked her up, hugging her. “I’m sure the judge will let Liam stay with us during the week. If he doesn’t, if we live close enough to Maureen and Chris, you could still go to the same school.”
Sophie nodded and then, the moment passed.
* * *
We spent about halfan hour walking the beach, and then returned, watching as the cleaners moved in to clean the house once the last box was loaded onto the moving van.
“I’ll drive back tomorrow morning just to check on it,” Drake said to the woman in charge of the cleaning crew.
“Sounds good. We anticipate being done around noon.”
