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My father is sitting behind his desk with his head in his hands. “Your aunt Suzanna, that’s what,” he barks.
“Don’t snap at her,” my mother scolds. “It’s not her fault.”
“Sorry, Ken,” Dad mutters, and Mom hugs me, patting my back before pulling away.
“Your aunt called your father. She wants him to testify in court.”
I blink. “What? Is she in trouble again?”
Dad shakes his head. “No more than usual.”
“She wants to get custody of the kids,” Mom explains, sounding exasperated.
“She can’t do that!” I exclaim, and Dad looks up at me.
“She’s their mother. There’s a possibility she can,” he says.
“You see the position this puts your father in.”
“Not really,” I say stubbornly. “She’s not a good mother. That’s all he has to say.”
“She’s my baby sister, Kenna. It’s not that simple,” my father argues.
I think about it. If Ryan or Kimberly abandoned their family the way that Suzanna abandoned theirs, could I go in court and testify that they were bad parents? I don’t know for sure, and I can start to understand why my father is so upset.
“I’m sorry, Dad. This puts you between a rock and a hard place.” I sit down across from him.
“You know that she’ll ask you to testify, too, now that you’re nannying for Derek,” my father points out.
Shit.
I hadn’t thought of that. “I haven’t heard anything,” I say hopefully.
“We just heard today. We went back and forth for a while, but she says she needs all the help she can get.”
“You’re not going to testify, are you?” I ask, and my father looks up at me for a long moment.
“No. No, I don’t think I will. I love my sister, but I can’t lie in court or defend her actions. It’s just a difficult spot to be in.”
“What about you, Kenna?” Mom asks. “Are you going to testify?”
“Not for Suzanna,” I say firmly.
“Since you’re one of their caretakers, you’ll have to testify,” my father explains.
I bite my lip. Itisa weird position to be in for my father, but for me? I barely know Aunt Suzanna. Hell, even after the time I spent working for him, I don’t know that much about Derek.
But I know those kids. I know Maggie and Eli, and I know that they love their father. I know that he’s there for them, every single day. And Suzanna hasn’t seen them in years.
“I’ll testify, but not for her.” I say again. “I’ll testify for Derek.”
Mom looks a bit shocked, but my father nods.
“He’s always been a good dad,” he agrees.
I think back to earlier. No wonder Derek snapped at me. He must be going through so much. I feel guilty for thinking poorly of him, but at the same time, hehasmade it clear that he’s not interested in me. It’s time to let it go. He needs to focus on his family, and I need to focus on mine.
“I just want what’s best for the kids,” I say, and that’s true. It doesn’t matter what’s best for me or Derek or Suzanna. It matters what’s best for Maggie and Eli. “Who do I need to talk to in order to testify?”
