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Now that things have calmed down, it’s all rushing forward.
“I’ll go get him,” I say quickly, turning for the door.
“Wait.”
Falling back on my heel, I suck in my cheeks, nodding, bracing for what’s coming.
I hear the clicking of her heels draw near, and then a hand brushing my shoulder, nudging me to turn around.
She searches my face with a look I can’t place. She’s confused, but there’s something else there too, some emotion that escapes me.
“You could’ve told me,” she says.
Throat thick, I nod. Somehow I manage to get out, “I was going to. This week.”
She frowns, nodding.
Wetting my lips, I look down at the ground, unsure what to say.
“You know I love and support you, right? No matter what.”
Sniffing, I nod. “Y-yeah, I just…” I shrug, words failing me.
“Did you think I’d take Abby from you?”
I still.
“Nolan,” she sighs. And then she’s hugging me, squeezing me tight. “God, I’m so sorry.”
I slowly wrap my arms around her. “You did nothing wrong. I just—”
“But I did,” she says simply. Then, pushing me back, she levels her gaze with mine. “I made you feel like your role in our daughter’s life is conditional.”
“But…it is, isn’t it?”
She stares at me for a long beat, so long I start to worry.
Finally, she nods, and says, “If tonight taught me anything, it’s that any parent’s role is somewhat conditional.” She glances over at Abby, her gaze growing distant. “But only when it comes to the safety and well-being of our daughter.”
She turns back to me, arching a brow. “Your sexuality is not a threat to our child.”
I still.
“Your drinking was, but you don’t do that anymore.” She searches my eyes. “Tonight was preventable. I fucked up.”
“Mel,” I say softly.
"Tell me something,” she says, tilting her head curiously. “If Ididhave a problem with this, and I was the kind of awful person who’d make you choose—him or her—what would you do?”
My eyes widen.
Is she serious?
“Mel…”
“Humor me.”
Clenching down on my molars, my eyes flaring at the thought, I say tightly, “I’d take you to court.” I pause meaningfully. “Not for sole custody. I’d never take her away from you, unless you gave me reason to. But I’d fight with everything I have to be able to stay in her life, and I’d never stop fighting. I’d give my land up, my business…”
