AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes. Catch. I throw a ball, someone else tries to grab it before it hits the ground,” I said, obnoxiously slowly. “Pretty simple concept, really.”
Rex returned to the front yard wearing a Blue Creek Elementary tee shirt and some sweatpants. He bounded towards us, eager to get going.
“I’ll take good care of him,” I assured Zoe.
“I know you will,” she replied.
Zoe took in a deep breath, looking like she had more to say. I know I did. I did my best to silently convey everything to her.You can trust me. I won’t let him down. Let me help the two of you through this. Let me step up for you.
“He’s in good hands,” I finally said.
I tried to read her expression. To figure out what she was thinking.Don’t disappoint Rex again. Keep him away from all this ugliness for a little while. Let him have faith in someone again.
“I’m sure.”
Twenty-Six
Zoe
I watched Carter and Rex drive away. Desmond was already whining about it, but I ignored him. I turned on my heel and went inside, straight to the dining room where Holly and Lynn, Desmond’s attorney friend, were already seated.
I’d met Lynn a time or two at Desmond’s cocktail parties, but this time, she was all business, in a dignified black skirt suit and her hair pulled back tightly. She looked intimidating as she sat with her laptop open and a few files laid out in front of her. It could’ve all been for show, but it made me glad that I had Holly in my corner.
Holly sat with her legs crossed, wearing suit pants and a maternity blouse, completely unfazed by the powerful woman sitting across from her. I was in good hands.
I smoothed down my own blouse and looked around my condo, appreciating every little detail of Carter’s hard work. It was perfect. Homey and elegant, without looking manufactured. This room screamed of him, his diligence, his handiwork, the pride he took in his craft.
I spied the spot on the kitchen wall, right by the refrigerator where Rex had marked his height with a pencil a few times to see how much he’d grown. Carter had gone around all the marks painstakingly with a small paintbrush, just to preserve them.
I pictured the two of them at the park right now, wishing I were there.
“Zoe, are you ready?” Holly asked. “We should get started.”
“Desmond,clearly Zoe’s home is completely suitable for Rex. He’s comfortable here. It’s near his school and close enough to his friends,” Holly stated, firmly. “Zoe is an exemplary parent. She’s caring and loving. And after reaching out to Zoe’s employer and coworkers, as well as Rex’s teachers and finding no red flags or anything detrimental to Zoe’s character, I see no reason why you would challenge the current custody arrangement.”
Holly nodded to me and I stayed quiet. It all felt veryanything you can and will be held against you in a court of law.I mean, it couldn’t. Holly wasn’t a lawyer, but she’d done a lot of this kind of advocacy work.
She told me that it was best not to speak unless it was necessary. Which was fine. She was doing a bang-up job.
“Furthermore, we have to take into account Rex’s well-being,” she continued. “Rex has never expressed any desire to spend less time with his mother or in this residence. Frankly, with the custody arrangement being as new as it is, I would argue that it’s best to keep a young child in a consistent visitation pattern. Despite Rex’s intellect, he’s still a fragile six-year-old getting used to a new parental arrangement.”
“So what you’re saying is… if it’s not broke, don’t fix it?” Lynn said.
“Frankly, yes.”
Desmond pursed his lips and leaned in to whisper something to Lynn.
“What about the schooling?” Lynn asked. “Currently, Rex is enrolled at Blue Creek Elementary, but a child as academically gifted as Rex would clearly be happier and more challenged at a private school. Dorsey Academy, for example.”
“That’s too far away,” I blurted out, but Holly shushed me.
“Dorsey Academy is out of the range of your previous custody agreement,” Holly argued. “While Blue Creek Elementary is a public school, it is highly rated and, most importantly, your son enjoys it there. His teacher adores him and has stated that he’s fitting in well and making friends with his peers.”
Desmond raised an eyebrow. “He is?”
“Yes, Desmond. Our son has friends,” I told him.
“Closefriends?”
