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“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Tina held up her hand. “Okay, let’s keep things civil, shall we?”
“When I told you I didn’t want children, you didn’t believe me. When I told you I couldn’t handle the baby, you didn’t believe me. When I told you I wanted to go back to work, you didn’t believe me. What choice did I have but to leave?”
“I never made you go through with the pregnancy. Let’s stop that narrative right now.”
Lisbeth threw up her hands. “It’s not like I had a choice when it made you so happy.”
I knew she was shooting herself in the foot right here, talking about how awful the idea of having a baby had been to her. But now, it was about so much more than Lucy. It was about us. What had really gone wrong. I needed to know. So I didn’t fuck it all up again.
With Cara, I was going to get it right.
“So you had Lucy because it made me happy? That’s it?”
Lisbeth narrowed her eyes. She could see my ploy to get her to give in. And she wasn’t going to fall into that. “I grew into the idea.”
“Of course. Don’t you remember decorating the nursery? Telling our friends and family?” A swell of emotion came up through me. “When we found out we were having a girl? Don’t you remember?”
She looked away from me. “Yes, I remember all of that.”
“Was leaving our daughter the only way for you to get what you wanted?”
“Leavingyouwas the only way!” Lisbeth’s whole body was tense. Yves was playing Cara’s role across the table, his hand on her back, rubbing softly. “You got to go on, as if nothing had changed. You went back to work; you were out of the house all day. And to add insult to injury, she looks exactly like you. I was stuck!”
I paused. Perhaps I wasn’t there for her like I should have been. Maybe I could have been a better partner.
“You were so focused on Lucy you forgot about me.”
“Someone had to be focused on her. From day one, I was there. I’ve been there the whole time for her.” I swallowed. “Lisbeth, I’m sorry that I wasn’t the husband you needed. But you could have divorced me and still been her mother. You didn’t need to cast her aside, too. You might not realize how much damage that’s done, but I do. I see it every day. I’ve seen how much she has yearned for a mother. Having Cara around, even for such a short time, has completely changed her life.”
Lisbeth looked at me, lips pursed tight in an effort not to cry.
“She’s needed you ever since you left. You might be ready now, but she’s been ready this whole time, Lisbeth. And now you’ve waited so long that you’re a stranger to her.”
“Then help me not be a stranger. Give me time with her.”
“I’m her father. I’m protecting her. And while I want her to have a relationship with you, you haven’t done enough to have it look the way you want it to.”
Lisbeth’s face broke, hiding her face in her hands. For once, she looked human. She started to cry. Yves and her lawyer tended to her while the rest of us sat in silence. I looked to Cara. She smiled sympathetically and touched my arm.It’s okay, she seemed to say.
I nodded. I cupped her hand in mine.Thiswas Lucy’s home. And mine. This woman. A stranger only three months ago was now my whole life. I trusted her more than I ever trusted Lisbeth in all our years together.
“I don’t want to be a stranger anymore, Wesley. Please let me have more time with her.”
“More time is something I can allow. But it will happen where she’s safe with people who make her feel safe. She won’t be schlepped back and forth between Miami and New York. This is her home. And you can meet her where she’s at, not the other way around.”
Yves leaned into Lisbeth, whispering something in her ear. She nodded solemnly. “You’re right. This was…sudden.”
Does that mean what I think it does?I held back on any internal celebration. If I denied her, she could easily take this to court.
“I just want to be in her life.”
“You can be. In a way that’s best for Lucy.”
Lisbeth eyed Cara. “Three months is all it takes for her to be better at this than me?”
I smiled. “She chose Lucy every day.”
