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I take a deep breath after my monologue.
"Then I can't see that you have anything to worry about, but we will prepare a solid case. I'll need some information from you as well, such as Carmen's daily routine and proof of things such as if she attends classes, sees other kids, and so forth."
"Sure. Just send it in an email and I'll have my assistant prepare it."
"Great. I'll talk to you soon.’
As I hang up, I sigh, and hit the railing. "Damn the woman to hell."
My attention is caught by the sound of footsteps approaching. I turn to see Maddie walking toward me, holding two cups of coffee. Her eyes widen as she takes in the breathtaking view of the city skyline.
"Wow, I've never been up here before," she says, clearly amazed. "It's beautiful."
For the first time today, I take in my surroundings and notice the flowers around me.
"Isn't it?" I agree half-heartedly, wishing the circumstances were different. If only we were spending a romantic evening up here instead of dealing with the mess Sofia has created.
"Everything OK?" Maddie asks, her brow furrowing with concern as she hands me a cup.
"Uh, yeah," I reply, rubbing the back of my neck. "Just some legal stuff I need to handle." I take a sip of my coffee and briefly close my eyes. Now this is something I can appreciate.
"Let me know if you need anything, all right?" Maddie offers kindly, her eyes filled with genuine care.
"Thanks, Maddie," I say, forcing a smile. "I appreciate that. Sofia, my ex, wants custody of Carmen all of a sudden. I don't know why. She's never cared before. I mean literally. She didn't want the baby."
"I'm sorry."
I shake my head as I take another sip of the coffee. "You know, she's seeking shared custody. And to be honest, I wouldn't have a problem with that if I thought she cared about Carmen, but I've never seen any tendency toward that. Rather the contrary. And from the rumors I hear, she's taken a liking to coke. And I think that might be the real motivation–to get more money out of me. But I don't know." I shake my head. "Did I already tell you some of this the other day?"
"You mentioned something, but not everything."
"My head is swimming where this is concerned. I don't mind if people are ruthless in business. It's business. But where my daughter is concerned?" I hit the railing again. "If Sofia tries to mess with Carmen, I will ensure she loses everything she owns and then some."
Maddie takes a step back and I smile. "Sorry, a bit intense."
"A bit," she says, smiling back, though I can see she looks guarded.
"Look, my childhood wasn't easy," I confess. "My mother, well, she's bipolar. And I don't want Carmen to have to go through any of what I had to. It's a long story and I won't go into it now, but thinking of how cold Sofia always was with Carmen and the idea that Carmen would be in her care? It sickens me."
Maddie nods. "I can't say I understand, but if someone had taken Damien from me, I'd be furious too. We had social workers looking into how we were getting on in the beginning after my parents' death and it used to make me anxious until I realized they're actually on our side–they just want us to be happy. They were concerned about both our welfare. What I'm trying to say is that the courts are on your side. If Sofia is partying wildly or doing drugs, she won't get custody. You just have to prove it."
I nod and give Maddie a half smile. "You're pretty smart, you know."
She laughs. "I'm not sure how smart I am, but I have studied the mind some thanks to yoga. And sometimes, you have to learn to see things differently to be able to get the most out of a situation. If you see the courts as working in your best interest, you will be a lot calmer and probably come up with the solutions you need. As you say, if Sofia is reformed, great. If not, she won't get custody."
"You're clearly a great pillar of support," I say, feeling a rush of warmth going through me. This is the woman I'm currently dating, and I should be damn thankful for it. I won't let Sofia screw with this, or anything else in my life, though perhaps I need to cool things with Maddie until the court hearing is over? I don't know. Thankfully, I haven't spoken to anyone about what happened with Maddie. Not even Brett. I think I'm going to keep it that way.
I give Maddie a quick hug. "Let's head downstairs. I want some time with Carmen before heading to work. I check my watch. If Carmen isn't awake already, I'll wake her now.
We go downstairs and Maddie goes to the kitchen while I step into Carmen's room. I find her awake, sitting in bed, and playing with her stuffed animals. Her dark curls are one big mess, and her cheeks are still rosy from sleep.
"Hey, little one!" I say, smiling as I sit down next to her.
"Hi, Daddy!" Carmen grins, her chocolate-brown eyes lighting up.
"Did you sleep well, sweetheart?" I ask, brushing a stray curl from her face.
"Uh-huh! Me and Mr. Bear had a sleepover!"
