I assure him I understand where he’s coming from and then fill him in on the details of the suit. “He’s suing for full custody, claiming he’s more financially stable, since I’m living with my parents. He says he can provide Felicity with a home of her own, a room, a pool, a college fund, and everything else money can buy, as well as a traditional, nuclear family.”
My voice goes sour on the last sentence. I can’t help it. Learning Liam is married is the rotten cherry on this shit sundae.
Apparently, Liam and Char said their “I dos” a month ago, and are now ready to settle down and raise a baby.
My baby.
The sheer gall is enough to make steam come out of my ears.
I take a breath and keep going, “Liam says he can offer Felicity a more wholesome environment in a single-family home, without a sexual deviant charged with indecent exposure living in the house.” I sigh. “My dad was arrested for streaking down Main Street with his buddies. It’s his first offense and really not a big deal, but it’s going to look bad on paper.”
Chris makes a considering sound. “Yeah, it won’t look good. Anything else?”
Pulse picking up, I add, “There’s some other stuff in there—questioning my mothering skills, claiming I’m attempting to alienate him from his daughter even though I’ve been eager to facilitate visitation—but nothing unusual. Or true. I can prove I’ve been taking good care of Felicity and that I’ve tried to reach out to him numerous times to set up a visit. He’s the one who’s refused to engage.” I wipe my palm sweat on my jeans again. “So…what do you think?”
He clears his throat. “How long ago was your divorce final?”
I hesitate, glancing over my shoulder to ensure everyone is out of ear shot before I say in a softer voice, “Is this call confidential?”
“Of course,” he says. “I wouldn’t discuss your private business with Mason or anyone else.”
I bite my lip as I pace closer to the fence. “Liam and I were never married,” I confess. “But I haven’t told my parents. They’re old-fashioned and would lose their minds if they knew I wasn’t Liam’s wife when Felicity was born.”
“Oh, but that’s great,” Chris says in an upbeat voice. “Your ex will have a much harder time establishing parental rights if you weren’t married.”
“But his name is on her birth certificate,” I say, wishing I hadn’t been so adamant that Liam claim Felicity as his. At the time, I’d thought it would help us feel more like a family. Now, I just want to kick myself for being a fool. “And we signed paperwork. We both acknowledged that he’s the father.”
Chris grunts. “Well, that will make things less complicated for him. Paternity is already established. That’s one less thing he’ll have to prove.” He sighs. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it sounds like he’s got a decent case. Not a great case, but, depending on the judge, there’s a chance he could get shared custody. And maybe even compel you to move back to Nashville since that’s where you were both living when Felicity was born.”
“But my work and family are here,” I say, panic spiking hard and fast. “I don’t have the money to move back, and even if I did, I couldn’t afford childcare in Nashville. The only way I can afford it here is that my mom helps out. A lot. And the older ladies from church will watch Felicity nearly for free when my mom’s busy.”
“I hear you, childcare costs are crazy these days,” he says, sympathetically, “But if you get primary physical custody, which I would think is likely, then the father will have to pay some amount of support to help with childcare. What’s he paying now?”
“Nothing.” I shake my head and pace faster. “He hasn’t paid anything since we left. Even when I begged him for help. I had to borrow money from my parents at first, before I started working full-time for my sister’s catering company.”
“All right, that will look bad for his case, but—” Chris’s voice is muffled for a moment before he comes back on the line. “Sorry, I’ve got to go in a second. It’s time for the twins’ bath, and that’s been a two-parent job these days.”
Two parents.
God, what would it be like to have another parent around? Someone to get up in the night with Felicity a few times a week so I can get a full night’s sleep, someone to run buy more diapers while I put the baby down for a nap and grab a few minutes of peace on the front porch with a glass of tea and a good book? Someone to marvel with me at how fast our daughter is growing, to share in the milestones and the everyday miracles of raising her together?
My parents and sisters help with Felicity so much, but it’s not the same as having a partner by my side.
It sounds like heaven, especially after the nightmare of learning Liam wants to take Felicity away from me. I would give anything for a stable marriage, to have a husband I can trust to keep our family safe, not launch an attack on my foundation when I’m at my most vulnerable.
“Well, thank you so much for your time,” I say, fighting tears. “I really appreciate it.”
“No problem, and if you need recommendations for someone to represent you, reach out any time. I know a few people in Bliss River who are affordable, but great at what they do.”
“Thanks,” I say, before rushing to add, “But could I ask you one more thing?”
“Of course.”
“Is there anything I can do to make this go away? Some way I can prove I’m looking out for Felicity’s best interests without a big legal battle or going to court?”
“You’ll have to go to court, at least for the hearing, but…” Chris covers the phone again, murmuring he’ll “be right there,” before adding, “Moving into your own place with a separate bedroom for the baby would be a good start. That takes the wind out of two of your ex’s arguments—that you’re living with a bad influence and that your child doesn’t have her own space. And from there you just take it day by day, trying to do what you can to level the playing field and ensure his objections seem unfounded to the judge.”
“Okay,” I whisper, trying not to let my disappointment creep into my voice. “Thanks so much.”
I hang up and take a deep breath, steeling myself for the postmortem on the call as my family wanders back across the lawn.
“So? What did he say?” Mom asks, running a nervous hand over her perfectly smooth blond bob.
“He says Liam has a case.” I sigh as I hand over Mason’s phone. “Not a great case, but he has a chance of winning shared custody and could possibly force me to move back to Nashville to facilitate visitation.”
“What? But that’s crazy!” Lark says, her cheeks flushed with outrage.
“Not according to the law, I guess.” I press a finger to my right eyebrow, where a migraine is gathering like a storm cloud about to unleash its fury upon my skull. “Chris said it would help if I got my own place, but I can’t afford it right now.”
“Yes, you can,” Daddy says, his expression grim. I’m relieved he’s finally caught on to the fact that this isn’t funny, but sad to see the gloom in his eyes. “Your mother and I will cover the first and last month’s rent on a two-bedroom apartment. You can start looking today.”