Page 11 of Wait For You

The days of my clamoring doubts about how it would be worse if I left my ex were long gone. I just hated that he still had a hold over our son and me, by extension.

I love you. Don’t forget to look at the stars tonight.

We always looked at the stars together even when things were at their worst.

After putting my phone back into my purse, I pointed my car toward my attorney’s office. After that came work. I had a new job, and I loved it. I was a local weather reporter. I’d changed jobs after finally getting away from Rich.

It was so much fun. When I first switched from being a teacher to a weather reporter, the elementary school where I used to work had invited me over for job day to talk about my work. My prior students had asked if they could send in messages for me. It had turned into this game where I would share requests and provide weather information. So far, we’d covered topics like different types of clouds and why volcanic ash could cause car engines to break down.

My program executive had given tentative approval at first, and it had become wildly popular with the station, getting messages from all over Alaska and lots of attention on social media. Kids and parents loved it. I had to ignore the snide comments that my ex made on occasion. He despised anything fun or positive for me.

A few minutes later, I slowed and turned into the parking lot at Blackthorn Partners. I hurried in, waving when Quinn waved at me from her office. She was one of my closest friends. She’d recently admitted she was in love with Kenan Cannon, Adam’s twin brother. I said “admitted” because they’d been best friends for years. We’d all thought they belonged together, and they finally got their heads out of their asses and realized it themselves.

With all of these connections to Adam, you'd think I somehow would’ve been closer to him. But he was the quiet one and kept to himself. As he’d astutely pointed out, my ex was also the jealous type, so I had gone out of my way to never get friendly with any men, even men who were happily married to my friends. It was ridiculous.

I knocked lightly on Colin Blackthorn’s open office door. He looked up from his desk and smiled, waving me in. “Come on in, Tessa.”

He nudged his chin toward the door when I stepped in without closing it. “Close the door.”

My stomach tightened as soon as he said that, and fear began to coil like a snake ready to strike inside. I swallowed. I stopped in front of his desk, resting my fingertips lightly on the edge of it.

“Have a seat.” He gestured to the chair behind me.

I clenched a hand tightly onto my purse strap as I sat down. “What is it?” I asked.

“What? No friendly conversation?” Colin’s tone was light, but his smile wasn’t reaching his eyes now.

I shook my head. “Just get to the point.”

“Rich’s attorney has filed an amendment. He’s no longer filing for full custody.”

My eyes widened, but I didn’t trust any of this. “Is that good or bad?”

Colin considered me. “Well, Rich has proposed attending co-parenting coaching classes with you.”

“No, no, no. Colin, I just dropped Eric off for his weekend visit, and Rich wants me to pick him up tomorrow at two. He doesn’t even spend whole weekends with Eric. I just want this over. He doesn’t want to do co-parenting classes. He’s just trying to find a way to make me miserable.” Tears were stinging in my eyes, but I refused to give into them.

I took a slow breath, and Colin slid his handy box of tissues from the corner of the desk closer to me. A bitter laugh slipped out, and I dabbed at my eyes. “You should’ve bought stock in tissue when you took my case.”

“I agree with everything you’re saying,” Colin said. “I just wanted you to be aware of the filing. We’re holding firm on our request for full custody, and I have a bit of good news.”

“What’s that?”

“The judge on this case is retiring. It’s been assigned at our request to a judge in Juneau. While we don’t have a choice in judges, I feel good about this one. He?—”

“I think it would be better if we got a female judge. I just feel like?—”

Colin held a hand up. “I know you feel like a female would understand better. This has been an awful experience because this judge does know Rich’s family. He should’ve recused himself from the case, but we can’t change that. He’s retiring, so it’s no longer relevant. As I explained before, we can’t choose the judge. In this case, Rich is less likely to badger a male judge, so I’m good with it. It just is what it is.”

This was a fact, so I wouldn’t argue that point. Rich had been a nightmare during one hearing covered by a female judge when the primary judge on the case was out of town.

“I’m familiar with the judge in Juneau. He’s fair, and he takes no bullshit. There’s no way he will force you to do co-parenting classes with Rich.”

“Is there any way I can just get this to end?”

Colin studied me quietly. “Unless Rich is willing to relinquish his rights, in which case you’d forgo all child support for the rest of Eric’s life.”

“I don’t want the money. Honestly, I’d rather be homeless and living on a friend’s couch if I have to. He doesn’t give me much anyway.”