Page 110 of Just My Luck
Her hand was gentle on my arm. “You don’t carry the weight of this alone. There are so many things that I hate about that night, but you are not one of them. I only ask that you forgive me for not being strong enough to do more.”
Forgive her?
She had told the truth, and my father manipulated the situation to suit his needs. I spent five years in prison because he wanted to teach me a lesson and allowed a mother to feel guilt and shame for not doing more.
I hated him.
My jaw clenched. “You were grieving. You had just lost a child. I?—”
“Abel... you held his hand when I couldn’t. I never thanked you for that.”
My eyes flew to hers. A tear slipped from beneath her lashes, and my anger melted away. Neither of us could change the past.
Her words were true and stung the deepest parts of my soul.
After the accident, she was too injured to move, and when I found the boy, I had held his hand and talked to him until help arrived. It was only later that I learned that he’d gone into cardiac arrest in the ambulance and died from his injuries.
The memories that flooded back broke me. “I’m—I’m so sorry.” I crumpled in on myself, openly sobbing in her living room.
Her grip on my forearm tightened and, together, we cried for Chase, for the tiny micro-decisions that led us both to that quiet stretch of highway, for fate that brought us together in such a tragic way.
We cried until we were both wrung out.
FORTY
SLOANE
“Good morning.”Judge Tamara Barnes smiled down from her bench as my attorney silently guided me toward the small table at the front of the room. “I appreciate everyone being with us today. We’ll start in one minute so that we can stay on schedule throughout the day.”
I adjusted the hem of my top and put on a brave smile as I faced the judge.
“Today’s hearing is for the child custody case number 27842—this is the matter of custody concerning the minor children, Ben and Tillie Hansen, between Jared Hansen, the plaintiff, and Sloane Robinson, the defendant. Counsel, please state your appearances for the record.”
My attorney exuded quiet confidence while I stood with wobbly knees and a hopeful heart. “Your Honor, Laura Michaels appearing on behalf of the defendant, Sloane Robinson.”
The judge scribbled something with a pen. “Thank you, Ms. Michaels. And for the plaintiff?”
She looked up at the empty space near the opposing counsel. “Well... Mr. Hansen appears to be absent.” She gestured at the attorney with her pen. “Are you representing on his behalf?”
Jared’s attorney smiled, but tension clung to his shoulders. “Aiden Waxman, Your Honor, appearing on behalf of the plaintiff, Jared Hansen.”
The judge made another note on paper. “Thank you, Mr. Waxman. Can you provide any insight into your client’s absence?”
“Your Honor, I believe there is an ongoing investigation as to the whereabouts of my client. At present, he is... not in attendance.”
My heart sank. Though I didn’t want to believe it, there was no denying that Abel’s father was somehow behind the mysterious disappearance of my ex-husband.
My stomach churned. Just because I wanted Jared’s volatility far, far away from me and my children, it didn’t mean I wanted him dead.
My mind still couldn’t wrap itself around the idea that Jared was still missing.
My attorney touched my elbow, and when my eyes met hers, I exhaled the breath I’d been holding.
One worry at a time.
Judge Barnes sighed lightly. “I see.” The judge flipped through a few sheets of paper in front of her. “It appears as though stirring up trouble and then disappearing is a recurring theme for Mr. Hansen.”
The attorney shifted in his buffed, wingtip shoes but didn’t respond.