Page 101 of A Return For Ren

“Shit,” he said.

“That could make things harder. Again, Michele has no right to Max. She’d have to prove you’re an unfit parent to get custody and that isn’t going to happen. The best she could hope for is visitations. And if I find out she isn’t much better than her daughter and only wants the money that comes with having custody of Max, that makes it easier for you.”

“Yeah. I guess I need that information,” he said.

“I will say one thing. Her letter isn’t crafted all that well. That doesn’t mean anything. If she meant business, if this were me, I would have had an attorney already help me draft the letter or have it come to you legally. I’d have it need to be signed for delivery also. Too many things are leading toward her not going about this as strongly as you and I.”

“Which could mean anything, like you said. Maybe she doesn’t have the money for an attorney,” he said.

“That’s a good possibility too. But she could still be a great person and wants to get to know her grandson.”

“You’re making me feel like shit, Thomas.”

“It’s my job to make sure you see all angles. For now, let me get you some information to call social security and get that going. I’ll do some searches into Michele and Rachelle and get back to you when I’ve got something. Sit tight. You won’t get your mail for another two weeks, so don’t worry until then.”

“Easier said than done,” he said but took his leave a few minutes later.

He was feeling calmer. Not much but some.

He was pissed that his last attorney didn’t tell him anything Thomas did today. Maybe he should have known or asked, but he’d explained the whole situation before. You’d think they would have asked some of the questions Thomas did.

He was on the right track and that was all that mattered at this point.

Now he just had to get there with Zara.

33

He Listened To Her

“It smells good in here,” Zara said at the end of the day.

She had Max on her hip, the two of them bundled up against the February cold as she made her way from the daycare to the back door of her home.

“I cooked dinner.”

“You did,” she said. “This is a nice surprise. Am I to guess things went well with you and Thomas?”

She’d wanted to go with him, but had to work. He’d said no though and she had to respect that.

“Well enough,” he said. “I’ll fill you in while we eat. Hey, buddy. Want to come to Daddy?”

She handed Max off to Ren, who took his snowsuit and hat off. Ren tossed Max in the air a few times to get him to giggle, then put him in the high chair at the kitchen table while he finished with dinner.

“What did you make?” she asked. “I’ll set the table.”

“Nothing fancy,” he said. “Some pork chops are finishing in the oven. They are stuffed. They came that way in the store. I’ll mash these potatoes and there are some mixed vegetables in a bag for the microwave.”

“Sounds like a great meal to me. Max has a gift for you.”

She pulled the little pot with the flower seeds planted in it out of one of the bags she was carrying. “What’s that?”

“The kids painted these pots. The younger ones put their handprints on them. Max wasn’t there the day they did it, so I had him do it first thing this morning and planted this for you. There were a bunch of different flowers the kids got to choose from. Max got a mixture.”

“Like your name,” he said, kissing her.

“That’s right. No lotus flower though.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” he said.