“I’m not a strange woman,” I say. It hits me that this is the first time she has mentioned Isaac and not even by name. Hasn’t she missed him? Doesn’t she want to know how big he is? If I were in her shoes, I’d be hungry for news of the son I hadn’t seen in almost two years.
“Isaac’s a big boy now, tall and handsome,” I say.
She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Yes, they do that, you know—grow tall with the passage of time.”
After that, I don’t make any effort at conversation. We sit in silence until I hear the sound of a car in the driveway. I jump to my feet. “Brad’s here.”
She stands up too and smooths her skirt. Then she looks at the door expectantly, a smile plastered on her face. When he enters, she goes to him and tiptoes to kiss his cheek. My insides recoil even if I know it means nothing.
He pushes her gently away and comes to my side. He draws me into his arms and kisses my mouth. It’s not a chaste kiss. Tongues touch and dance together momentarily. I know it’s for Brenda’s benefit, but I don’t care.
It seems to have worked because she looks very uncomfortable now. “I’d like to speak with you privately.” She looks at me pointedly.
“You can say whatever you want to say in front of Mila. She’s family,” Brad says and leads me to the couch.
I shoot him a pleading look. I don’t mind giving them some privacy. Actually, I want to. He shoots a pleading look in return, and I sigh and sit down.
Brenda sits down too. “Fine, if that’s the way you want it.”
We both sit and stare at her, waiting for her to speak.
She smiles, but it’s not the confident smile she wore earlier. She twists her hands on her lap. “I’ve come for Isaac.”
It’s like a massive boulder has been dropped in the middle of the room. The silence is deafening as we both stare at her open-mouthed.
“Say that again and slowly this time,” Brad says, and Brenda repeats her words.
“The courts gave me custody, Brenda. You can’t just walk in here and say you’ve come for Isaac. These things don’t work like that. Besides, you don’t deserve him. You walked out two years ago without a backward glance.”
Her eyes narrow. “Stan said you’d fight me for this.”
“Who the fuck is Stan?” Brad bellows.
She raises her jaw. “My husband.”
“What happened to Mike?” Brad says.
She stares at him blankly.
“You don’t even remember the fucker you ran off with?” Brad says with a sneer in his voice.
“Of course, I remember. That was ages ago. Then I met Stan, and we fell in love.” She waves a hand away as if swapping two men in two years is the norm. “So, are you going to give me Isaac or not?”
“You must be out of your fucking mind if you thought you’d walk in here and walk out with my son.”
Brenda stands. “I’ll see you in court then.”
“Nothing has changed, Brenda. You deserted Isaac. You’ve been gone for two years. You don’t have a job. Shall I continue?”
She shoots him a triumphant smile. “That’s where you’re wrong. Stan owns a construction company, and he’s ready to hire people to look after Isaac. All he needs is an heir. We’ll be able to provide for him anything he wants.”
“Isaac doesn’t need all that, Brenda, he never did. All he’s ever needed is to be loved.”
She colors slightly, and then without another word, she leaves the house. When the door shuts, Brad stands up and begins pacing. His face is tight with worry.
“She can’t really do anything,” Brad says. “She made her choice two years ago. No judge would listen to her.”
“Of course not,” I tell him.
‘She didn’t want him. Even now she doesn’t want him. That man, the one she has now is the one who does. They are not going to take my son.” He paces for another moment. “There’s no chance that they can. but I’d better call my attorney,” Brad says and fishes out his cell phone.
He speaks to a secretary, and then minutes later, the attorney. He doesn’t speak for long. “He says I can go see him in an hour’s time.” Lines of worry crisscross his forehead.
“You’re an awesome dad; everyone can vouch for you,” I tell him.
He looks at me grimly, and then his eyes shine with unshed tears. “I can’t lose him, Mila. He’s my life.”
I go to him then, and we hold each other tightly.
Chapter 16
Brad
It turns out I had a good reason to worry. My attorney tells me that the judge will look at Brenda’s changed circumstances and see if she’s capable of raising a child. It helps her case that she did not fight for custody. The judge will look at it as a woman whose best interests were her child, and because she didn’t have the means to take care of him, she let her husband have full custody.