Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“You’ll be fine.” I place them inside the bag, then go to the closet to get some jeans and a couple of sweaters. “I mean, you did have a life before Sam and I moved in with you.”
“Yeah, but it was a boring life,” she says, and I poke my head out of the closet and look at where she’s sitting on the bed, holding Sam.
“You can always help Dad in the office for a couple of days, since Blake’s grandma is supposed to come up for a night or two while we’re there.”
“Do you want me and your father to get divorced?” she asks, and I laugh as I grab a couple of pairs of jeans off a hanger, along with two of my favorite lounge sweaters.
“All right, then maybe you can finally go take that hot yoga class you were telling me about.”
“I’m not in the mood to be sweaty.”
“What about the book you were saying you wanted to read a few weeks ago?”
“Too many words.”
“Well, then I don’t know what you’re going to do while we’re gone.” I laugh.
“Me neither.” She hugs Sam. “Are you sure you don’t just want to leave him with me while you go on your trip?”
“I don’t think either he or I would do very well being away from each other that long.”
“I guess you’re right,” she agrees as I toss some panties and a few bras into the bag. “I know! I can come with you guys.”
“Mom.” I roll my eyes at her. “What would Dad do without you while you were gone?”
“I don’t know. That seems like a him problem, not a me problem,” she says.
“Right.” I laugh and then pick up my phone when it starts to ring. I answer, still chuckling at my mom. “Hello?”
“Hello, this is Lucas with Greenburn Family Law. I’m calling to speak with Everly Standler,” a man says, and my laughter dies a quick death as my stomach drops.
“This is Everly.”
I wrap an arm around my middle while my mom mouths, “Who is it?”
“Hi, Everly, do you have a moment to talk?” Lucas asks.
“I do,” I say, and Mom starts shaking her head frantically while flailing her arms about. “Sorry, can you hold for one second?”
“Sure,” he says, and I put the call on mute.
“Who is it?” Mom asks, and I swallow.
“It’s a family law lawyer,” I tell her, and her expression becomes concerned before she stands suddenly.
“Okay, it’s okay. Let’s go downstairs.” She leaves the room, still holding Sam and talking over her shoulder. “When we get there, you’re going to put the call on speaker, and I’m going to record it so your father can hear exactly what is said.”
“That’s smart.” I follow her into the kitchen, where she grabs her phone off the counter, then presses record and motions for me to unmute the call.
“Sorry about that. I’m here,” I tell Lucas.
“It’s okay,” he says. “As I was saying, I work with Greenburn Family Law, and I’m representing Ginny and Jeff Thines.”
“Okay,” I say when he doesn’t add more.
“They would like to talk to you about working out a visitation agreement with their grandson, Sampson Thines.”
“Standler.”
“Pardon?”
“My son’s last name is Standler, not Thines. That’s what it says on his birth certificate.”
“I see.” He clears his throat. “I’m contacting you today to see if we can set up mediation between you and Mr. and Mrs. Thines in my office.”
“Did Ginny tell you that I did meet with them, and that the first thing she did was demand I get a DNA test for my son?”
“She mentioned that unfortunate situation when we spoke,” he says, sounding genuinely sympathetic. “These situations can be tricky, especially when emotions are running so high.”
“Lucas, this situation was not tricky until I was accused of lying about who Sam’s father is, which is laughable, given that I have not asked his father to help support his child since birth.” I take a breath to get my temper under control so I don’t say something I will regret. “I don’t know if you’re a parent, but if you are, I know you would never put your child in a situation with people who could treat them poorly. And after the way Ginny acted, I’m not exactly comfortable having my son around her.”
“That is completely understandable.” He again sounds genuine. “And Ginny did express her regret for the way she acted.”
“Right,” I mumble, not sure I believe him, since she didn’t ever tell me that she was sorry. In fact, the only time I heard from her was when she said I should be prepared to hear from a lawyer.
“I believe that if you agree with mediation, it will help.”
“You’re representing them. You’re not exactly a neutral party,” I say, pointing out the obvious.
“If you’re more comfortable, I can have a counselor that we work with from time to time sit in on the meeting,” he says, and I sigh.