Page 18 of Without You, Scotch and Sammy 2

“I can’t tell you what to do--”

“But maybe just woman to woman, you could tell me what you’d do? I won’t hold you to it, and I won’t tell anyone that because Juliette Jones said it, it must be true.”

The sound of shuffling paperwork stops, and she lets out a deep sigh. “Okay, go ahead. I reserve the right to not answer if I don’t like your question.”

“Deal… What if my husband and I are estranged? What if I want to adopt this baby as a single woman? Will the courts throw me out and laugh as I walk away?”

“Of course not. You don’t have to have a husband to adopt, Samantha, but--”

“Sammy.”

“Hmm?”

“Call me Sammy. I prefer it.”

Juliette laughs softly. “Okay, Sammy. You don’t have to be married to adopt, but you are married. The state won’t let you keep her with that loose end, because your husband legally becomes her adopted father. Get a divorce, or reunite, but tie it up.”

“But that could take a long time. Too long.” Not to mention, I’d have to see him again.

“I don’t have any other advice for you. I’m sorry. This isn’t a small detail, Sammy. Snip that loose end, and do it before you go to court. Don’t let them find out and try to trip you up. Be proactive, fix it, then get permanent custody of that baby.”

“When do we go to court? Do you know?”

“I don’t know exactly, but I’m thinking it’ll be a couple months from now. We’ll get dates soon.”

“So you’re going too? Are you defending Lily? Will you try to take her away from me?”

Juliette sighs. “I’m here to make sure she goes to a good home. Prove to me your home is the best for her. I know where Shari wanted her baby to go. I have the report from the incident in the hospital. I have a signed affidavit from a witness who heard Shari’s wishes. Prove to me you’re Lily’s best hope. Tie up your loose ends.”

I fuss with the fluffy blanket spread over us, not unlike the way Shari used to pick at her blankets. I look down at the crown of Lily’s still mostly bald head, and nuzzle closer to the tiny fuzz she has growing there. “Alright…”

“Do you need a divorce lawyer, Sammy?”

I laugh nervously, and butterflies attack me violently from within. “Divorce will take a while, right?”

“It could. Depends on how amicable it is. Depends on assets. Depends on a lot of things. But even the most amicable divorce will take a few months.”

“Shit… Okay.”

“I have several good lawyer contacts. I can help you, Sammy. Is there a chance of reconciliation? Was he abusive? Why’d you split?”

“No, he wasn’t abusive. He was a perfect husband. But it’s been a very long time, so there’s no chance of reconciliation either.”

“What’s his name and date of birth? Let’s get started there. I can help you square it away, and I’ll push it as fast as I can.”

I clear my throat as unexpected tears swim in my eyes. I’m not sure why my throat constricts at the thought of saying his name out loud, or at the thought of getting a divorce, but for some reason, it does. I haven’t seen him in thirteen years, yet the thought of closing that chapter hurts me, but then Lily stirs on my chest and her breath rattles in her squeaky toy way. Lily’s needs come before anyone else’s. Hers come before the romantic memories of a teenage girl.

“His name is Samuel Turner, and his date of birth--”

“Samuel Turner?” Juliette’s voice cuts me off scathingly.

“Um. Yeah.” I rattle off his birthday, a number that comes to me easily despite not having reason to say it much before now.

“Turner… interesting name.”

“Yeah. Maybe you know them. His daddy is chief of police there.”

“Mmm. Actually, that Chief Turner retired a while back.”

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