Page 21 of Just Like That

My nephew stood between the chairs and looked at the judge.

The judge’s voice was soft and confident. “You’ve been through a lot, young man. I was saddened to hear about the loss of your mother.”

Teddy showed no emotion and my heart rolled.

The judge gestured between JP and me. “I’ve been having a conversation with your aunt Hazel and Mr. King?—”

“He’s my dad,” Teddy said proudly. I placed a hand on Teddy’s back and rubbed.

JP looked like he was about to throw up all over the judge’s desk, and there was a low ringing in my ears that wouldn’t go away.

The judge smiled. “We’re going to have some scientists run a test to make sure that’s the case. It helps us dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Does that make sense?”

Teddy nodded.

“Good.” Judge Burns chuckled. “While we wait for that, how would you feel about spending some time getting to know Mr. King?”

JP ran his palms down the thighs of his slacks.

Teddy shrugged. “It’s why we’re here, isn’t it?”

The adults laughed, easing the uncomfortable tension that had filled the room.

I looked up at my nephew. It didn’t matter what I wanted, this was about Teddy, and I needed to remember that. I gently squeezed his shoulder. “Yeah, I guess it is, isn’t it?”

“Besides,” Teddy continued with a confident smile. “Being public-facing with a kid like me could help demonstrate empathy to the public.” He looked directly at JP. “This could help you and your business.”

My mouth dropped open.

JP shook his head and smiled. “I appreciate you thinking about the business, but I can manage. What doyouwant?”

Teddy looked at JP with seriousness. “I want to get to know you. My mom told me once that you had a good soul.”

My eyes sliced to JP, daring him to crush Teddy’s sweet little heart in front of me. Instead of the dismissal I expected to come from him, JP laughed and looked at Teddy with something akin to awe.

My heart fluttered, but I pushed it down.

JP stood and held his hand out for Teddy to shake. “If you want to get to know me, I’m good with that.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “But I’m afraid you’ll find my life around here is pretty boring. Lots of meetings.”

He and Teddy shared a smile and my heart clunked. He wasn’t supposed to look at my nephew with softness. He wasn’t supposed to make self-deprecating jokes.

He was the enemy.

With a satisfied chuckle, Judge Burns dismissed us and walked us out of his office. Stunned, I followed JP and Teddy down the corridor of the courthouse and out into the late-summer sun.

JP walked us toward the parking lot, and as soon as the skoolie came into view, Teddy took off like a shot. “Last one home is a rotten egg!”

JP shouted. “Be care?—”

“Slow down!” My voice overlapped with JP’s and we looked at each other.

Silence grew legs and filled the space between us.

I shielded my eyes from the sun as I watched Teddy reach the bus. I stopped and turned to JP. “Why did you do it? Agree to get to know him?”

He kept his focus on Teddy, who was doing a pretty impressive impersonation of JP, with a hand on his hip and his foot tapping. “It’s not the kid’s fault his mom got his dad wrong.”

Annoyance flitted through me. “She’s not wrong. You saw the picture.”

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