Page 32 of Betting Brett

“You’ve been served,” he says, handing the envelope to me. His face shows no emotion, his posture rigid. This is a man who’s delivered news, both good and bad, with the same stoic expression. He turns and walks off into the night, and I absentmindedly close the door behind him.

I look down at the envelope, the apprehension growing stronger. Everything going on around me seems distant, muted, as I tear open the seal.

My eyes scan the contents of the papers, and with each word, each sentence, the walls of the world we’ve been building, the warmth of the moment we’re sharing, crumble. “This has to be a mistake,” I mutter, the words a desperate plea against the reality unfolding before me. Right there in my hands.

Andy, sensing the shift, the intrusion of something ominous, is already beside me, with Jen right behind him. His gaze flits over the papers, and I see the color drain from his face, his eyes darkening with a mix of disbelief and anger.

“They can’t do this,” Andy says, his voice a low growl. The papers, a formal notice that my parents have filed for emergency custody of Izzy, are a slap in the face, a declaration of war that threatens to unravel the fabric of our world.

What the fuck?

What thefuck?!

Jen, her face pale, takes Izzy into her arms before she tells her to go to bed, shielding her from the storm brewing and the unpleasant conversation that’s imminent. Izzy puts up a small argument since she can tell something is going on, but Jen’s stare cuts it short. Izzy heads off to do her bedtime routine while the three of us gather in the living room, which now feels like a prison. “Brett, it’s okay, we’re going to fight this,” Jen says, her voice steady despite the tremors of emotion that I can tell shake her.

I, too, am a tempest of emotions - anger, disbelief, betrayal. The urge to confront my parents, to rage at them against this attack, is a fire burning through my veins. Andy’s hand on my arm, the steadiness of his support, anchors me. Only briefly, though.

“We will, Jen,” Andy says. “We’ll all fight this together.”

I stare at the papers, the words blurring before my eyes. Each sentence is a dagger, each clause a bloody betrayal. My parents, the people who should be my unwavering support system, are the threat. I feel Andy’s hand tighten around mine, a silent vow of solidarity. Jen puts a hand on my shoulder, tears already gathering in her eyes. I’m so grateful I’m not in this alone.

I pull out my phone, my fingers trembling as I dial my father’s number. The rings echo ominously in the silence of the room, each one amplifying the tension in the air and the queasiness in my gut.

“Hello?” My father’s voice, familiar yet distant, slices through the silence.

“Dad, it’s Brett,” I say, my voice somehow steady.

“Hi, son, how are you?” The casual tone, the normalcy of the greeting, is a jarring contrast to the gravity of the moment.

“Not very fucking well, actually. I’ve just been served papers, Dad. Emergency custody of Izzy? Really?” The words, sharp and accusatory, fall in the silence like a bomb.

There’s a short pause before my father grumbles. “What are you talking about, Brett?” Genuine confusion is clear in his voice, and that adds another layer to this fucked up shit show.

“I have court papers in my hand, Dad, filed by you and Mom, seeking emergency custody of Izzy. Do you want to explain that to me?” I want to reach through the phone and physically fight him. How could they do this? How could they even think of it? To take away my Izzy? My own daughter? This goes beyond bigotry or ignorance into an area much more vile. I’d never allow it—no matter who got in my way.

“Brett, I swear to you, I don’t know anything about that.” The sincerity in my father’s voice and the genuine shock are not enough in the face of the notice in my hand.

“You expect me to believe that your notarized name is on these documents, and you know nothing about them?” Disbelief and hope intertwine, a potent mix that keeps my anger stoked. I know my mother has said, and even done, some fucked up things in the past, and my dad was always either innocent or manipulated by her, but I needed to be a hundred percent sure about this. I want to believe him, but I just can’t be sure how complicit he is.

“I don’t know what to tell you, son, other than I’m as shocked as you are. You know I love you with all my heart, and if it’s possible, I think I love Izzy even more. I’d never ever disrupt her life or think about taking her from you all because you’re with Andy now. That’s ridiculous. It’s completely over the line. Give me a minute to figure this out.” The promise, the vow to seek clarity, is a lifeline that I grab. I can hear his sincerity. I can tell he means it. Which means this whole mess is all my mother’s doing.

“Okay,” I say, sinking back into the couch. “Let me know what you find out.”

I end the call, and the silence that follows echoes with uncertainty. I know I shouldn’t talk to my mother now. I’m seeing red, and whatever might come out of my mouth won’t be good. I need to give myself the night. Maybe my father will be able to do something from his end. I remember the cold glare my mother gave me when I told her Andy and I were together, and I have my doubts.

Andy’s grip on my hand tightens even more. Jen, steady but teary-eyed, looks away from me.

Shit. I feel like we need a damn miracle.

19

Andy

Themoodintheliving room is grim as we face the harsh reality of the papers that lay ominously on the coffee table. Brett’s hand is in mine, but it feels cold, trembling with emotions that no one is ready to voice. The warmth and laughter that filled this space just minutes ago is a distant memory, replaced by a chilly silence that we’re all having a hard time breaking.

Jen’s gaze is fixed on the papers, her eyes scanning the words as if by reading them again, their impact would somehow dissipate. She’s a lawyer, she can surely fight this. Maybe there’s a loophole she can use, or a rebuttal, or a… I can see the tremor in her hands, the disbelief etched on her face.

This isn’t just a legal notice; it’s a personal attack, a declaration of war that none of us saw coming. Delivered from his own family. All because of Brett and I being happy together. This doesn’t even make sense! How could anyone be that cruel?

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