Page 16 of Fourth Wall

Think.

Fuck, I had no plan. I was shooting fucking blanks at this point. I looked down and watched the sweat roll off my palms. I was standing, yet my right leg couldn’t stop shaking. This was what the start of a panic attack must feel like. I very much felt like I was about to drown, and the water just kept rushing in.

“Ms. Murphy?” the judge asked, and I quickly snapped out of the panic I was experiencing as much as I could.

“Sorry, would you mind repeating it?” Tyler scoffed.

“I was just saying that it is clear that you are a fit mother, but I highly suggest before we meet again, that you look into getting a house for yourself. Settling down—”

“I have a boyfriend, and we are moving in together, so none of this is an issue.” Everyone stopped talking and stared at me. I swear I could hear a pin drop in the courtroom.

I was lying. Definitely one hundred percent lying, but I needed to put on whatever performance those acting classes taught me that my mother had taken me to when I was younger. Right now, I needed to channel my inner badass. I would figure out the logistics later, but I needed to save my children. If the judge wanted me to look more settled, I would be settled. Every feminist part of me wanted to rage at him and scream that I wasa strong, independent woman who fiercely loved her children, but this courtroom didn’t give a flying fuck about that.

If they wanted me to play a doting wife or girlfriend, I could do that.

“That is new information.” Tyler’s smooth voice was the first to break the pause.

“You don’t tell me everything about you. The same goes for me.” I stared right into his lifeless eyes. I didn’t know how I ever found him physically attractive. He was slender and tall. He was extremely clean-cut too. Thankfully, the girls both got their long curly blond locks from me and generally looked like my side of the family.

“Right, so my client, Maeve Murphy, will be moving in with her boyfriend. She will be providing the stability that she needs for the household. Everything schedule-wise will remain the same,” Antonio added as Tyler and I continued our stare down.

“Custody schedule will remain the same. Ms. Murphy will need to provide proof of her living situation as well as being on time to her job and picking up the girls on time.” The judge was about to sign off on the document when I raised my hand.

“I just want to add that if his partner is allowed to pick up the girls, then the same would go for mine.” It was only fair that if Stephen got to pick the kids up from school, then I shouldn’t be punished for having my nonexistent partner pick them up too. I planned to hash the details out later, of course, but I needed to make sure the girls were taken care of, and I knew that it was sometimes impossible for me to get them after work, depending on traffic.

“That seems fair.” Both lawyers nodded their heads as the judge spoke. “We should go ahead and schedule a follow-up in six months.”

He banged his gavel and dismissed us, so we headed toward the exit. Tyler quickly walked away from the building with hislawyer without turning around once. When my mom saw me, she looked white as a ghost with fear.

“So?” She gave me a quick hug and pulled away so she faced me and Antonio.

“It was a win for Maeve. Everything went well. We will reassess when Maeve and her boyfriend move in with each other. Please consider having your partner pick the girls up versus your mother.” I nodded as my mom raised her eyebrow at me.

“I will. Thank you so much. Please send over your invoice, and we will reconvene in six months before the next date.” I shook his hand.

“Call me anytime you need me, and please tell Alex I said hello.” He left the courthouse just as my mom linked her arm in mine.

“Boyfriend?” she asked, her eyes narrowing at me. I sighed heavily as the warm, bright Southern California sun hit my face. I looked up at the sky and inhaled deeply, the faint smell of sea breeze wafting all around me.

“I’ll figure it out, Mom.” I finally turned to look at her as she grabbed my shoulders and pulled me in for a side hug.

“You always figure it out, honey. We’re a team.” I kissed her cheek as we walked toward the parking lot.

“Thanks for always being there.”

“That’s what family is for,” she offered as she opened the car door for me. Right before shutting it, she looked over at me. “Fuck Tyler. He sucks.”

“Mother!” My mom never swore. She was the Calvin Klein jean with a billowy blouse type of lady who wore pearls to church on Sunday. I knew she was trying to lighten the mood, and I hated to admit that it worked. Now, only to find myself a fake boyfriend who I trusted enough to move in with in the next six months. It was a completely feasible task…not.

11

Maeve

After dropping my mom off at home and quickly changing into a midi skirt and graphic tee, it was well into the evening when I arrived at Tatum’s house.

“Of course, she’s late to her own get-together,” Chelsea joked from the living room where they were all gathered.

“Ignore her. Here is your glass of wine.” Tatum passed me a glass while she and Gianna drank their mocktails.

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