Page 4 of Puck, Marry, Thrill

“With both sets of keys—yes,” she replied eagerly, her face glowing with triumph.

Kenneth’s heart sank. He should’ve been used to it by now, the sheer selfishness, the absolute lack of maternal instinct. And yet, somehow, it still hit him. It still disappointed him. He had once been enamored with her, flattered by her attention, taken in by the spark she had brought into his life. But when it came down to what mattered, to being a decent human being, Candi had failed him time and time again.

She was a narcissist, and he had spent too long making excuses for her. He had done the marriage counseling. He had had the endless discussions. And when he found out she was cheating, he had drawn his line in the sand. He was done.

“The car,” the judge repeated, his voice tinged with disgust. “Instead of your son.”

Candi beamed. “Yes.”

The judge turned to Kenneth, his expression grave. “Mr. Salas, this is highly unusual, but I’m going to amend all of this. Custody and spousal support should be about the best interest of the child and assisting the spouse in regaining stability. This is not an opportunity to take advantage of someone.”

“I agree, Your Honor,” Kenneth said solemnly. “But Zachary comes first. I can get another car. When she wanted the house, I moved into a condo and gave it to her. I’ve tried to keep things amicable, but when does it stop? It’s not fair to Zachary to drag him into court every six months just because she needs something new… No offense.”

“I agree with you,” the judge said, his voice firm. He turned back to Candi, his expression unreadable. “Miss Ethridge, I’m going to allow this to happen…”

And Candi interrupted with a ‘Yes!’ and excitedly hugged her lawyer.

The weight of the moment settled over him like a thick fog, heavy and suffocating yet laced with the promise of long-awaited relief. He kept his expression neutral, but inside, his heart pounded. Every decision made here would shape his son’s future.

“And Mr. Salas—I am remitting sole custody to you with no spousal support,” the judge announced, his tone firm but laced with something close to sympathy. He hesitated for a moment before continuing, his gaze shifting from Kenneth to the woman sitting across the room, her arms crossed, her lips pursed in irritation. “I’ve watched you holding your son, caring for him, and you are giving up a car for her to leave you both alone—and I tend to agree. You gave her the house in the divorce and now the car, but it has to stop at some point. If Miss Etheridge runs into problems, she can sell the car or come up with an alternativeother than you.”

Kenneth exhaled slowly, steadying himself. He’d fought so hard for this, sacrificed so much. It had never been about money. It had never been about revenge. It had always been about his son—keeping him safe, giving him a stable home, protecting him from the chaos Candi seemed to carry in her wake.

Across the room, Candi blinked as if struggling to comprehend the words, her perfectly manicured nails drumming against the wooden table. “Wait,” she blurted out, eyes wide with disbelief. “I’m not getting any more money?”

“No, ma’am, you are not,” the judge stated flatly.

Her lips twisted in mild frustration, but then she shrugged. “But I get the car.”

“Yes.”

Kenneth watched as a slow, satisfied smirk spread across her face. “Cool.”

A low mutter broke the silence.

“Unbelievable,” the judge murmured, shaking his head before shifting his gaze to Kenneth. He studied him for a long moment as if searching for some sign that this had been worth the battle, that the sacrifices weren’t in vain. “I hope this was worth it.”

Kenneth didn’t hesitate. He looked down at the small boy in his arms, his son—the only thing in the world that mattered. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the boy’s soft dark curls, inhaling the warm, familiar scent that grounded him.

It was worth everything.

He met the judge’s gaze and nodded.

* * *

Hours later, Kenneth stood in his kitchen, the hum of the refrigerator and the soft sizzling from the skillet the only sounds that filled the space. He’d ordered a cab earlier to get them home and would need to purchase another car soon – a family car.

He chopped up grilled chicken, broccoli, and tater tots into small pieces; the weight of the day settled over him like a heavy fog. The food was meant to be for him and Zachary, though he knew he’d be doing most of the eating. Zachary, still too young to appreciate much beyond simple flavors, could at least nibble on a little bit of it—enough to keep him satisfied for the night. It was a small comfort, something he could control in a world that was quickly spiraling into unpredictability.

The phone rang, breaking his concentration, and Kenneth winced, his hand frozen mid-chop. He shifted the skillet off the burner, nudging it toward the center of the stove to prevent it from tipping over. He hoped—prayed, even—that it wasn’t Zachary’s nanny calling to quit after today’s fiasco.

She was a friend of Candi’s.

The mess Candi had left in her wake was enough to drive anyone to the brink of their patience. Kenneth felt his throat tighten as he remembered the finality of the divorce papers signed a year ago, and now he had custody as of a few hours ago. Everything had been finalized, and his car title was to be turned over to the lawyer tomorrow. And though it was official now, it didn’t make him feel any less heartbroken.

He was a single dad now—officially. Candi had sometimes taken Zachary for the occasional visit, but now it was different. She wasn’t going to show up with her bags of mixed promises and fleeting affection anymore. She wasn’t going to be the person who would step in when things got tough. Kenneth had to navigate this new reality alone, and he felt the weight of that responsibility settle deeper with each passing minute.

His thoughts were interrupted by the voice on the other end of the line.

---