Page 13 of Big Island Neighbors
They herded the kids out of the water at lunchtime and helped to sort out the mess of boxes and bags of food that they had brought from home.
Tenn had pulled a white cottonPualena Playschoolt-shirt over his bare chest, which was a small mercy. It pulled at her heart to see the handmadeonigirihe had made for his daughter’s lunch, and she could hardly glance at him without her cheeks burning red.
But it was a silly schoolgirl distraction. One that she didn’t have the time or the energy for today.
Once the kids were eating, Lani stepped away to check her messages. She walked around the concrete block of a building that held the restrooms, so that she had a gray wall to her back and nothing but jungle in front of her.
Her lawyer was appearing on her behalf today in Alaska. Their official court date was still a long way off, but today was some sort of status conference. It was a lot of legal nonsense that made no sense to her at all, and she was grateful to be three thousand miles away… even if she’d offered up the last of her life’s savings for the privilege.
Still, the whole thing put her on edge. How could it not?
There were no voice messages waiting for her. She thought about being patient for a solid three seconds, and then she called her attorney.
“Lani,” he answered on the first ring. “I was just about to call you.”
“Why?”
“I have some news.”
“I thought you said that nothing would happen until the hearing?”
“No decisions have been made regarding custody. But his lawyer has been pushing hard, and the judge has ordered that he be allowed to remain in contact with Aurora until the hearing.”
Lani’s stomach dropped. “What does that mean?”
“Weekly video chats,” his gruff voice was gentle. “You need to comply, or it will reflect poorly. Best case is he doesn’t keep up with them, and that will help our case.”
“Does our case need help?” Her voice came out small and shaky.
“The judge will issue a temporary custody order at the first hearing, and then a permanent order when your divorce is final.”
“He’s not her real father,” she protested.
“The fact that he’s not her biological father and that you married after Aurora was born makes this case relatively cut and dry - but given that he has been acting as Aurora’s father for most of her life, the judge will give the case her full consideration. I’ll call later this week to discuss your opening statement and potential witnesses.”
“Okay.” Her throat was so tight that she barely got the word out. “Thank you.”
Her hands shook as she switched her phone to airplane mode and stuck it back in her pocket. She pressed her back against the cool concrete wall and squeezed her eyes shut, trying desperately to get her breathing under control.
She needed to curl up and cry, but not here. Not now.
“Lani?”
Oh no. She squeezed her eyes tighter, pretending invisibility. But he had already seen her.
“What’s wrong?” Tenn’s voice was so soft that she opened her eyes and looked up at him.
That was a mistake.
There was so much kindness in his perfect face - so much love - that immediately she started to cry.
He wrapped his arms around her and she only resisted for a second before collapsing into him and sobbing, her face pressed into the hollow of his shoulder. When she finally recovered her breath enough to speak, she told him about the court-ordered visitation.
“At least you’re here,” he said gently, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “At least it’s only through a screen. You don’t have to hand her over to him.”
She flinched at the thought, and he pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist, relaxing into the strength and solidity of his chest.
“What if she doesn’t want to talk to him?”
