Page 87 of Already At Risk
He gave me a blank look, and I clarified. “Why are you now filing for sole physical custody?”
“I am relocating for work, and sharing custody will be more challenging given the distance. Plus, it is in Chloe’s best interests for her to be closer to her grandparents and other family. My schedule at the office is consistent, normal. Unlike Natalie’s.”
I stiffened at the jab at Natalie but didn’t let it deter me from my line of questioning.
“Is your affair partner relocating as well?”
Korey gave a slow nod. “Yes.”
“Are the two of you in a relationship?”
The room fell into silence. Korey stared ahead, sort of blank-like, as though he couldn’t quite decide what the right answer would be. Which was a fail on his lawyer’s part because they should have covered this ahead of time.
Truthfully, if he were trying to move Chloe into a two-“parent” household, it would likely strengthen his case, despite the circumstances of how the relationship started with this other woman.
But Korey said, “Yes…well, it’s complicated.”
So I moved on. Because it was better for us if we didn’t clarify things. Hopefully, the judge would focus more on the “it’s complicated” than on the “yes.”
“Your work is mandating that you relocate?” I asked.
Again, Korey hesitated. I noticed it, and I was sure a judge would. But he said yes a second later, and then his beady eyes shot to his lawyer, as though he knew he was about to do something he shouldn’t. “Look, I simply don’t believe that Natalie is able to provide the necessary care for Chloe, given her other responsibilities.”
I would be circling back to his work relocation, but right now, we needed to set other things straight.
“And what responsibilities are those?”
“Work responsibilities.”
I wished I could have rolled my eyes.
“It has already been determined that my client’s work responsibilities have not changed from those she had during your marriage, at which point, according to yourself, she was already taking the lead in the matters involving childcare.” I gave him a pointed look, saw Keller opening his mouth out of the corner of my eye, no doubt to object to my statement, and quickly added, “But we’re here to discuss you, Mr. Abrams. What do your working hours entail?”
“I work a standard nine-to-five position.”
“But with work trips on the weekend,” I muttered before quickly launching a question. “Any other unusual or late hours?”
He shrugged. “Occasionally, but I would, of course, prioritize Chloe’s needs if she was staying with me full-time.”
“And what are Chloe’s needs?”
Korey considered me, picking up a coffee cup that had been sitting in front of him and taking a long sip.
Part of me suspected nothing was in there.
“I’m not sure what you mean by that,” he said finally.
Of course he wouldn’t.
“Can you list some of Chloe’s childcare needs that you provide or would provide for?”
“Such as…picking her up from school?”
“Yes,” I said, succinct. “That would be one example.”
“I don’t currently do that, but I would if she were to live with me full-time.”
I mean, I should fucking hope so.
