by Robyn Carr
“Sure is quiet,” Noah said. He looked up at Hannah. “What are we going to do now?”
“We’re going to have a day of rest,” she said.
* * *
Victoria Addison fixed herself a drink and phoned Roger.
“Mother. Are you all right?” he asked by way of a greeting.
“I’m doing all right—I’m in Colorado. I tracked down my grandson, Noah. This Hannah, newly appointed guardian of my grandson, is going to be difficult. And she has hooked herself up to a man. A man who is emotionally connected to the boy. Do you remember Hannah?”
“I’m sure I never met her,” Roger said. “It’s not as though Erin shared her friends with me. Do you intend to make trouble for her?”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” she snapped. “I only want to help her out. And get to know my grandson. I should have known Erin would do something like this—give my grandson to someone outside the family.”
“I can’t believe you want to be tied down to a child...” Roger said. “You don’t actually like children. But then, you’ve tied yourself down to old people and you don’t like them, either...”
“What is that noise?” she asked him.
“The radio...”
“Where are you?”
“At home...”
“You’re lying to me! Where are you and what are you doing?”
He sighed into the phone. “I’m at home. A couple of friends came over. I’m not out. I’m not at your house. I was last there a month ago to cut your grass and I haven’t been back since. I’m at my place. I have friends over. We’re playing poker.”
“Get yourself and everyone else out of my house! What did I tell you? I’m not supposed to have any contact with you! I’ve told everyone I haven’t seen you or let you stay with me for a long time!” Then she disconnected.
If Roger was in her house with friends, word could get back to the landlord and she was dodging the landlord.
She took a sip of her drink. She knew this day would come. She would be officially breaking ties with Roger. Never mind she’d already told the judge they were estranged and had been for a long time. But this was inevitable; Roger was no longer of any use. Their relationship had always been stormy, fluctuating from highs to lows. There was a time she could count on Roger to listen to her. Now they managed best when he was in jail because when he wasn’t, he struggled with drug and alcohol abuse, and when he was using, he made foolish mistakes.
He denied he was using; he claimed he had to take regular tests while he was on parole. He said he went to AA. But he was a perpetual liar and couldn’t be trusted.
In earlier days, Victoria had much better control over Roger. Lately he’d become defiant and she couldn’t fathom it—he owed her. She stood by him through every piece of trouble he’d gotten himself into. Well, she wasn’t about to tolerate this now. She had no margin for error at the moment.
She had learned her last place of employment was being investigated, that most of the employees were being questioned by police, even those who had resigned before they went out of business. A couple of former employees had been indicted for fraud, embezzlement and theft, accused of taking advantage of their clientele, mostly elderly people who needed help with their insurance, benefits and finances. They hadn’t gotten around to her yet.
It wasn’t the first time there had been suspicion surrounding a business or charity she’d been involved with but it was by far the most serious. This time the attorney general was involved. And also for the first time she could be in serious trouble.
Victoria was good at winning people’s trust. She’d learned most of her techniques from a man she’d been involved with when she was much younger. There was good money to be made from people who needed her caring and expertise. There was a reason she’d been named beneficiary in two wills. She’d been very careful before accepting any inheritance—those dear souls had no family and it hadn’t been much that they’d left behind. She couldn’t be named as a beneficiary in a lot of wills without raising suspicion because it was a suspicious world; people would just believe the worst.
But then she’d had a slip. She became the guardian of a rich old man, another man without a family, and she stood to collect $800,000 of his money when he passed. That was when she worked at her company, doing what they did, submitting invoices for her management of his property and caretaking, paid out of his bank account. Everything from lawn care and pool service to chauffeuring to medical facilities to scheduling him for screenings and health care providers’ evaluations, none of which she actually did. He passed at home, the dear old soul, and she was just waiting for the paperwork and probate to clear when there was a hitch. It wasn’t a family member, but a library. The man was a patron and had given a copy of his will to the librarian saying all of his money would be left to the library. They objected to this guardian stepping in and claiming to be the new beneficiary, even though she had a copy of his will, one that had been hastily written while he was in hospice care.
A public library. That began a lot of poking around so she quit her job and made herself scarce. She needed money but was afraid to show her face while the authorities were questioning the validity of the will.
Erin had not been deceased long and all she could learn was that everything had been left to Noah. She had no idea how much but Erin was stingy and clever with her money. Victoria made a bold decision—she would argue for custody. If there wasn’t much inheritance, she could make the magnanimous gesture of letting Hannah keep the boy.
She didn’t have a lot of time and she had ideas, but no plan. And so far, it wasn’t going well. This Hannah had surrounded herself with lawyers and protectors.
Victoria moved what liquid assets she had, not nearly enough to retire on, sold a few things, packed up and headed south to Colorado. It was time for her to move on anyway. She left her house and stopped paying rent, having convinced the owners she’d been ill and was in recovery.
It was her plan to seek custody and with that, gain at least a large share of whatever inheritance belonged to Noah.
But then she discovered Owen. Not only was he clearly well-to-do, he was fond of the boy. She researched him and learned he had lost his own son years before, a fact that would make him much more vulnerable. Hopefully he would be very helpful in making Victoria go away. All it would take was money.
Of course Victoria would have to have some leverage. She was pondering which of her many talents she would employ.
She had one more supervised visit with the boy. After that the judge would rule on what kind of relationship she would be allowed to have with him.
Love is composed of a single
soul inhabiting two bodies.
—Aristotle
12
The first week in August brought the second visit from Victoria. It was not as tense as the first, though Hannah, Owen and Cal were all on hand. Noah made it two whole hours before complaining, but he did ask Owen if they could show Victoria the dock so she could see the fish swimming and jumping.
Victoria was full of questions for Noah: What was his favorite thing to watch on TV? What was his favorite thing to do in school? What did he want to be when he grew up? What did he read? Were there any sports he could play even though he was using crutches and braces? “Sometimes I pole vault,” he said.
When Victoria said, “Really?” Owen snorted a laugh.
Hannah was not going to relax until their next visit with the judge was over, even though Cal continuously tried to reassure her that her guardianship was not in jeopardy. But this time the judge wanted to meet Noah prior to their hearing. The attorneys were present for the ten-minute meeting.
“What did he ask you, Noah?” Hannah asked when he returned to her. “Was it okay? Were you scared?”
“No, I wasn’t scared. He’s old like Sully. He has pictures of kids all over h
is office and he said he has about a million grandkids. He asked me if I enjoyed seeing my grandma and I said it was okay. I told him I used good manners.”
“You were exceptional,” Hannah agreed. “Anything else?”
“He asked me if I’d like to see her again and I said...” He stopped and hung his head. “I said it wasn’t that much fun. But he laughed so I think we’re okay. Then he said it was very nice to meet me and asked, ‘Was I looking forward to school?’ and I said I didn’t know because it would be a new school. Have you decided yet, Hannah? Because I know what I want to do.”
She laughed. “I know what you want to do, too,” she said. “Don’t put pressure on me yet—it’s a hard decision.”
So the day came that they went back to court. There were only the original complaints—the suit for custody and motion to dismiss. Judge Vincente’s courtroom was pretty low-key and casual.
“Did you have a couple of nice visits with your grandson, Mrs. Addison?” he asked Victoria.
“I tried,” she said. “It was a little difficult being watched as if I’d steal something or beat my grandson.”
“I hope you’re satisfied that he’s happy, healthy and in good hands. Here’s where I’d like to leave the whole issue, unless your attorneys want to throw a lot of paper at me. Hannah Russell will retain sole custody, just as I told you would happen. Ms. Russell will provide her cell phone number to you and you may use it to inquire about Noah. Not to harass her but to politely inquire. Perhaps you’ll even want to say hello to him. Maybe you’d like to see him sometime in the future, but that is at the sole discretion of his guardian and under only the conditions in which she feels comfortable. Be sensitive, Mrs. Addison. Ms. Russell also needs time to bond with Noah.
“I’ve been in situations like this before, Mrs. Addison. Different details in the circumstances, of course, but similar in many ways. If you tread carefully and respect the boundaries Noah’s guardian has established, there may come a time you can see or talk to Noah more often and establish some rapport. Remember him at Christmas and on his birthday. Have you done that before?”
“Of course!” Victoria said. “But my daughter was angry with me and probably didn’t tell him I sent gifts.”
Judge Vincente frowned. “I see,” he said. “Well, that takes care of our business. Sole custody to Ms. Russell, supervised visitation upon approval by Ms. Russell. Have a good day, everyone.”
Hannah almost collapsed in relief.
It was no surprise that there were others waiting for the news. Cal had calls from Sully and Maggie; Hannah had turned off her phone during court, and when she turned it back on, there was a message from Leigh Shandon.
Noah had stayed at the Crossing with Sully and Helen, so by the time Hannah, Owen and Cal got there, an impromptu party was just getting started. Leigh and her baby showed up after her clinic hours were over. Cal called Maggie and she came with Elizabeth. Sierra came with her children, and Connie and a couple of firefighters came by. Owen drove around the lake to his house to fetch Romeo, the only guest who couldn’t get there on his own. Everyone gathered around the front porch of Sully’s house, leaving the porch at the store for the campers. The store was being tended by a couple of the Canaday kids who often worked there, with Sully popping over often to make sure they were doing all right.
Everyone decided simultaneously they could throw together dinner from what was on hand. Helen brought out some burgers and chicken breasts. Maggie and Hannah raided the garden and steamed vegetables and created an enormous salad.
“Is it really over?” Sierra asked Hannah.
“Cal said Victoria would have to have a profound reason to revisit the issue, like if Noah were being abused. Even if Victoria lied, Noah wouldn’t let her get away with it.” She shook her head and laughed. “I knew Noah was smart, but you have no idea how intuitive he is. He pretty much trapped her in lies during their first visit. It took me a second to realize he was actually testing her, asking her questions about his mother. She didn’t have the right answers and he was done.”
“How do you feel now?” Sierra asked.
“Like all my bones are made of tissue paper! Noah and I have been a team for five months now. I still miss Erin so much but every night I say a little prayer of thanks, hoping she’s on the party line and can hear me. I will fight for Noah to the death.”
“Welcome aboard, Hannah,” Sierra said. “You’re a mom.”
* * *
After Noah went to bed that night, Hannah and Owen snuggled up on the couch and whispered about their relief.
“There’s really nowhere else for her to go to attempt getting custody. But we’re going to have to pay attention. Even if she does just want a chance to be a grandmother, I’m planning to give her a wide berth, I think,” Hannah said.
“She doesn’t look at all like what I was expecting,” Owen said. “I guess I’d built her into some kind of monster in my mind. She looks harmless. She’s attractive and well-spoken. She did some convincing crying in the courtroom during that first hearing.”
“I had a friend in high school who could do that,” Hannah said. “She could turn it on and off at will. I lost track of her. I bet she shows up on the Oscars someday.”
“I think you’re actually lighter,” he said, giving her a playful jostle. “Not a tense muscle in your body weighing you down.”
“I’m floating...”
“And by the way, it’s August. We have gotten through two custody scares and school starts in less than a month.”
She bit her lip and turned her head to look up at him. “I’m pretty nervous. Is it me or is it Noah? Because it’s understandable that you’d feel protective of a lost little boy after losing your own son.”
He bent to press a kiss on her lips. “I need to sharpen my skills if you think it’s only about Noah. Yeah, I already love the kid. Anyone who doesn’t should have his head examined. But I love you in an entirely different way. Level with me. Are you afraid to quit your job?”
“Oh, yeah. And move out of my house. And live off you. And all of it. The only thing that no longer scares me is the idea of being Noah’s mother. I could never go back. It’s what I want to be.”
“Can you ask for an extended leave of absence?”
“To keep a job but not to keep my position. I’ve used up almost all my leave, remember.”
“Can we take small steps that might turn into bigger steps? For you. I understand your uncertainty and I also understand that I don’t have to quit a job or move, so I’m not risking as much.”
“What kind of small steps?” she asked.
“Rent out your house. Ask for an extended leave even though it won’t secure your position but it would ensure you a place of employment in a company you understand. It’s a little safety net. It won’t come to that, I bet. But one step at a time.”
“I have a lot of stuff in that house...”
“Let’s go empty it out. Bring what you want here, store the rest.”
“It should be painted. Carpets cleaned. Repairs made. I’ve had a neighborhood kid cutting the grass but everything else is a mess...”
Owen laughed. “Everything except the sorting can be done by phone. Since you’re not living in the neighborhood, you’ll need a property manager. They get about ten to twenty percent. You’ll pay the mortgage with the rent money. Maybe you’ll like having a rental. Hannah, Noah has to go to school somewhere. You don’t have much time to decide exactly where.”
“This is such a small town,” she said. “It’s not like Minneapolis, where I can find so many specialists...”
“And yet we’re friends with a semifamous criminal defense attorney and a well-known neurosurgeon. I think Noah will get what he needs. I think you know I would move heaven and earth to help you do that for him.”
“He wants to stay here...”
�
��I want him to make friends his age here, and for that he needs school,” Owen said. “I’d love to spend every second with him but that’s selfish. He needs to be with kids. He can’t spend his whole life with some guy and his dog. Have you seen him lately, the way he runs? With those crutches that he can manhandle? He’s like a pony, loping across the yard. I don’t think he even needs them anymore but he uses them so he doesn’t have to contort his body to walk. Yeah, he needs more time with kids his own age.”
“I feel a little safer at the idea of having him go to school in a nice little town like Timberlake,” she said. “I’ll feel even better when Victoria goes back to Minneapolis. Do you think she’ll know when we’re there, cleaning out my house? Because I can’t leave Noah behind. I can’t. Our whole custody thing has felt so slippery.”
“She won’t know. Maybe her flying monkeys will find out, but how would she? Unless she has a spy on your house. And if we’re clearing it out, we won’t be staying there.”
“We could stay with either Sharon or Kate.”
Owen smiled. “That sounds like you’re willing to give it a try.”
“Are you sure?” she asked. “We’ve only known each other a few months.”
“I knew in a few weeks,” he said.
“I’m afraid of being wrong again,” she said.
“Aren’t you afraid of walking away from something that’s right? I am,” Owen said. “Don’t panic, Hannah. Just don’t give up on us too soon.”
* * *
The next day while Hannah took Noah to his therapy appointment, Owen gave Cal a call and asked him when he could get together for a talk. “I’m working at home all day,” Cal said. “Stop by anytime.”