Divining Elise

by Jody A. Kessler

  “Because it has to be,” Autumn said. “You moved here because your future is here and we both know that’s the honest truth.”

  “I wish I was as positive about this as you are.”

  “You’ll know what to do by morning. I have faith in your dreams, even if you don’t. Now, tell me what’s in the bag, mamacita?”

  “How many times have I asked you not to call me that?” She didn’t expect an answer. Autumn liked the pet name, and she liked how it irritated Elise. And Elise didn’t realize that she clutched the handle of Rob’s gift bag. She set it down and pulled out the softest stuffed bear she’d ever felt. The bear wore a motorcycle helmet and jacket. Elise set the bear aside and pulled out a set of three toy motorcycles.

  “Aww... The bear’s wearing a little helmet,” Autumn said unnecessarily. She picked up the stuffed animal. “The helmet comes off, too. It’s so cute.”

  Elise choked back the lump rising in her throat and repacked Colton’s gift so he could open it later.

  Why did she have so many issues? And how was she going to fix them?

  * * *

  It’d been a week since their fallout. Elise didn’t call or text—neither did he. Rob walked inside the house, opening an envelope with a return address from Mountain of Books & Coffee. The card inside was from Colton. He smiled at the drawing, which he thought might be a depiction of the teddy bear he’d given him. The bear rode a motorcycle, or a giant insect. It was difficult to tell what the picture was exactly, given it was created by a five-year-old with a fondness for red, blue, and black crayons. Colton signed the thank you card and Rob could tell the boy made an effort at signing his name legibly.

  “Your phone rang while you went to grab the mail,” Shane said.

  Rob checked the number and saw the name, Ananya Palande. He listened to the voice message then called Maisie’s pediatrician back. Since Maisie was napping in the crib and Shane and Bodie were watching an action film in the living room, he stepped onto the deck for privacy and quiet.

  After the call, he walked back inside with a slight lift to his chest and more mental confusion than he normally would have after a beautiful woman asked him out.

  “What’s the stupid look on your face about?” Shane asked.

  Rob wiped his expression clean. “Nothing.”

  Bodie paused the movie. “Who was on the phone?”

  “Maisie’s doctor. She asked me out,” Rob said without thinking through the ramifications of his brothers’ responses.

  “Is she hot?” Shane asked.

  “Yeah,” Rob said. “And nice. At first, she said she was calling to check on Maisie, then she confessed that she was interested in getting to know me better.”

  “She wants you, bro. Jump on that horse and take a ride,” Shane said and reached for his beer.

  Rob didn’t care for meaningless one-night stands. He’d participated in a few, especially when he was younger, but now, with a daughter, the idea had even less appeal. He had responsibilities and a schedule, and let’s face it, he wasn’t over Elise. She’d gutted him over their one-sided argument.

  “He’s thinking about Elise,” Bodie said.

  Rob blinked himself back into the present. Bodie wasn’t wrong and he didn’t deny it.

  “Yeah, but Elise ripped off his nut sack and stomped on it.”

  “She didn’t. We’re taking a break,” Rob said.

  “A break. Those are the keywords,” Shane said.

  “Maybe,” Rob admitted.

  “What did you tell the doctor?” Bodie asked.

  “I told her Maisie was crying and I’d call her back in a few minutes.”

  “Real slick, dude. You’ve totally lost what little game you sort of once had. Being a stay-at-home-dad has ruined you.”

  “Shut up. I’m having a rough week, and I wasn’t prepared for that call.”

  “Feeling a bit hormonal? Emotional, are we? You sound like a girl. Elise screwed you up,” Shane said.

  “You’re not helping, douche canoe,” Rob said.

  “Rob’s right, but I agree with Shane on this one,” Bodie said.

  “Great. I’m going to walk away now and go lift weights. You ass wipes can suck it,” Rob said.

  “Why would you want us to when Dr. Palande is offering?” Shane said, laying it on extra thick now that he’d gotten under Rob’s skin.

  “Call her back and take her out. It’s the best way to get your mind off Elise. Seriously. It works. We’ll watch the baby for you, too,” Bodie said.

  Rob jogged down the stairs and considered Bodie’s last statement. Once, when he was about thirteen, the family dog died of old age. A couple weeks later, his dad let him and his brothers pick out a new puppy. That puppy was the best and only thing that helped him get over Cookie’s death. Not that Ananya should be compared to a dog—he wanted to punch himself for even thinking it—but she could be a helpful distraction from the frustrations left behind by Elise’s absence. Do I have time to date? Should I? Maisie’s pediatrician was a nice looking woman. Very nice... and intelligent. He appreciated thoughtful conversation, especially when coupled with beautiful eyes and a toned physique. Plus, she liked babies and children. That had to be a bonus, didn’t it?

  Rob called Ananya back and asked her out to dinner.

  * * *

  When Elise’s phone rang with an unknown number on the I.D., she answered without thinking. She’d spent the morning on the phone taking care of business calls and forgot that she always screened her personal calls. The woman introduced herself as Rob’s case worker from Santa Clara County Social Services.

  “Do you have a few minutes to speak with me?” the woman asked.

  Elise found Brenna and let her employee know she would be taking a private call in the back office.

  “How can I help you?” Elise asked. She was more than happy to speak about Rob and Maisie and glad she accidentally answered the phone. Not that she believed in accidents. Elise’s intuition had proved more than once that accidents of any life altering significance were never really coincidental.

  “Mr. Everett’s custody case is currently under investigation. I’ve been working on interviews with his friends and family about his lifestyle, parenting, personal and working habits, and so forth. Your name and number were given to me as a character reference. Are you still willing to vouch for Mr. Everett?”

  “Yes. I am,” she said.

  “Okay, great. This shouldn’t take long. Let’s start with how long you’ve known Rob and Maisie.”

  Elise answered the social worker’s questions. She shared her honest and heartfelt opinions and experiences about Rob as a father and as a person. The woman informed Elise she felt good about Rob’s case. She didn’t think the custody dispute would get much farther, based on the home inspection and interviews she had already conducted. The scheduled hearing would be the final determining factor on whether Maisie’s case would move to the court system.

  Elise asked, “Would you recommend I attend the hearing to speak on Rob and Maisie’s behalf?”

  Elise made the offer to be there for Rob and felt okay about it, if not a little heartbroken. In the pit of her stomach, she already knew the outcome would be in Rob’s favor, but if she could tip the balance further in his direction, she would. Just because she sometimes dreamt about the future didn’t mean she saw the details to arriving at the end result. Her psychic abilities often brought more frustrations than not, and feeling like she didn’t have any control over them was the worst part.

  “I don’t think that’s necessary at this time. If for any reason the dispute goes to court, then Rob’s lawyer may call and ask you to testify.”

  Elise thanked the woman for calling and tapped the end call button. Swells of emotion threatened to drown her where she sat. She didn’t mention that her and Rob were not speaking to one another, and she hoped it wouldn’t make any difference. The depression and sadness that suddenly shrouded her was her fault. Since their argument, she ha
dn’t done anything to fix the situation. Elise couldn’t continue on like this. Letting fear control her life ruined her chances at happiness.

  Elise bit her lower lip and stared at her phone. As hard as change was, she steeled herself and called Colton’s school counselor and asked for a referral to a mental health therapist. They were happy to give a referral and Elise scheduled her first appointment for the next day.

  Twenty-six

  ROB, SHANE, AND THEIR PARENTS arrived with Maisie at the Santa Clara County Social Services building a half an hour early. They entered as an impenetrable Everett force. Bodie had planned to be there, but he was called out for Search and Rescue during the night. Rob told him to go. He was confident the case was going to be dismissed. But now that they waited to be called into the meeting room, his nerves began to rattle.

  His mom and dad busied themselves by playing with Maisie, but that left Shane and Rob to brood over the upcoming hearing. Rob kept his cool on the outside, but his mind kept reviewing the conversations he’d had with the caseworker prior to their appointment.

  Delaney’s cousin and her husband waited in the hallway on another bench with their attorney. He couldn’t help but notice the snooty upturn of her nose. How did she think she had any custodial rights to Maisie? After months of taking care of Maisie and being her sole guardian, why did Michaela think she still had any chance at taking his daughter away from him? Was the lawyer pushing them to continue this absurdity? Rob couldn’t wrap his head about Delaney’s cousin’s thinking. He needed this over with so he could move on with his life and be the parent Maisie needed him to be.

  Shane tipped his head in Rob’s direction. “They don’t have one piece of credible evidence against you. This so-called investigation has been a total waste of our time. If Social Services haven’t removed Maisie from you by now, they aren’t going to.”

  They’d been repeating those words since this started and logically, it made sense. Rob agreed that the chances of losing Maisie were slim, but he needed to hear it from the state and see official signed documents that Delaney’s cousin would never be awarded guardianship of Maisie.

  “I still say they’re after your ex’s life insurance money,” Shane continued. “Some people should be drawn and quartered. Look at them. They reek of greed and self-absorption.”

  Rob tended to agree with Shane’s assessments of people, even when the words were harsh or crude. Shane had a way of nailing someone’s character within a minute of observing their behavior. His attention to detail and sensitivity toward nuances most people didn’t see made him an excellent investigator. Rob had observed Shane’s skills since they were little kids. But this time, Rob just couldn’t see greed on the faces of Delaney’s cousins. Self-absorption? Possibly. To be honest, they appeared as the perfect young WASP couple. If Maisie were in their arms, they would be a nice looking family. As it were, Rob saw a cloud of red when he watched them, and that would never change. After receiving the first letter from their lawyer about rightful custody of Maisie, that red haze of anger had been ever present.

  They were called into the room and found seats around the long table, opposing sides facing each other. Both families were allowed to speak briefly. Rob quickly noticed that the caseworker was on his side, as she had been since they originally met.

  The social worker turned a hardened stare on Michaela, Ashton, and their lawyer. “Rob Everett is the lawful guardian of his daughter, Maisie Allison Everett as evidenced by the DNA paternity test. Although it is extremely unfortunate that Delaney Allison has passed from this life, she cannot decide custodianship of her child from the hereafter. Without witnesses or proof of authenticity, the document you provided stating Ms. Allison’s wishes for guardianship has no legal standing. The State of California and Santa Clara County does not condone using misrepresentation or false claims made against innocent persons. I don’t know where you received your information about Mr. Everett’s lifestyle choices, but libelous claims are a serious matter. Myself and my team have not found a single claim of yours to be true. He is a businessman with an outstanding record. There is not one piece of evidence to confirm the alcohol abuse you claimed. It is my opinion and that of this office that opening a brewery does not automatically assume alcohol misuse. If I were you, Michaela and Ashton, I would do better research before wasting our time with false accusations. If there’s anything else motivating your actions today, say perhaps financial gain, in the pursuit of guardianship over an innocent child, I would say shame on you. We are dismissed. Have a lovely day, Mr. Everett.”

  The Everetts exchanged glances, thanked the caseworker, and walked out. The whole meeting had taken less than thirty minutes. They were headed toward the parking lot when Rob noticed Maisie’s pacifier was missing.

  “Mom, have you seen it?” he asked.

  She shook her head.

  “I’ll go look for it.” He handed Maisie to his father. “I’ll be right out.”

  Rob headed back to the conference room. His caseworker sat in front of her laptop, typing away at the keys. He saw the pacifier on the floor near where Maisie had been in her carrier.

  “Sorry to barge back in. Maisie needs this.” He picked up the plug, as he liked to call it, and held it up. “She sleeps better with it and she only likes this brand.”

  “A lot of babies will only take one type of paci. I’d like to thank you again for being patient with us, Mr. Everett.” She rose from her chair and adjusted the glasses on her nose. “I’m trying not to be really miffed with Michaela and her lawyer, but they took me away from other children who genuinely need my help. That doesn’t sit well with me.”

  “Thank you for telling me. And you’re not the only one who’s trying really hard to not be miffed with them.”

  The social worker smiled at Rob’s repeat usage of the word miffed when they both knew stronger words could easily be used.

  “With that said, it’s always nice to speak with a strong supportive group of people who only want what’s best for a child. You’re very fortunate to have so many wonderful people in your life. I was particularly impressed with Elise Martinez and your babysitter, Bethany’s testimonies. They offered to be here today, but I told them it wasn’t necessary. I already had plenty of proof that you’re more than fit to be a parent.”

  Rob’s insides jolted at the mention of Elise. “Thank you, again. I’m doing the best I can with Maisie.”

  “And it shows. Keep up the effort and everything will work out just fine.”

  Rob said goodbye again and strolled into the hallway, where he nearly ran over someone who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

  “Watch where you’re going, man.”

  “My apologies, sir,” Rob said as he steadied the man by the shoulders, keeping them both upright.

  The flash of a silver snake charm hanging from a chain around the man’s neck made him stumble again. He’d seen the necklace before. Rob had met this person one other time and the encounter left an unforgettable impression on him.

  “And learn how to walk while you’re at it.” The man scoffed and continued on his way.

  Rob stood fixed and in minor disbelief. “I know you.”

  He halted and looked Rob up and down. “I think you have me confused with someone else.”

  “You told me a beautiful girl needed me and later that night my life changed completely,” Rob said.

  The man sneered. “You’re crazy, man. I’ve never seen you before in my life.”

  Rob started to doubt this was the same man he’d given tacos to the night he found out about Maisie. But this guy looked just like the homeless man and the necklace was the same. That night was one of the strangest things to ever happen to him. Did it matter that this guy didn’t remember him?

  “You were in front of my building and I gave you cash and tacos. You told me about my daughter.”

  He held up a dismissive hand. “Listen, dude, I don’t need to visit your crazy town. But you have a nice day now. I have
an appointment I need to get to.”

  Rob backed up a step. “I uh... I apologize again. Sorry to have bothered you.”

  The man turned and started walking away. Rob hesitated another second. Doubt that he had actually wandered into crazy town—not just now, but also the night in front of his building—bubbled through his brain matter. He had drunk a lot of beer. Rob turned. He didn’t have time for this. His family was waiting for him in the parking lot. He heard talking and stopped. The man spoke, but there was no one else in the hallway.

  “I wasn’t talking about your daughter, Rob. I said ‘a beautiful girl with difficulties and misfortunes of her own needed you.’ She still needs you, but the truth is you need each other.”

  “What did you say?” Rob called back to the man.

  The homeless man pulled open an office door and walked inside without a glance or another word spoken.

  The rest of the day was dedicated to spending time with his family and trying to put this episode behind him. Shane stayed in the city to check in at his office and Rob returned to the mountains with Maisie and his parents. The urge to share his news with Elise pinged on his radar repeatedly, but he refused to call her. She wasn’t the only one with a stubborn streak. By her choice, he was moving forward with his life and leaving her alone. And he had other things on his mind, like a beer tank christening party to plan.

  * * *

  The tinkling of small bells chimed over Bodie’s head as he stepped inside Mountain of Books & Coffee. The fragrant elixir of life hit his olfactory receptors, and drew him straight to the coffee counter. But the bookstore smelled of more than just coffee. He breathed in the scents of paper and ink. The wood floor creaked beneath his boots as he made his way over to the pastry case.

  “Hey, Bodie. Having your usual today?” Andre asked.

  “Morning, Andre.” Was it weird that he already knew everyone who worked here by name? He’d only been inside the shop a few times. Bodie could see himself becoming a frequent customer, as soon as he found a place to live in Granite Lake. Staying at Rob’s just wasn’t a permanent solution. “You have my order memorized already? I’m impressed. I’ll take one.”