Drew

A woman I estimate to be in her early forties looks our way the instant we cross the threshold into a small office in a revamped brownstone. “Brooklyn, so good to see you.” Her smile is heartfelt and kind. “I’m finishing up with another client.” She gestures to the gentleman standing beside her. “Go ahead. I’ll be with you two shortly.”

“Thanks, Alice.” Brooklyn leads me from the reception area, which was probably a living room before they refurbished this space into offices. “This way.” She gestures down a narrow hallway. I follow her into a room at the end. The ensuite bathroom to the left gives the impression this was once the master bedroom.

We sit across from a vast desk piled high with briefs and files. Diplomas and awards hang on the walls, and a large bookcase displays what appear to be dozens of legal books. It’s not as stuffy as some of the law firms I’ve been to, though. There’s a touch of familiarity, personality...warmth. In addition to all her achievements, this woman proudly showcases family photos. I hope the love she has for her own family will translate into helping me keep mine.

I catch Brooklyn studying me, her eyes analytical and penetrating, revealing nothing. I offer her a tight smile, hoping to crack the armor she wears when around me now. “Thank you. When I received that request for custody modification, I didn’t know what to do, who else to turn to.”

She straightens her posture, sitting rather formally, hands folded in her lap, back stiff, eyes forward, legs crossed at the ankles. “You came to the right place. I’ve dealt with custody issues for years now. Granted, mine usually deal with the termination of parental rights, but—”

“No. That’s not what I mean.” Drawing in a breath, I moisten my dry lips. “I didn’t come to you because you have contacts in this area. I could have called the attorney who handled my divorce. I came to you because there’s no other person I want by my side through this.” I lower my voice. “Through everything.”

“Drew...,” she cautions.

“I know.” I throw up my hands in frustration. “I’m an idiot.”

She tilts her head to the side, her eyes narrowing into slits. Then she laughs, the soft sound like music to my ears after the morning I’ve had. “That may be the understatement of the year. Hell, the century.”

“And I don’t blame you for avoiding me. But things aren’t like they seem.”

“I’m not avoiding you. I just—”

“Do you know what I’ve always admired about you?”

She shakes her head.

“You don’t trust easily, but when you do, you do so unequivocally. I ruined it by betraying your trust in the worst way possible, of taking advantage of your compassionate nature.”

She looks down, avoiding my gaze as she fidgets with her hands. I notice her fingernails. They’re usually manicured with a light shade of pink. Not today. She’s been biting them, something she does when she’s stressed.

“It doesn’t matter. You didn’t know. Anyway, it was years ago. I’ve moved on.” She seems to shrink into herself, then chews on one of her nails.

“Have you?” I press. Everything about the way she’s acting gives me the impression she’s only saying that to convince herself of the validity of the words. She hasn’t moved on any more than I have.

“I—”

“Brooklyn, sweetie,” a voice cuts through and Brooklyn stands, breaking the moment.

“Alice. Thank you for agreeing to see us on such short notice.” They briefly shake hands before Brooklyn turns to me. “This is my friend, Drew. I mean, Andrew Brinks.”

I stand, my frame dwarfing Alice as I hold my hand toward her. She has a pleasant disposition, her eyes bright, expression kind. Her blonde hair is cut to right above her shoulders. She’s not dressed in a suit, as most attorneys I’ve worked with have been. Instead, she wears a belted dress and boots that come up to just below her knees. It’s unusual, but I don’t care, as long as she can help me. If Brooklyn insists this is where I need to be, I have to believe I’m in good hands.

“Not the same Andrew Brinks who—”

“One and the same,” Brooklyn replies, cutting her off.

“Well, shit.” She beams, shaking my hand even more enthusiastically, all the professionalism she tried to exude waning when she realizes who I am. “Alice DeMico. I barely recognized you without the beard and hair.”

“I usually stay somewhat clean-shaven these days.” I run my hand along my jaw, a bit of scruff covering my skin. “My daughters like it better. They call me Grizzly Adams when I don’t shave for a week.” My expression immediately falls.

“Which is why we’re here,” Brooklyn states, taking charge of the conversation when she notices the sudden change in my demeanor.

“So, tell me...” Alice steps behind her desk, sitting down. We mirror her movement. “How can I help?” She fishes a notepad and pen from underneath a file and scribbles down the date along with my name.

“Drew received this earlier today.” Brooklyn hands her the request for custody modification.

An unnerving silence falls over the room as Alice flips through the pages, making a few notes every so often. My leg bounces as I constantly clench and unclench my fists, my eyes darting around. The wait is killing me. I just want to know my chances at keeping both girls.

Suddenly, a hand grabs onto mine, my head snapping toward Brooklyn, who offers me a reassuring smile. The sympathy I see relaxes me. Without uttering a single word, she pacifies me, convinces me everything will be okay. I expect her to pull her hand away once my anxiety has diminished, but she doesn’t. I run my thumb along her knuckles, relishing in her soft skin against my fingertips. It’s known and familiar, exactly what I need right now. She’s always exactly what I need.

“Okay.” Alice looks up, addressing me. I rip my eyes from Brooklyn, devoting my full attention to Alice, although I keep Brooklyn’s hand in mine. “First, do you consent to Brooklyn being here?”

“I’ll leave if you’d rather,” she says to me, pulling away her hand. “I don’t mind. You need to speak with her openly and honestly.”

“No. I want her here. She knows everything about me. She always has.” I say that more for Brooklyn’s sake than Alice’s, a desperate attempt at reminding her what’s at stake.

“Very well. We won’t be getting into the nitty-gritty right now anyway. What I’m going to do is order a paternity test immediately.”

I lower my head, nodding. I knew this would be the first step, but the idea of confirming the truth weighs heavily on my heart.

“For both girls.”

I whip my head up. “Both girls?”

“I understand it’s not what you’d like to hear, but I find it’s best in these situations. It’s imperative we confirm the assertions she’s made in her request for custody, which include verifying that Alyssa is your biological daughter. You don’t want any more surprises.”

I swallow hard. It never even crossed my mind that Alyssa also may not be mine. The mere thought of Charlotte not being my biological daughter wrecks me. Losing Alyssa, too? I won’t survive.

“How will that work? You’ll need my DNA and...”

“Your daughters’. It’s just a quick swab of the mouth. They’re used to routine pediatrician visits, correct?” She lifts a brow and I nod. “Most of my clients who have had to do paternity tests told their kids it was the doctor making sure they were healthy. I’m assuming you don’t want to inform them about any of this until you’re certain one way or another, right?”

I stare ahead, blinking. “I haven’t even thought about how or what to tell them.”

Alice gives me a reassuring smile. “One step at a time. We’ll get the paternity test taken care of. Your ex-wife may just be playing hardball. It’s a common tactic. Go big to convince the other party to settle in the middle.”

I look away, not saying a word. In my heart, I know this isn’t a ploy. Maybe if Parker hadn’t inferred that Carla had been sleeping with Chase all along, I wouldn’t be thinking this way, but I know the truth. It’s too much of a coincidence.

“Now, Ms. Gale alleged she came to you requesting occasional visitation with the kids, correct?” Alice jots a few notes on the pad.

“Yes. About two weeks ago.”

Brooklyn shoots her eyes to me, surprised by this news. I hadn’t told anyone about it. I didn’t think anything would come of it. I underestimated Carla.

“And you separated when?” Squinting, she flips through the pleading, turning to the appendix, which contains copies of birth certificates, as well as our divorce agreement, detailing custody and spousal support.

“Almost six years ago.” I do my best to answer all her questions without involving any of my emotions regarding the past. “Charlotte was only six months old. I was forced into retirement because of an injury, and Carla decided she didn’t want to be with me if I was no longer the hockey celebrity she thought she married. So she left without a word. A month later, I received her request for divorce.”

“And the agreement signed by the court attached to this pleading is the one that’s still in effect?”

I nod. “Yes. We went through the standard mediation required before a divorce. She gave me full physical custody of the two girls and requested no spousal support. My lawyer encouraged me to take her offer and run, considering I’d been playing professional hockey when we met and had quite extensive assets.”

Alice looks over the rim of her dark glasses. “I would have advised the same. Now, after your divorce, how often were you in contact with Ms. Gale?”

“Never. I tried reaching out to her, but her phone had been disconnected. A few months later, I learned she was no longer with the guy she’d left me for. In all these years, she never sent either of the girls so much as a card on their birthday or for Christmas.” I glance at Brooklyn and reach for her hand, my fingers intertwining with hers. “Then last month, Brooklyn and I took the girls to the science museum. We ran into her there. My girls had no idea who she was.”

“And you are of the opinion that got her thinking about them again?”

“It must have.”

“Okay.” She blows out a long breath, absorbing this truncated version of my past with Carla. “I’ll reach out to the lawyer who represented you on your divorce and request the files he has, just so I have everything.” She flips to the back of the pleadings, analyzing photocopies of a birth certificate. “She never listed you on Charlotte’s birth certificate.” Deep lines appear on her brow as she lifts her eyes to mine. “Were you present at her birth?”

I slowly shake my head. “I was in the hospital, but I was two floors below the maternity ward.”

“And why’s that?” she asks, jotting down more notes on her pad.

“My helmet flew off during a fight on the ice. I was knocked unconscious when some asshole on the other team slammed my head against the wall.”

Realization washes over her. “I remember that.”

“I was in ICU for a week. I had no idea Carla even went into labor or that Charlotte was born until the doctors were able to bring me out of the drug-induced coma they initiated in order to control the swelling in my brain.”

“I’m sorry.” She holds my gaze for another moment before analyzing the papers in front of her. “Were you aware of her extra-marital affairs at any point during your relationship?”

I pinch my lips together, contemplating, then sigh, digging my fingers through my hair. “No, but I probably should have been. We’d almost divorced a year before.”

A sour taste fills my mouth as I mentally rewind to that night once more. I can’t remember much, despite trying to force the memories back to the surface. Everything about it is still fuzzy...everything until I woke up in Brooklyn’s bed the following morning to my phone ringing. It wasn’t until Carla learned where I was that she shared the news of her pregnancy. Now I wonder if she would have told me had I not been at Brooklyn’s. Carla always insisted Brooklyn had a thing for me, but I brushed it off. I didn’t see how she could after what I did to her. How could she still love me when I broke her heart?

“But you didn’t?”

“The following day, she learned she was pregnant, said she wanted to work things out for our daughter and the baby on the way.” I blow out a long breath. “I grew up without a mother. I hated the idea of my kids growing up in a divided household. Yes, Carla and I fought a lot, but we also had some good times together. I thought we’d be able to reconcile any differences we had for the sake of our kids, thought we’d both be mature enough to put their needs and well-being above everything else.”

“Not to sound insensitive, but at any point did you question whether the baby was yours? If she filed for divorce, things must have been rocky between you two.”

Pausing, I press my lips together. “I don’t know. Carla was always passionate, I suppose. She definitely had a temper. We only dated for a month before we got married...if you can call what we did dating. I knew she cheated on me later in our relationship, after my injury. I didn’t know she cheated on me before then. Maybe I just wanted to believe she’d remain devoted to me, that the party girl she was when we met left the instant she became a mother.”

The pain in my throat is back and I swallow, trying to push my emotions down. How could Carla sleep at night the past six years knowing a man other than her daughter’s biological father was raising her? How could she be so selfish as to not tell me the truth? How could she watch me rock Charlotte to sleep those final days before she disappeared and not think it important to come clean? Maybe that’s why she left. Maybe she worried the truth would eventually be set free and didn’t want to be around for the fireworks.

Returning my attention to Alice, I clear my throat. I can’t think about that right now. It won’t change anything. I need to focus on doing everything I can to keep my daughters with me, to protect them from the pain this woman caused me all those years ago, the pain she’s causing me all over again.

“So with all this, with me not being on the birth certificate, what does that mean?”

She sets down her pen, leaning back in her chair. “I don’t want to worry you with a thousand what-ifs, not until we know for sure.”

“But I need to know,” I insist louder than I intend, but I can’t control it. Those girls are my life. I can’t lose either of them. Even the thought of walking by an empty bedroom guts me. “I need to know what I’m up against here.” My voice shakes as I struggle to blink back my tears, a hand gripping my heart and ripping it from my body.

Alice studies me for a moment, then relents with a sigh. In her line of work, I’m sure she deals with emotional parents daily. “Regardless of the outcome of the paternity test, I’ll file a motion contesting physical custody...of both girls. We start at the extreme and hope to settle somewhere in the middle. You have the law on your side here. You’ve been the sole caregiver for six years. You’re financially stable and have built a solid support system. Carla abandoned them with no communication for six years. Not a stellar track record.”

“And if the paternity test comes back negative?” My voice catches. When Brooklyn’s hand rests on my thigh, I’m surrounded by comfort once more. In my life, I’ve done many things I’m not proud of, but I’m grateful she’s able to look past it all for now, to be my rock when I feel like I’m ready to crumble.

“We’ll ask for an order of non-parental custody. It’s not easy—”

“What’s required?”

Her brows pull in as she assesses me, debating what to say. Then she tents her fingers in front of her. “First, you have to show a long-standing relationship with the child and that you’re able to care for her. Obviously, that won’t be difficult to prove. You also must show it’s not only in the child’s best interests, but it would be to her detriment if she’s taken from you. That one may be a little more difficult, but still not impossible. DCF will need to be involved, of course.” Her eyes briefly float to Brooklyn, then back to me as she leans forward. “If I get this in front of the right judge, we have a good chance of prevailing, especially since granting full physical custody to Carla would rip Charlotte away from not only you, but the only life she’s ever known, which could be extremely detrimental to her emotional development at such a young age.” She reaches for the motion, scrutinizing it once more. “Now, this man she claims is the biological father of Charlotte... Chase Gardner.” She perks up, looking at me from over the papers.

“Yes. It’s that Chase Gardner.”

“Do you know if he’s still in the picture?”

I shake my head. “She was with a different man when I ran into her last month. I assumed it was her husband. She was wearing a ring and they had a little boy with them. Probably around three or so.”

“Good. If the child’s biological parents are married at the time we petition for non-parental custody, that usually works against you. All of this may become a non-issue anyway if the paternity test establishes you as the biological father. No matter what that test reveals, I promise I will protect your rights as those little girls’ father, regardless of whether your blood runs through one, both, or neither of them. In my eyes, it doesn’t matter. You raised them. You’re their father. And I will work tirelessly to make the court see it that way, too.”

“Thank you, Ms. DeMico. I can’t even tell you how much I appreciate this.”

“No need to thank me. And please, call me Alice.” She jots down an address on the back of a business card and hands it to me, standing from her desk. “This is where you need to go for the paternity test. I’ll call over there right now and tell them to expect you. This isn’t something I’d put off. The sooner you all provide a sample, the better.”

“How long does it take to get the results?” I raise myself from the chair, helping Brooklyn from hers. I place my hand on her lower back. I should be more conscious to keep my distance around her, but this feels right. Her warmth, her affection, her…love?

“It can take upwards of a month unless you request them to rush the results. In that case, it should only take about a week, depending on how busy the lab is.”

“We’ll rush them. I don’t want to drag this out any longer than necessary.”

“Of course. Once we get the results and know exactly what we’re up against, we’ll talk strategy. At this point, it’s all conjecture. But no matter the outcome, we’re going to fight this.”

Briefly closing my eyes, I exhale. The weight that had been crushing me all morning seems to have lightened dramatically. I’m not out of the woods, but no matter what, I’m grateful to have someone promising to do everything to help me.

“Thank you, Alice.”

“Of course.”

After we say our goodbyes and Alice promises to be in touch very soon with her opposition motion, Brooklyn and I leave the office. As we walk along the sidewalk, I drape my arm around her shoulders, surprised when she doesn’t shrug me off. I take that as a good sign and lean down, softly kissing her temple.

“Thank you, Brooklyn.”

We stop walking and she peers into my eyes. Her expression is unreadable, so I brace myself for her rejection. Then a soft smile lights up her face. “Thank you, Drew.”

I don’t ask why she’s thanking me. It doesn’t matter. After everything, I feel like she’s slowly coming back to me, just like she always does. This time, I have no intention of letting her go.