“We shouldn’t blame CAFCASS,” I say gently. “It’s not their fault they’ve run up against Miles. Think how long it took us to see him for what he really is.”

“True,” he admits.

I go on ironing.

“Wait,” he says suddenly. “I’ve had an idea. Why don’t we divide the children?”

I look at him. “What do you mean?”

“We have two children between two families, yes? Why don’t we simply share them? Theo could spend two weeks at ours, say, while David spends two weeks at their house. And then we swap, so David’s here and Theo’s at theirs. That way, we each have one child at any time. We could take turns, the way we’re always telling Theo he ought to.”

He looks so excited at the idea that some kind of compromise might still be possible that I don’t have the heart to tell him Miles will never go for it. Why should he? He’s never shown the faintest interest in compromising, not genuinely. And even if he did, who would decide about schools, or holidays, or even little things like haircuts? Perhaps right at the beginning, when things were different, we could have thrashed out an agreement like this. But now, when Miles so nearly has both children within his grasp, it’s pointless.

But I don’t say any of that. Instead, I say, “Well, it’s got to be worth a try.”

97

   MADDIE

   “GOOD MORNING, AND PLEASE take a seat,” Marion Wakefield says pleasantly.

I still can’t get over how informal the family courts are. It’s astonishing to think that every day, in this room, parents are separated from their children.

“First, I’m going to ask you again whether you think any agreement could be reached,” the judge continues. “Mr. Kelly?”

“My clients have been open to all suggestions, madam,” the Lamberts’ barrister says. “It seems a ruling by the court is the only way to resolve this.”

The judge nods, clearly expecting that answer. “Ms. Chowdry?”

Anita says, “My clients have a proposal they would like to put forward.”

Judge Wakefield looks at her over her glasses. “Would you like to outline it?”

   “In brief, to share time with both children fifty–fifty. Theo will spend half his time with the applicants and half with the respondents. David will do the same, but in the opposite rotation. Since the children have very different needs, this will allow each child to get the best care at any one time.”

“Very well. We’ll take a break for the parties to discuss that.”

We all troop out. There are no spare rooms, so we sit in the foyer. Pete and I wait with Anita, while the Lamberts go into a huddle with their barrister and solicitor. After a couple of minutes Miles comes over, smiling.

“Nice try,” he says approvingly. “You know you’re going to lose, so you thought you’d try to salvage something from the wreckage. But equally, since I know we’re going to win, there’s absolutely no chance we’ll agree. None whatsoever.” He wanders back to the others.

“I see what you mean about him,” Anita says, watching him go.

“Believe me, that’s Miles on a good day,” Pete says. He puts his head in his hands.

We return to the court. I make sure I walk in front of Pete rather than Miles.

“Well? How did you get on?” the judge asks.

“My clients don’t believe this proposal would be in either child’s interests, madam,” the Lamberts’ barrister says. “The parenting styles of the two families are very different.”

“Very well,” the judge says briskly. “Let us proceed.”

The hearing will begin, Anita has told us, with an opening statement from each side’s lawyer, followed by the professional witnesses and CAFCASS. After that, Miles and Lucy will take questions on their written statements. Then it’ll be our turn, before each side makes a final summing-up. It’s possible the judge will decide to wait and give her judgment at a later date. But Anita thinks it’s more likely she’ll come to a decision today. This really is the point of no return.

Harvey Taylor, the psychologist, is up first. He comes to the witness box—which is simply a chair and table at the front, sideways on to both the judge and us—and talks through his assessment of Theo in a calm, neutral tone. When he gets to the bit about Theo’s callous and unemotional traits, the judge interrupts.

   “Are you effectively saying that Theo has special educational needs?”

Harvey nods. “Yes. They may not be comparable to David’s in severity, but in their own way they’re just as challenging.”

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Miles mutters. The judge looks over at him sharply, but ignores the interruption. She turns back to Harvey Taylor.

“And could you describe what this means for his development?”

“Essentially, he needs a very particular parenting style—what we call warm parenting.” The psychologist goes on to explain what that means.

“And can this type of parenting be learned?” the judge asks.

“It can, yes,” the psychologist says cautiously. “But, because there can be a hereditary component to CU traits, sometimes the parents of a CU child are the very ones who find it hardest.” He hesitates. “I would say, incidentally, that Mr. Riley has grasped it very well.”

The Lamberts’ barrister says immediately, “Madam, Mr. Harvey was asked by the court to assess whether Theo would be negatively impacted by a permanent move to the applicants’ family. His conclusion is that Theo will cope admirably. He wasn’t asked to assess either party’s parenting capability.”

“Mr. Harvey was answering my question,” Judge Wakefield says mildly. “And his professional expertise is relevant to the issue of parenting style, which you yourself raised just a short while ago.”

Bless you Bless you Bless you, I think.

“The applicants are of course willing to adapt their parenting in whatever way Theo’s needs dictate,” the barrister says.

   “I’m sure they are,” the judge says. “Thank you.” She nods at Harvey Taylor, and the moment is over.

* * *

—

IT’S ONE SMALL PLUS in a long list of minuses. And, I realize, not even a very significant one. We might know that Miles is incapable of warm parenting, but why should the judge be able to tell that? I let my gaze slide toward him. He looks so relaxed, so confident, while beside me, Pete sits slumped in his chair biting his nails, looking like the nervous wreck he is. If I were choosing parents for Theo, which ones would I go for? The well-dressed, good-looking, well-heeled ones, or the ones with a string of criminal investigations, mental health issues, and allegations of alcohol abuse swirling around their heads?