My shoulders sank, and I turned toward my girl. “You need to get the kids in here and tell them what he’s done.”
“I know,” she replied, holding her hand for me to take. “They need to be prepared in case the judge wants them to explain.” She shook her head. “DJ will never speak to him again.”
“Can you blame him?” I slid back onto my chair and laced my fingers with hers. “How could you expect him to? Think about it. Would you?”
“Donovan’s right, Ro,” Atlas cut in. “Evan’s made his bed. If you were DJ, would you want anythin’ to do with him?”
She shook her head, her eyes downcast.
“Why the fuck would you want them to be around someone who uses them to score points?” he went on. “If he’s done it once, he’ll do it again, and it’ll only get worse as they get older because instead of layin’ his bullshit on you, he’ll lay it on them. Every time the kids do somethin’ he doesn’t agree with, he’ll fuck with their lives, Ro. It’s in his nature.”
“I know, Dan,” she said flatly. “He doesn’t deserve them.”
“Seen Donny be more of a father to DJ in three months than that motherfucker has been in three years,” Atlas grunted.“Little Gabby’s more reserved, so it’s takin’ longer, but Donovan handles her with more care than Evan ever did.”
Rosie squeezed my fingers.
“Tell Evan to stick his child support money where the sun don’t shine. You don’t need his loose fuckin’ change. You’ve got work comin’ outta your asshole. Hell, I’ll give you what Evan doesn’t.”
Something twisted inside my chest. “No way, bro. Nobody looks after my family but me.”
Atlas grinned. “That right there, Donovan, earned you my blessin’. My sister’s yours. Fill ya boots, motherfucker.”
“Jesus,” Rosie grumbled, deadpanning at me. “Total caveman.”
Voices filtered through from the hallway just before the door opened to reveal DJ and Gabby. They walked inside the room and saw us gathered together, and DJ immediately demanded, “What’s the asshole done now?”
“Smart as a whip,” Atlas muttered proudly. “Gets it from his uncle.”
I let out a snort.
Rosie pointed to the two empty chairs beside me. “Come sit down. We’ve got to talk to you.”
DJ and Gabby glanced at each other and then headed over. They sat straight-backed and stiff, bracing themselves for whatever was coming. Their faces held a look of resignation, like they’d both lived this moment a hundred times before, and that killed me a little inside because they were just kids, and this shit was a heavy load for them to carry.
Rosie didn’t waste any time. “Your dad’s lawyer’s playing hardball,” she announced, her voice steady and clear. “He showed photos that were taken of us at home, in the pool, in the yard, even through the window.” She slid the pile of photographs across the table. “You'd better take a look.”
She sat back and watched while DJ picked up the photographs and carefully looked at them, passing them to Gabby one by one when he’d finished.
Gabby’s face burned redder with every picture. By the time she got to the ones of her and Kai, her cheeks were scarlet, and she let out a little cry of horror. “It’s not what it looks like,” she cried.
“We know, baby,” Rosie assured her. “We’ve been set up.”
“He’s such an asshole,” DJ scraped out. “And whatever pervert took them needs locking up.”
Kennedy nodded her agreement. “That’s my next step, DJ, but in the meantime, the judge wants you to go back into the courtroom with us, and he may ask you about them. Is that okay?”
“Yeah,” he nodded, then tagged on, “Gladly.”
Gabby held her hands to her burning cheeks and whispered, “It’s embarrassing.”
“It’s mortifying,” Rosie agreed. “If there was any way I could shield you from this, I would, but when the courts order us to do things, we don’t have much choice. I could ask the judge if he would be willing to talk to you in private if you’d prefer that. Whatever makes you more comfortable.”
Gabby paused while she thought for a few seconds and then shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’d rather talk to the judge with you there, Mom.”
“There’s nothing you can say that’s wrong, as long as you’re honest. You’ve got a voice, Gabby, and you’re old enough to tell the judge what you want. He seems like a fair man. He’ll listen.”
“Will Daddy be there?” she asked.
