If I stood around any longer, I would break. I knew I would. Knowing I had to go to this court and prove my case—prove that I was a good father—was destroying me inside. I was losing sleep to the thought of Aleesa spending time with Rafael.
I was not a selfish person, but if he spent time with her, I did not see how that would benefit her at all. Not only that, but he had slept with a married woman. He had tried to take my wife, and he likely would have succeeded if Eloise had not felt so guilty about what she’d done.
I could only imagine what it would have been like if Eloise had chosen him. What would I have been like? Would I have been angry? Depressed? Would I have even continued playing basketball so passionately? I most certainly would not have Aleesa, and after spending the last four years with her, I could not imagine living the rest of my life without her.
When I made it to my car, I drew in a breath, exhaled, and started the ignition. And as I drove to the courthouse, I kept my thoughts calm and my heart set on my daughter.
I would prove to them that she did not need the change.
I would do what I had to so that my life could go back to normal.
Forty-Three
Javier
“Are you ready?” Christine swung her attention to me as we stood outside the courtroom.
“I guess so,” I said.
“Good. Remember what I told you. Keep your answers simple and concise. No need to elaborate.”
“He hardly ever elaborates,” my mother said, standing a few steps away.
“Mamá, please.” Catalina sighed.
“What?” She threw a hand into the air. “It is the truth, no?”
Christine smiled. “Rafael’s lawyer will try to point out your flaws. Don’t get angry. Count to ten if you feel yourself growing angry, then answer as best you can.”
“Okay.”
“Great.” Christine gripped the door handle and pulled it open. “Let’s win this thing.”
I followed her inside, not surprised that Rafael and his lawyer were already seated. Rafael examined me over his shoulder, and I swear he smirked before putting his focus ahead again.
Mamá and Cat sat a row behind me. Out of nowhere, my heart began hammering as I swept my gaze around the mostly emptycourtroom. I had never imagined I would be in one, yet here I was. Stuck in this place, about to be questioned about my fucking parenting.
The bailiff announced the judge, and a woman with tan skin and graying hair made her way to the bench. Judge Dalton was thin lipped, with serious eyes, and according to my lawyer, this judge didnotmess around and didnotlike her time wasted. If I could, I would have told her this whole case was a waste of time and to let it go. Rafael wasn’t worth her energy one bit.
Judge Dalton gave us a breakdown of the rules of her court, and unfortunately, I was called to the stand first.
I sat with unease, remembering Christine telling me not to look in Rafael’s direction. It was hard not to, considering how badly I wanted to knock his fucking lights out, but I managed.
“Hi, Javier,” Christine started. “Can you tell the court how long you’ve been Aleesa’s father?”
“Since the day she was born,” I answered.
“So that makes her how old?” asked Christine.
“Four years old.”
“Can you explain what it has been like raising Aleesa?”
“Well, when she was a baby, I would wake up in the middle of the night to feed her, and if I could not or if I was away for a game, I had my mother or sister around. I play games with her. We color and do lots of puzzles. I taught her how to swim. I read her favorite books to her. And when I am unable to be home, I have a live-in nanny that takes very good care of her. It is not an easy job being a parent, but I would not trade it for anything in this world.”
“It’s incredible you manage to handle so much while being a professional athlete. You’re right. That’s definitely not easy.”
“It is not.”
