“Well, hello to you, too.” His voice is smooth. Friendly. The tone he uses when he’s about to ruin my day. “How are you doing, Rachel?”
“I’m busy. What do you want?”
“I heard about the café. That you lost your job.” He pauses. “I’m sorry. That must be really hard for you.”
My stomach drops. “How did you hear about that?”
“Small town. People talk.” He doesn’t elaborate. “I just wanted to check in. See how you’re holding up.”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you? Because from where I’m standing, it seems like you’re having a rough time. No job, no income, living with your brother…” He trails off. “Makes me wonder if Tommy’s in the best situation right now.”
There it is. The real reason he called.
“Tommy is fine. He’s happy. He’s thriving.” I keep my voice steady even though my heart’s racing. “My employment status doesn’t change that.”
“Doesn’t it? Kids need stability, Rachel. They need to know their basic needs are being met.” His tone shifts. Concerned. Paternal. It makes me want to throw my phone across the room. “I’m not trying to attack you. I’m trying to look out for my son.”
“The son you haven’t seen in six months. That son?”
“I’ve been giving you space. Trying to let you get settled.” He sighs like I’m being difficult. “But now I’m hearing about fires and unemployment and viral videos. It’s concerning. Any judge would be concerned.”
“Any judge would also be concerned about a father who abandoned his kid the second things got hard.”
“I didn’t abandon anyone. You left. You took Tommy and moved back to that town without discussing it with me.”
“Because you told me to figure out my own problems. Because you said Tommy and I were dragging you down!” My voice cracks. “You made it very clear you didn’t want us anymore.”
“That’s not how I remember it.” His voice stays calm. Reasonable. Like he’s the adult in this conversation. “But we can argue about the past, or we can focus on what’s best for Tommy moving forward.”
“What do you want, Derek?”
“I want to make sure my son is being raised in a stable environment. And right now, I’m not sure he is.” He pauses. “My lawyer thinks we have a strong case for revisiting custody. The viral videos, the unemployment, the fact that you’re living with your brother instead of providing your own home…”
“You’re threatening me.”
“I’m protecting my son.”
“You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to ignore him for months and then suddenly pretend you care because you think you can win some custody battle.”
“I’ve always cared. You just made it impossible for me to be involved.” His tone hardens. “Look, Rachel, I’m trying to bereasonable here. But if you can’t provide a stable home for Tommy, then maybe it’s time we look at other arrangements.”
“Go to hell, Derek.”
I hang up before he can respond.
My hands are shaking. My chest feels tight. I can’t breathe right.
He’s going to try to take Tommy. He’s actually going to do it.
And the worst part? He might have a case. An unemployed single mother living with her brother, internet-famous for being rescued from a fire by a hot firefighter, can’t seem to get her life together, no matter how hard she tries.
What judge wouldn’t question that?
I drop my phone on the couch and press my hands over my face.
What am I doing?
