Reality crashed back into our world the next day.It was after Malena’s meeting with Cockalorum’s lawyer.And after the girls had finished school.Malena had come over, saying they didn’t respond at all during the meeting, only asking for documents and proof.Then they said they’d get back to her by the end of the day.
Which was now.The end of the day.And still no word.
Vance had taken the girls to the supermarket with him, since I was acting a little unhinged.He’d described it as giving me some time with Malena, but we both knew he didn’t want the girls to catch on that something was wrong.
Malena threw a piece of bread at me, and I watched in horror as crumbs landed on the floor.“Stop cleaning.You have someone who does it for you once a week.You’re going to polish the varnish off the furniture.”
I picked the bread up off the floor, dropping the rag clutched in my hand on the dining table.After throwing the wasted food in the trash, I grabbed the vacuum and removed the crumbs, the whole time locking eyes with Malena, daring her to say something again.
She threw up her hands in exasperation.And now that I’d started, I might as well do the whole downstairs.I was almost done when I saw Malena jump off the couch in my peripheral vision.
Turning off the vacuum, I stood frozen, watching as she answered the phone.
I couldn’t hear anything since I was too far away, but my feet didn’t seem to want to move closer.I was glued to the floor, my eyes on Malena.
She didn’t give anything away, not even a tiny smile or a thumbs-up.
When she finally hung up, she didn’t move for a moment.My feet finally came unstuck and I ran to where she was standing, looking at me with wide eyes.
“Was that—”
She nodded.
“And what—”
She threw her arms around me.
I burst into tears.
“Am I losing the girls?I can’t lose the girls.I can’t.I’m moving them to another country.I can’t tell you which one because then you can’t give up the location if anyone tries to torture it out of you.I have to pack.And how am I going to tell Vance?He can’t come with me.He has a successful career.Maybe he could visit.So I can’t go too far.But then—”
Malena forcibly removed my arms from around her since I’d been holding her so tight she probably couldn’t breathe.Had she even heard a word I’d said?I might have to repeat myself.
“Shut up, you lunatic.I’ll circle back later to you insulting me by believing I would give up any information if I were tortured.But first things first: That was your ex’s lawyer.They went through the documents—”
“Tell me if I get to keep the girls.”
I stopped tapping my foot and looked at her, unblinking.
“You get to keep the girls.”
I jumped up and down, screaming.Then I promptly burst into tears.And then I laughed, because why not add manic cackling to my day?
“How?”
The word was garbled, but we’d been friends long enough for Malena to understand what I’d asked.“Apparently, Tammy is a fitness influencer, and she can’t afford any bad press.Your ex agreed to let you adopt Addy, and your current agreement regarding custody will remain in place.”
I shook out my hands and took a heaving breath.This was it.I got to keep my girls.I’d never have to be scared that Cockalorum would change his mind and take them away from me ever again.
I slipped when I did another little jump and landed in a heap on the floor.Rolling around the carpet, imitating a turtle on its back, I kept chanting, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Rita came rushing in, holding a knife in one hand and a glove in the other.“What happened?Did you fall over?Should I call Mr.Moore?”
I shot an apologetic grin at a gaping Malena, who was probably now reevaluating the life choices that led her to become friends with me.When she still didn’t say anything once I’d calmed down, I was getting worried.“Did I squash you?”
When she scratched her nose with her middle finger, I knew she was fine.“I’m just wondering if you had a stroke.And to be clear, this was mostly Vance’s doing.He wouldn’t stop until he had every speck of dirt on your ex he could find.Did you know he cheated on two exams in college?”
Once Rita was happy that nobody was going to die, she disappeared without a word.Probably debating whether she should hand in her resignation.
