Gabriela reached for April’s hand. "I believe you." Gabriela's voice was gentle but firm. "But family court requires evidence. And Mr. Romano has served his time for his crimes. A judge may see him as rehabilitated."
"He's not rehabilitated. He's?—"
"Dangerous. I know." Gabriela leaned forward. "Which is why we're going to fight this. But I need you to understand what we're up against and get ready to fight."
April nodded, her throat too tight to speak. Then she thought of Kevin and a calm resolve filled her.
Shane's hand found hers under the table. “We’ve got this.”
She smiled fiercely. “We’ve got this.”
April barely sleptfor the next week.
Every night with Shane's arm around her, she lay awake staring at the ceiling worrying about Kevin as he slept just down the hall. Every night, she imagined a judge ruling in Vince's favor. Imagined Kevin being forced to spend weekends with a man who'd wanted him dead. Imagined losing her son to the monster she'd run from, who only wanted Kevin to get back at her.
Kevin had asked twice if he'd have to see Vince.
The first time, April had been making dinner. Kevin was at the table playing with a fidget spinner, and the question came out of nowhere, small and scared.
"Do I have to see him? My bio-dad?"
April's hands stilled. She set down the knife she'd been using to chop tomatoes. "I don't know, baby. Maybe."
"I don't want to." Kevin's voice got smaller. "He’s not my dad. Not myrealone."
Tears in her eyes blurred the cutting board on the counter. April went to him, pulling him into her arms. "I know. We're going to fight this."
"But what if the judge makes me go with him?"
April held him tighter, her heart breaking. "That's not going to happen."
He was quiet for a moment, and in a soft voice, he said, “If we have to run, can we take Shane with us?”
“Oh, baby, we’re not going to run. It won’t come to that, I promise.”
It was a promise she hoped she could keep.
The second time, Shane was there, too. They were all on the couch watching a movie, Pete sprawled across their feet, Benny curled up in Kevin’s lap. Kevin had been quiet all evening, and then suddenly he was crying—big, silent tears rolling down his cheeks. Benny woke and tried to lick his face. Kevin gently set him on the floor.
"What if I have to go?" he whispered. "What if the judge says I have to live with him all the time and I never see you guys again?"
Shane pulled Kevin onto his lap, and April wrapped her arms around both of them.
"Listen to me, bud," Shane said, his voice steady and sure. "He’s not going to win full custody. The judge won’t let him take you from us. In the meantime, I'm not letting anything happen to either of you."
"But what if?—"
"No what-ifs." Shane's hand was gentle on Kevin's head. "Your mom and I are going to fight for you. And we're going to win."
Kevin fell asleep between them that night, and they carried him to bed.
Later, in the bedroom after making love and safe in Shane’s arms, April whispered into the darkness.
"What if we do lose him?"
She felt Shane’s jaw set. “We won't." He kissed her temple. "If somehow the impossible happens and they grant Vince custody, I'll burn the world down to get our son back."
The morning of the hearing,April stood in front of her closet trying to figure out what a good mother was supposed to wear to fight for her child.
