Evie squeals and leans into her grandmother’s arms. “We’re making pancakes!”
“Are you now? I hope you’re saving some for me. Go eat real quick so we can go to my house.”
I place a plate in front of Evie and Kate crosses the room, hugging her mom tightly. “Thank you for taking her.”
“Of course.” Her mom lowers her voice. “You two just focus on today. I’ll drop Evie off at Mrs. Dobson’s, then meet you there.”
Evie’s eyes dart between us. “Are you going to one of those boring meetings again?”
Kate kneels in front of her, brushing a loose curl from her cheek. “Yeah, sweetheart. But it’s important, and when we’re done, we’ll come pick you up, okay?”
Evie nods solemnly. “Okay. But don’t forget we need a new box of crayons. My last purple broke.”
“I’ll write it on the list,” I promise.
After she clears her plate, we both walk her to the door, and when Grandma’s car pulls away, Kate’s hand lingers in mine long after the taillights disappear.
The silence that follows is thick and strange. She exhales. “Okay. Time to get ready.”
In our bedroom, she sets out her earrings and necklace on the dresser, the small things that make her feel like herself. I pull on the suit hanging from the closet door, the same one I wore to Knox and Brynn’s wedding. The tie feels too tight, but when I catch her watching me in the mirror, her lips part slightly.
“What?” I ask, straightening the knot.
“Nothing,” she says, voice softer now. “It’s just…I forgot how good you look in a suit.”
I turn toward her, that small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. “You trying to distract me, Wells? It might have worked in a coat closet, but we have things to do today.”
“Maybe a little.”
I close the distance, slipping a hand around her waist. It’s nice to see the tension ease from her, for even just a moment. “Careful, or we’ll be late to court.”
Her fingers brush my lapel as she looks up at me through her lashes. “If the judge saw you right now, they would definitely understand my predicament.”
“Flattery won’t help your case.” I laugh, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “But I appreciate the effort.”
Her laugh is quiet, the sound easing the tension in my chest.
When she turns to the mirror, I rest my hands on her shoulders. “We walk in there together. No fear. And we bring Evie home at the end of it.”
She meets my eyes in the reflection. “Yeah.”
Chapter fifty-five
Kate
The Cedar Falls courthouse isn’t much to look at—a big, old brick building on Main Street—but today it feels larger than life. Every seat in the gallery is taken. I spot half the town behind us—a score of teachers from the elementary school, even the mailman who always gives her stickers. It’s as if the entire population of Cedar Falls paused their lives to show up.
And in the very front row, forming a small but sturdy wall of support, sit Brynn, Knox, and Kinsey. Brynn gives me a thumbs-up. Kinsey mouths breathe. Knox nods once with reassuring eyes. Behind them are Ty and Levi, trying to catch my eye with encouraging fist pumps.
Cam squeezes my hand before the bailiff calls the court to order. His thumb traces small circles on my skin, grounding me. “Eyes on me, Katie,” he whispers. “You’re ready.”
I nod, even though my stomach feels like it’s tied in knots.
When the judge enters, everyone rises. His gavel cracks once, sharp enough to make me flinch.
Daniel’s attorney stands like he’s preparing to deliver a sermon instead of dismantling my entire life. His voice is smooth, confident, and practiced.
He talks about stability and two-parent households, painting Daniel as a pillar of consistency. He phrases Daniel’s financial contributions generously and wraps his absence in elegant excuses. He glances my way as he mentions my “rapid life changes,” lingering just long enough to make me feel uncomfortable.
