Tara grabbed my arm. "I hope everything is all right!"
"It will be," I assured her. Josie had a flat expression on her face. I wondered if she was mad about our naughty session. But I had other things to obsess over.
"Hunter's down there already," Garrett said as I picked Henry up and snuggled him to my chest.
"I don't want to go back," he said in a small voice.
"Hush," I said. "That's not going to happen."
Meg and Hunter were waiting in the lobby for us when we arrived at the ornate courthouse building. Our footsteps echoed in the marble floors and bounced off the high ceilings as we made our way to the courtroom.
When we walked in, Payslee was already there, sulking on one of the long wooden benches. Her lawyer was next to her, mopping at his face with a handkerchief. She called to Henry, but he shrank against me.
The judge was a thin woman. Though she was small, she perched in her seat like a bird of prey.
"Edna is Ida's sister," Meg whispered. "So I hope none of you pissed her or Ida off recently."
"As much as I loathe the Svenssons," the judge said after calling the courtroom to order. She peered at us over her glasses. "More so do I loathe women who dump their children off willy-nilly on unsuspecting citizens. I obviously do not have the authority to unilaterally terminate Payslee's rights as a parent at this moment. However, since the child was found technically abandoned in the train station, I am making him a ward of the state. Henry Svensson?"
"Yes?" my brother answered, his eyes wide and his voice small.
"You are now a ward of the city of Harrogate and officially in foster care," Judge Edna said. "Hunter Svensson, as his brother and a licensed foster parent, you will be a kinship placement while Payslee goes through reunification process."
"But that's not fair!" Payslee shouted. "He'smyson."
"And you have to prove to this court that you are a fit mother," Judge Edna said, turning her piercing gaze onto Payslee. I winced, and Payslee shrank. I did not want that judge on my bad side.
"You need to have an apartment," the judge continued to address Payslee, "and a job and test negative for drugs. Until that time—usually it takes about four to six weeks—you will be allowed supervised visits with Henry."
"Sorry," Meg said after we left. "I know it's not exactly what we were hoping for."
"Please," I told her. "You were so helpful."
"Especially after what Hunter did," Garrett snapped. Hunter's jaw was tense.
Meg sighed. "It will buy you some time at least."
"That's all I need," Garrett said. I was glad he sounded confident because I wasn't so sure.
45
Josie
"What is Anke playing at?" I hissed to Willow. I had grumpily shown Anke to her desk (formerlymydesk) and helped her get situated. As soon as I was able, I escaped downstairs and dragged Willow into the women's restroom.
"I can't believe she's here. Surely it's not for a good reason," Willow said. "Are you going to tell Mace?"
"I can't!" I said, wringing my hands. If ever there was a time for hysterics and handwringing, it would be now. "I'd have to tell him everything. He's so stressed about his crazy family. Between his evil stepmother and a cult in the desert, it sounds like he has more on his plate than I do. I don't want to add to his problems." I slumped against the wall, and Willow petted my hair.
"Anke won't last here that long," Willow assured me. "It's too much work to be an assistant. I bet she misses some appointments and fades off into the distance."
"Or not," I said as my phone rang, displaying Anke's name.
"Darling, I need some help with the printer, then I'll let you get back to work," she said. Her voice with that lilting Slavic accent emitted from the phone.
"Why can't you call IT?" I growled at her when I walked into the office. Mace wasn't there, which was good because Anke and I were about to have it out.
She was sitting neatly at my desk, her legs crossed.
