“No worries.”
After a bit more chat, and the decision for Suze to go cool and casual for her date, they end the call.
Kim flops onto the couch. There are a hundred things she should do: finish Bella’s lunch, drag her out of bed, sort the paperwork for her job tomorrow, tidy the apartment. She sighs. She should change the sheets on the bed, but she can’t bring herself to. Danika’s scent is all over them, the perfume of sex. Every night since, she’s lain in bed, pulling the sheet up to her face so she can smell Danika and remember.
The ever-present hollowness in her abdomen reminds her of how it was. How good. How hard she’d come, and how often. Her stomach muscles had ached the next day, as if she’d done fifty sit-ups.
Her phone alarm goes off. Time to wake Bella, who’ll be delighted about Jorie’s sleepover. Maybe she’ll want Cami to come too. Maybe Danika will stay over as well.
Enough.
Kim goes to wake Bella. There is no way Danika will do any such thing. Not until they resolve their dilemma. And maybe not even then.
Maybe money—too much and not enough—will break apart what had barely started.
Kim manages to persuade Bella that Jorie would like to have her BFF to herself, so they don’t invite Cami to the sleepover.
Now, Kim lies on the couch in her flannel pyjamas with a glass of wine and listens to the giggles and thumps from Bella’s room. You’d think that after a couple of hours of hobby-horsing and soccer practice in the park, followed by the demolition of an enormous homemade veggie pizza, then a movie, they’d be asleep to beat the dead. But it’s eleven and they’re still going strong.
Unlike her.
She picks up her phone, scrolls to Danika’s last text from earlier in the day. One she hasn’t answered as she simply doesn’t know what to say.
Please don’t think I’m ignoring you because I want to. I’m giving you space to decide what to do. I miss you, and I miss what we had.
She starts a text, deletes it. Tries again.
I miss you too. And I’m no closer to figuring out what is best. Suze thinks I should get a lawyer. But I wish we could just work it out.
The phone is silent, then the bouncing three dots start as Danika types.
Mum thinks I should get a lawyer too. She’s the most trusting soul—except when it comes to contracts. She is a real estate agent, after all. But I have an idea. What if we were to
The text cuts off. What if we were to…what? What was Danika about to say? Kim waits. The dots bounce. Jorie shrieks, and Bella’s giggle joins in.
Sorry. Accidental send. What if we were to agree on a lawyer, one we both trust, and instruct them to calculate a fair division and then draw up a contract? One lawyer, acting for both of us. Is that possible?
Kim stares at the phone. She has no idea if a lawyer can act for opposing parties, but surely it’s possible. If they both trust the lawyer and can reach a settlement—that has to be better. Such a contract would be binding, and hopefully watertight. The last thing either of them needs is more hassles in the years to come.
Maybe. I’m open to looking at that idea. Do you have a lawyer in mind?
Can I call you?
Jorie’s here on a sleepover, and they’re both still awake. I don’t want the kids to overhear.
No worries. Do you remember Noa from soccer camp last year? Mirza talked to one of her mums. Sarah used a family lawyer when she was involved in a custody battle with her ex’s parents. It was a nasty situation. She apparently had a fantastic lawyer who was fair but didn’t let the other side get away with anything. I thought of him. Alan Doodson of Doodson and Lee.
Kim finds his website. Alan Doodson has a shock of brown hair streaked with grey that falls over his forehead. He’s smiling slightly, but it’s warm, not an overwide, teeth-flashing, used-car-salesman smile. Kim studies his photo. He inspires trust. She reads his bio, which is impressive, and includes all matters of family law, as well as wills and estates. Perfect.
She switches back to the messaging app.
Let’s meet him and see what we think after that.
Danika’s reply comes instantly.
Meet with him together would be best, I think. That way we’ll be equal from the start.
Yes. Do you want to call him? You have the connection.
