She says I can’t go with you.
What? The hell he can’t.
I call him. He picks up on the first ring.
“Uncle Matt—” His voice cracks, and Jesus Christ, it crushes me.
“Hey, bud.” I swallow hard, forcing a steady tone. He can’t hear me fall apart. “What’s going on? Why won’t your grandma let you come with me?”
“She—says it’s—something—about legal stuff.”
I close my eyes and breathe deep.Keep it together, Matt.
Fuck.The court systems. Legalities. All the shit I didn’t think about. It never even crossed my mind. I’m basically a second dad to him, but shit, if Nate didn’t have a will…
Yeah. I need my lawyer. Immediately.
“It’s alright, bud. We’ll figure it out.”
Lie. I have no fucking clue what my rights are here. And Cece being the one in control? My stomach tightens into a million knots.
“Is your grandma there? Can I talk to her?”
“Yeah. I’ll get her.”
Three seconds later she’s on the phone. Of course she was standing there listening the whole time.
“Matthew.” Her voice is tight, strained. “Cole says you’re on your way here, and this really isn’t the best time. He’s a wreck. He needs a calm environment and stability, not… disruption.”
“Don’t patronize me, Cece.” My jaw clenches. “Cole doesn’t want to stay with you. What heneedsis to be with someone he knows. He just lost his favorite person in the world, and his second favorite is me.”
My voice shakes. My eyes burn. But I’m too pissed to cry.
“I’m not trying to fight you,” she says, her tone edged sharp with exhaustion. “But the last thing he needs right now is to be handed off to a bachelor godfather who doesn’t know the first thing about raising a child. He’s upset. Traumatized… I’ve talked to my lawyer. I’m filing for guardianship of Cole. I don’t think you coming here right now is in his best interest. It will only confuse him.”
Confuse him?I scoff, low and under my breath.Right.Make me look like the bad guy. Make herself the hero.
What a manipulative bitch. Or maybe she’s convinced herself she knows best. Either way, she’s standing between me and Cole.
I need a lawyer. Not in an hour. Not tomorrow. Now.
I don’t know much about this stuff, but I know that anything I say and do from here on out can be used for or against me. I take a breath and say, “Can I call you back in a few minutes to discuss a time to see Cole that would work for you? Even if it’s just a few minutes?”
“Um…” she startles. “Okay. Sure.”
I hang up and dial Keith, the best damn family law attorney in New York. He’s a friend of Jensen’s dad, and I’ve referred a lot of people to him. He’ll know exactly what to do.
I hangup with Keith twenty minutes later, still sitting in the parking garage, my jaw tight enough to crack teeth.
He laid it all out for me. No showing up and demanding Cole. No giving Cece any ammunition. No losing my shit even though that’s exactly what I want to do.
Text everything. Screenshot anything sketchy. Stay calm. Get time with Cole if she’ll allow it.
Basically, play the long game and don’t fuck up. Don’t act like a man who just lost his cousin, grieving, terrified for a twelve-year-old boy he loves.
Act like the guy a judge would trust. Be the guy Cole needs.
I can do that.
