“We– I– You know how it is.”
Dawn’s focus was intense. “I don’t know that I do.”
“Marriage is hard, right?” Oakley kept her voice light.
Her mom looked at her with something approaching pity. “Mine wasn’t.”
“Not ever?” she scoffed. “Come on. Everyone has their struggles, Mom. Life is hard. It’s not a betrayal to admit that.”
“Life is hard sometimes,” Dawn acknowledged, speaking slowly. “But your partner should help you carry all of that. Your husband should be your biggest supporter. Your refuge from the world. He shouldn’t be just one more thing for you to carry.”
“Trent does a lot for us.”
“Okay.”
“He does!”
“I said okay.”
Oakley ground her teeth together, staring out at the water.
“I’m going to check on the kids.” Dawn patted her shoulder gently and then went inside.
Oakley sat there for another moment, stewing.
Then she got up, shook it off, and went to find something useful to do.
22
Laurie
“Can’t catch me!” Mia turned and sprinted away with Mahina’s granddaughters in pursuit.
Laurie smiled, watching them. Mia had blossomed so much just in the past few weeks. She was more open, more confident.
Even so, there was a bittersweet feeling in her chest.
Today was another visitation day.
Chris was driving down this time.
He’d asked for their new address, since Mia had told them about their new home on her last visit, but Laurie had refused. He’d sent a number of texts and two long voicemails about how unreasonable she was being. One was laced with cursewords; the other was more conciliatory. They only strengthened her resolve.
Mia’s first couple of visits had been uneventful. Getting her back on time and unharmed had soothed Laurie’s fears, but itstill wasn’t easy – especially when Mia said that she didn’t want to go.
It went against Laurie’s every instinct to tell her daughter that she didn’t have a choice, but that was the way it was. The specter of parental alienation hung over them like a tangible threat.
If she was to have any hope of a positive outcome – either with a mediator or before a judge – she had to make it very clear that she wasn’t trying to keep Mia from her father.
He’s not a monster, she reminded herself when she started to spiral.He can keep his cool for a few hours at the zoo. Nothing bad is going to happen.
She clung to those words like a mantra, repeating them over and over.
Nothing bad is going to happen.
When Halia pulled up to the Madeira property, Laurie waved Mia over.
It’s time to go,she told her.
