Chapter 20
twenty
DECLAN
“Dad, can I go over to Ethan’s house?” Max asks as we finish breakfast.
“Sure, be home before dinner, and clean your plate before you go.”
“Okay.” Max jumps up from the table and hurries to rinse his plate and put it in the dishwasher before rushing out of the room.
“That boy never slows down.” Scott shakes his head, and we all laugh. We hear the front door slam behind him, and are all quiet, likely thinking about the tough conversation we’re about to have.
“Do you want to talk about it now or wait?” Ava asks gently. “I plan on sticking around for a while, so whatever you want to do is fine with me.”
“No, let’s get it out of the way,” Scott says before anyone else can talk.
“Do you have the papers you were served?” she asks him.
“I’ve got them,” Quinn says, standing from the table and going to the drawer in the kitchen where she placed them last night. I stand to clean up as everyone else gets situated around the table. “What are you doing?” Quinn reaches for my arm as she comes back to the table.
“I’m going to clean up while you all talk,” I tell her quietly.
“Declan, you can be here for this conversation,” Caleb says when he notices me standing.
“I’m not going anywhere. I can still hear you from the sink. I’m just going to clean up.” I don’t wait for his response and move to the sink, placing the dishes in my hand on the counter before going back to clear more away.
“Okay. Declan filled me in on a bit of the history, but I’d like to hear about it from you, Scott,” Ava says as she reaches into her bag hanging off the chair she’s sitting in, and pulls out a notebook.
“What do you need to know?”
“You’re not Max’s biological father, correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“But until recently, he thought you were?”
I turn to the sink and begin rinsing the dishes I’ve piled around me before loading them into the dishwasher while listening to them.
“Correct.”
“Was that solely your decision, or was Nicole part of that conversation?”
“Does that matter?” I hear Caleb ask.
“Everything matters, but I’m trying to understand the history right now.” I look over and see Ava put her pen down to give Caleb and Quinn her full attention. “Based on what I know, there’s not a chance in hell a judge grants custody to Nicole, but I have to be able to present them with the evidence to support that decision. To do that, I have to know the facts.” She’s quiet, allowing them to absorb what she’s just said. “I can’t imagine how difficult this is for you all, but I promise I will do everything in my power to get this done as quickly as I can.”
“It's okay if you two need to step away so Ava can ask these questions,” Scott tells them.
“No, we’re fine,” Quinn says, glancing at Caleb before focusing back on Ava.
“Okay. Scott, who decided not to tell Max about his biological father?” Ava asks, picking up her pen. I turn back to the dishes.
“It was Nicole who asked we not tell Max. She didn’t want anyone to know the truth. We never directly addressed who his father was. We let the entire town think whatever they wanted. It wasn’t their business to know.”
“Did Nicole ever tell you who his biological father was?”
“No. She was afraid of what he would do if he found out she was pregnant with his child.” He pauses. “She thought the fewer people who knew, the better.”
“Did you sign the birth certificate?”
“No. I didn’t want to lie on a legal document. She entered unknown on the birth certificate.”
“Okay. But you’ve since legally adopted him?”
“Yes. After Nicole left, I reported her for abandoning Max. I went through all the appropriate channels and applied for emergency foster placement for Max. They didn’t fight it since he had been living with me since he was born. It was a few years after that when I was able to officially adopt him.”
“You still have all the legal documents?”
“Yes, I kept everything.”
“Good.”
I finish loading the dishwasher and dry my hands, turning to face everyone at the table. Scott sits at one end of the table, Ava to his right with her back to me. Next to Ava is my empty chair, followed by Emily, with Caleb sitting at the other end of the table. I can see the worried expression on his face from here.
My eyes continue around the table to Quinn, sitting across from Ava. She must feel my eyes on her because it doesn’t take long for her to look up at me with what appears to be a pleading expression on her face.
I make my way back to the table, but instead of taking the seat I had been in originally, I continue around the table to take Max’s empty chair, sitting next to Quinn.
“So, what’s next?” I ask Ava.
“I’ll have to file a return suit, countering this. Chances are, we’ll be required to attend court-mandated mediation to come to an agreement,” Ava says, looking around the table. “I’m hoping we’ll be able to convince Nicole to drop her claim at that point. If she doesn’t, we’ll have to go before a judge.” She lifts her hands when both Caleb and Quinn open their mouths. “Nobody wants it to get there, but this is a legal document. We have to go through the proper channels.”
“How can she do this?” Quinn asks.
“Legally, nothing is stopping her from filing this suit. Yes, she did a horrible thing, but from a legal standpoint, what’s to say she hasn’t changed over the last ten years?” She lifts her hand again. “You and I know it’s doubtful, especially given how she showed up out of the blue last month, but the courts don’t know that. And no matter how frustrated we are in this moment, it’s their job to stay impartial to all of it.”
I look at Quinn and see her studying her hands resting on the table. Unable to stop myself from touching her, I reach out and place my hand at the base of her neck, showing her I’m here. She looks over at me, offering me a small smile in thanks.
“I think any judge looking at this will require a lot of proof from Nicole that she’s changed. If they grant her anything, it will be visitation, with the possibility of more in the future. After she’s proven her intent to stay in his life.”
Scott shifts in his seat before asking a question that causes all of us to pause. “What happens when I’m gone?”
“Dad,” Quinn whispers, reaching for him.
“I know you don’t want to talk about it, but we need to. No matter how much none of us wants it to be true, I won’t be here this time next year.” He looks between Caleb and Quinn before turning back to my sister. “So, Ava, what happens when I’m gone?”
It takes her a moment before she answers. “Do you have a will?” she asks quietly.
“Yes. I had one made when I was first diagnosed five years ago.”
“Did you address who should have custody of Max in your will?”
“Yes. It’s Caleb and Quinn. I listed both of them with the intention they would determine what would be best for Max when the time came.”
“Dad.” This time, it’s Caleb who breaks.
“Who else would I trust to care for your brother?” Scott looks directly at Caleb. “You’ve been just as much a part of raising him as I have. There’s no one else I would trust more.”
It’s quiet, except for the soft sniffle I hear from Emily.
“Well.” Ava stops to swallow when her voice cracks. “The court will honor that until proven otherwise. If the custody case were to last longer than …” She pauses again, biting her lip. “If you were to pass before the end of this custody case, Caleb and Quinn would automatically be placed in your role for the remainder of the case.” She swipes beneath her eye quickly. “I believe the outcome would remain the same. They would be granted custody, and at most, Nicole will be given visitation.”
“Thank you, Ava,” Scott says, reaching for her hand and squeezing it. “We all appreciate you coming here so quickly to help us.”
“Of course. I’m glad I can help,” she says quietly.
“Okay, on to brighter subjects,” Scott says after a few minutes, clapping his hands.
Emily follows his lead. “Yeah, who wants to talk about the rumor going around town?” A small smirk grows slowly as she speaks.
“What rumor?” Caleb asks her.
“You didn’t hear Marybelle and Esther talking at the store earlier? They weren’t quiet about it.”
I steal a glance at Quinn from the corner of my eye, both of us straightening in our seats. I move my hand to her leg under the table.
“My mind was elsewhere. What were they talking about?” Caleb asks.
Emily turns to look at Quinn and me. “Some couple got a little hot and heavy in line for the hayride last night.” I hear Ava release a quiet laugh and glare at her across the table.
“Well, that’s not new,” Scott says.
“No, but these people have never been considered a couple before,” Emily says, still looking at us as Caleb finally catches on.
“No,” he whispers. It’s not in anger but surprise. “You two?” he asks, gesturing between us.
“Yep. Rumor has it these two were seen making out in line for the hayride,” Emily finally confirms when Quinn and I say nothing, a very excited smile growing on her face.
“The two of you?” Caleb asks again, leaning forward in his seat, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“Is that such a bad thing?” Quinn finally says, glaring at her brother. When he doesn’t respond right away, she continues. “It can’t be Declan you have an issue with, since the first thing you ever said to me about him was that he was a good man. So, if it’s not Declan, then it’s me you have an issue with, in this equation.”
“Quinn—” I start to speak.
“No. I want to know what his problem is.”
“I don’t have a problem.” Caleb leans back in his seat, lifting his hands, palms out. “I’m shocked, that’s all.”
“Well, is there something you want to tell us?” Scott asks, directing Quinn’s attention away from Caleb.
“No.” When Quinn doesn’t continue, I look at her, trying to decipher what she’s thinking. We still haven’t had a chance to talk about any of it, but I don’t think her family will be satisfied with that as a response.
“Right now”—I squeeze Quinn’s leg still in my grasp—“we don’t have anything to share, but when we do, you’ll be the first people we tell.” Caleb opens his mouth but I continue before he can say anything. “It’s not really your business. All that matters is whatever’s going on between Quinn and me won’t impact anything else. All right?” I say, looking directly into Caleb’s eyes, wanting him to see how serious I am.
“Okay,” he agrees.
I feel Quinn’s hand cover mine on her leg, so I turn to look at her. She gives my hand a firm squeeze and offers me a smile.
I don’t know what the future holds for Quinn and me, but I know I want to be there for her. I want to be the person she walks through this period of life with. And I know Ava is right. If this is meant to be forever, I will fight with everything I have to make it work.