Chapter 14
Their family lawyer’s office was on the thirty-second floor of a glass tower in the Loop, and its floor-to-ceiling windows offered a sweeping view of Lake Michigan.
Janie had been there dozens of times for case meetings, but today, the familiar space closed in on her, like something foreign.
Threatening, even. She sat across from David’s massive oak desk, with Hannah beside her in one of the leather chairs.
They weren’t touching, and the chairs weren’t particularly close, but Hannah’s mere presence promised unity, and Janie was glad not to be doing this alone.
“Okay, let’s see what we’re dealing with.” David flipped open a legal pad and uncapped his fountain pen. “Your mother has filed a petition for custody based on allegations of parental unfitness and abandonment. Is that correct?”
Janie swallowed against her tightening throat, forcing herself to detach emotionally and just be a lawyer.
“She came to my office on Sunday. She didn’t say that’s what she was doing specifically, but she made it clear she thinks Hannah and I are.
.. That we’re not capable of properly caring for the girls. ”
“What were her exact words?” David hovered his pen over the paper, ready to document everything.
“I can’t remember exactly.” Janie closed her eyes briefly, trying to remember through the haze of panic and shame.
If only Lori had been there with her special memory skill.
Janie should’ve known she’d need all these details and recorded the conversation on her phone.
“She said I’d abdicated my responsibilities as a parent, that I’d abandoned my babies and left them with someone who was barely an adult.
” She glanced at Hannah, whose jaw twitched repeatedly like she was struggling to keep her reaction inside.
“She intimated Hannah has a drinking problem that affects her ability to look after the triplets and that she was an unfit parent.”
David looked at Hannah. “Is there a drinking problem?”
Hannah tugged her ear. “There used to be. When I was in the Army,” she said. “But since the girls have been born, I mostly stick to beer and wine. And I cleared the house of hard liquor so I didn’t slip back into old patterns.” She shrugged and glanced at Janie. “I’m trying to be better.”
Janie gave her a small smile. “That’s all true, David. My mother doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Okay, that’s good,” he said. “And what else was said between you and your mother?”
“I accused her of doing this to get to my grandmother’s trust.”
David raised his eyebrows and paused his scribbling. “Ah, there it is. I recall she already tried to contest that though, yes?”
Janie nodded. “And she lost. Most of the money was for the girls, to be managed by me until they’re eighteen. But if my mother could somehow get custody—”
“She’d control the assets on their behalf as their legal guardian,” David said. “Smart. Vindictive, but smart.” He made a note and circled it several times. “Okay, let’s talk about her case. What can she actually prove?”
“I left them,” Janie said quietly, not really wanting to admit that out loud. “I moved out a week ago, and—”
“Ten days.” Hannah tapped the arm of her chair.
Janie chewed at the inside of her lip and couldn’t hold Hannah’s gaze. “I moved out on September tenth. That’s abandonment, isn’t it?”
“Not necessarily.” David tilted his head slightly. “Separation isn’t the same as abandonment, especially if you’ve maintained contact with the children and continued to provide financial support. Have you?”
Janie could practically feel the heat of Hannah’s stare.
“It’s been really busy with work and having to find an apartment, so no, I haven’t seen the girls since I left.
But I’m still covering the mortgage, and the utilities, and everything else.
” When she finally looked at Hannah, she was focused on the carpet, her jaw still working furiously.
She’d always been okay with Janie paying for most things, but maybe she didn’t like other people knowing their financial business.
“That helps,” he said, making another note. “But what about communication with your wife?” He motioned toward Hannah. “Are you two in contact about the children’s welfare?”
“We text,” Hannah said, though her sigh made it clear that wasn’t enough. “I send Janie photos and updates. We met for dinner on Saturday…and lunch yesterday after her mother’s visit.”
The pause after Hannah’s mention of their disastrous not-date almost undid Janie. She’d bailed too soon that night, been unwilling to bear witness to Hannah’s anger and accusations. She’d been a coward.
“Even better. That shows co-parenting, not abandonment. But you should make the time to visit your children, or it won’t look good.” David tapped his pen against the pad. “Now, what about the fitness allegations? Is there anything your mother could point to that might support her claim?”
Janie’s heart stuttered. This was the moment. This was when she should tell David about the ER visit, about Chloe and the bathroom cabinet, and about the crushing guilt that had driven her from her home.
But Hannah was sitting right beside her.
“I work long hours at the office,” Janie said instead, “and I went back to work sooner than most. Hannah works five days at the garage, but she only started there about six weeks ago. The triplets are eighteen months old. It’s a lot, even for two people.”
David looked between them, his expression searching. “But you’ve hired help?”
“My dad moved up from Florida early last week,” Hannah said. “He’s staying with me and helping with the girls. And we’re interviewing for a new nanny tomorrow. The last one left just before my wife did.”
Janie heard the slight resentment in Hannah’s tone, but she couldn’t blame her. Janie had packed her bags and hadn’t looked back, but she had damn good reason to leave…didn’t she?
“Excellent.” He smiled widely. “That demonstrates you’re taking responsible steps to ensure proper care.” He made more notes, his pen nib scratching on the paper. “Anything else? Any incidents or complaints from your pediatrician? Anything at all that could be used against you?”
The silence stretched. Janie could sense Hannah looking at her. Had she begun to question Janie’s abrupt abandonment? Tell him. Tell him now while I can control the narrative. But the words wouldn’t come. “No,” she said and shrugged. “Nothing like that.”
David nodded, apparently satisfied. “Good. Here’s what you need to understand: grandparents’ rights vary significantly by state, and Illinois is actually pretty restrictive.
Your mother would need to prove that both of you are unfit parents and that custody with her is in the children’s best interest. That’s a very high bar. ”
Hannah sighed deeply, but Janie wasn’t convinced it would be so easy. David didn’t know her mother like she did, and when she discovered what had happened… “But it’s possible?”
“Possible? Yes. Likely? No.” David set down his pen and steepled his fingers.
“Look, judges don’t like removing children from their parents without serious cause.
Your mother would need to show neglect, abuse, or endangerment.
She’d need something substantive and documented.
The fact that you’re separated isn’t enough.
Both of you working full-time isn’t enough.
Even being a same-sex couple isn’t enough, though I’m sure your mother would love to make that an issue. ”
“She’s never been totally at peace with my sexuality,’“ Janie said. “And she doesn’t like that I used Grandma Susan’s money to finance the garage start-up. I don’t think she believes running a garage is a suitable career choice for a parent.”
David scoffed. “Which is ridiculous and borderline discriminatory. We’d shut that down immediately. The real question is: does your mother have anything concrete? Hospital visits, police calls, CPS reports, anything like that?”
Janie’s lips itched with the lie hiding behind them. “I...I don’t know what she might have found. Or made up. I’m sure you’re aware of my mother’s reputation.”
David studied her for a moment, and Janie had the uncomfortable feeling he could see right through her. They hadn’t known each other that long, and they hadn’t worked closely together. How could he know she was holding something back?
“Janie,” he said, “if there’s something that could come up, something your mother’s investigators might find, I need to know about it now and not when we’re standing in front of a judge.”
“There’s nothing,” Janie said quickly. Too quickly. “Really. Hannah is a wonderful parent.” She couldn’t include herself in that statement, but she never doubted Hannah’s dedication to their children. “We love our daughters. There’s no reason for my mother to win this.”
Hannah took Janie’s hand. It was only the second time they’d touched in weeks, and the contact sent an electric shock through her system.
“We’ll fight this together,” Hannah said. “Whatever it takes.”
“Perfect. Togetherness. That’s what the court needs to see.
” David waved his pen at them both. “Okay. Here’s what we do.
When it comes in, we respond to the petition with a motion to dismiss based on lack of standing.
We document your co-parenting arrangement, the help you’ve secured, your employment, and your financial stability.
We’ll line up character witnesses. We need your family, friends, and colleagues to attest to your fitness as parents.
And we prepare for the possibility that this goes to a hearing. ”
Hannah leaned forward. “How likely is that?”