Chapter 20
A strange chirping sound kept poking at Summer’s ears, and she tried to force it away so she could pay attention to Benjamin. He was standing close to her, holding her hand and saying something that she couldn’t really make out but that sounded soothing anyway.
But the incessant chirping drove her eyes open, and she had to blink a few times before she realized she wasn’t holding anyone’s hand—and she wasn’t even standing. She was lying on the hill at the petting zoo, where they’d had their picnic, and the chirping was her phone.
She sat up, casting a panicked gaze around her, trying to figure out why she was alone, but her eyes quickly picked out Benjamin and Max feeding the goats in the pen at the bottom of the hill. Benjamin’s hand rested on Max’s shoulder, and a pang of longing went through Summer. She’d almost thought for a moment earlier that Benjamin wanted to—
But no. She couldn’t let herself start wanting that. Couldn’t let herself start wanting him to want her. She knew better.
Her phone continued its chirping, and she scooped it off the blanket. Don’s name lit up her screen, and Summer swiped her sweaty palms on her shorts before answering.
“Hello?” Her greeting came out on a laugh as she watched Benjamin nudge his head into Max’s arm, pretending, she supposed, to be a goat.
“Miss Ellis? This is Don Davis, the lawyer.”
She pushed herself upright. “Yes?”
“I wanted to let you know that I sent out the notices of your petition for guardianship, as is required.”
“Yes.” She already knew that. He had emailed her the information the day after she met with him. Her eyes tracked to Benjamin and Max again. Their heads were bent close together, and both were smiling. Benjamin suddenly looked up and met her eyes, and her heart jumped toward him the same way the baby goat had jumped toward her hair earlier. He said something to Max, and then they both started toward her, wearing identical grins.
“I just got off the phone with a Stacy Pierce.” Don’s voice was grim, and Summer felt the smile melt off her face. She clutched at the phone.
“Max’s mom,” Don added, as if Summer didn’t already know that.
“Yes?” Summer’s voice was wispier than the silvery threads of cloud that barely brushed the sky. “What does—” She couldn’t get enough air to finish the question.
“She plans to challenge the guardianship.” Don’s tone was compassionate, but the words slammed against Summer’s solar plexus, and she felt herself physically wince.
“I don’t— How can— She’s never—” Summer fought to form a coherent thought.
Benjamin and Max were waving and making goofy faces at her, and Summer felt her lips tremble. She loved Max. Benjamin loved Max. Stacy didn’t even know Max.
“Anyone has a legal right to challenge a guardianship,” Don said calmly. “And she is the boy’s mother, so—”
“She’s as much his mother as I am the queen,” Summer shot back, her anger suddenly firing her voice. “She’s never even seen him. She dumped him in my brother’s arms and never looked back.”
“And the judge will take that into account.”
Summer let out a breath. “So I don’t have to worry?”
Don didn’t say anything, and Summer gripped the phone tighter as Benjamin and Max reached her. Benjamin crouched in front of her, his brow lined with worry. What’s wrong? he mouthed.
But she could only shake her head as Don spoke again. “It’s hard to say. In most cases, judges prefer to keep parents and children together.”
“She’s never been—” Summer started again.
“I know,” Don cut her off. “But it depends on whether the judge puts more emphasis on being with a familiar relative or on financial stability. I did some digging, and it looks like Stacy has a stable job. She owns a house. Doesn’t have any debt to speak of.”
Yeah, Summer wanted to shout, because she hadn’t spent a dime to help care for her son. She hadn’t worked herself ragged like TJ had. Hadn’t sat up with Max half the night when he was sick. Hadn’t scrimped and saved to take him to the dinosaur exhibition at the museum.
But Max had settled onto the blanket, and Summer wasn’t about to say all of that in front of him.
“So what can I do?” she whispered.
Benjamin’s hand wrapped around hers, and she knew she should pull away, but she couldn’t. She needed his strength right now because she had completely run out of her own.
“There’s not much else to do,” Don said. “Keep looking for a job. Keep taking care of Max. And pray.”
Summer grimaced. That didn’t sound very promising. But she said, “Thank you,” and hung up.
“What’s going on?” Benjamin’s hand still clutched hers, and she gave a halfhearted try to pull it away, but he didn’t let go.
She eyed Max.
“Hey, Max.” Benjamin’s voice held a lightness that wasn’t reflected in his serious eyes. “You can roll down the hill now if you want to.”
“Really?” Max jumped up. “Boy oh boy! This is going to be fun!”
“He wanted to before,” Benjamin explained. “But I told him he had to wait until you woke up. I didn’t figure we wanted him doing that right after he ate.”
“Good thinking.” Summer attempted to smile but failed.
The moment Max started his roly-poly tumble down the hill, Benjamin turned to Summer. “What happened?”
She exhaled roughly. “Stacy is going to contest the guardianship.”
“Stacy?” Benjamin’s face darkened to an expression Summer had never seen on him before. “Did you tell Don that she’s never even seen her son?”
“I did. He said the judge will take that into account. But apparently she has more financial stability. Plus she’s his actual mom. I’m just his aunt.”
Benjamin’s hand tightened. “You’re just the person who has loved him and cared for him since the day he was born,” he said fiercely. “You know TJ would want you to be the one to raise him.”
“I know.” Summer dropped her head to her knees, trying to catch her breath. But the air felt too heavy, the fear too oppressive.
“We could get married.” The whisper floated over her. She told herself it was the wind, or maybe a hallucination born out of her desperation.
But when she lifted her head, Benjamin was watching her, a question in his eyes.