Chapter 36
Benjamin filled two mugs with coffee, then added the tiniest drop of cream and half a spoonful of sugar to one—just the way Summer liked it. His hand shook a little as he stirred it, and he ordered his nerves to hold steady. Summer needed him to be strong today, whether she would admit it or not.
He took a sip from his own mug, then carried hers past the dining room table with its centerpiece of half-wilted flowers that he’d brought home for Summer after work last Saturday. She’d been in her room—asleep, he assumed, though he couldn’t be sure—when he’d gotten home, so his apology for not telling her about Jasmine had had to wait until the next morning. She’d received it graciously, insisting that she wasn’t upset.
And yet, all week she’d been cool and distant. She still accepted his kisses, but her response to them was lukewarm at best, and she didn’t seek out opportunities to hug him and hold his hand the way she had been starting to do after their date.
Benjamin sighed, telling himself that things would be better after today.
But his stomach tightened at the possibility that things might not go their way. That they might be coming home without Max.
Don’t think like that, he ordered himself as he knocked softly on Summer’s door.
There was no reply, and he waited a moment, then knocked a little harder. “Summer? Are you up?”
“No,” a voice called, and he chuckled quietly.
“I’m coming in,” he warned, reaching for the doorknob. “I have coffee.”
She didn’t protest, so he opened the door slowly.
She was still in bed, the covers pulled up to her chin, her cheeks tear streaked.
“Ah, Summer.” He hurried across the room and set the coffee on the bedside table.
“I can’t do this,” she sobbed as he sat on the edge of the bed. “I can’t lose him.”
“You’re not going to lose him.” Benjamin’s words were quiet but fierce, and he bent to gather her in his arms.
“You can’t know that,” Summer argued, clutching at his back.
He couldn’t answer at first, the truth of her words closing off his throat.
But after a moment, he pulled back and looked into her eyes. “What I do know,” he said, “is that whatever happens we’ll get through it together. Okay?”
The fear and uncertainty remained in her eyes, but she slowly nodded.
“Good.” Benjamin couldn’t resist pressing a kiss to her forehead. And then to each of her cheeks. And then to her lips.
She stiffened, but then let out a soft breath and drew him closer, her lips yielding to his.
Relief powerful enough to knock him over coursed through Benjamin, and when they parted, he slid his hands over her cheeks to wipe away the fresh tears.
“It’s going to be okay,” he promised her with one more kiss. Then he reluctantly got up so she could get dressed.
“I’ll get Max ready,” he offered. “You don’t worry about anything.”
“Benjamin,” Summer called when he reached the door.
“Yeah?” He turned to look at her over his shoulder.
“Thank you.” She smiled weakly, but it might as well have been the full noonday sun for the joy it brought him.
“Always.”
Her smile wavered a little, but she nodded.
He stepped into the hallway and closed the door, then made his way to Max’s room.
He paused at the door to pray. Please Lord, let us get the guardianship. Let us be a family always. Amen.
Summer stared around the courtroom, trying to process all of the faces she saw. She had assumed it would only be her and Benjamin and Max and Don, along with a social worker and Stacy and possibly Stacy’s lawyer. But the room was packed with nearly Benjamin’s entire family.
She pressed a hand to her mouth. “What are they—” She had to stop to choke back a sob. “Why is everyone here?”
“They’re our family,” Benjamin said lightly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He wrapped an arm snugly around her back as they made their way to the seats at the front of the room.
Summer knew she should pull away—just like she should have pulled away from his kiss earlier—but she didn’t have the strength right now.
Benjamin slid out a seat for her, and Summer scanned the room again as Max climbed onto the chair on her other side. Every member of Benjamin’s family looked hopeful and confident, and several sent her smiles and thumbs-ups. Summer tried to smile in return, but she was pretty sure her lips had forgotten how to do that.
“Wait.” Summer ran her eyes over the room again. “She’s not here.”
“Your mama?” Benjamin asked in surprise.
Summer shook her head. She had been worried that if Mama came, she would make a scene, but she hadn’t really expected her to show up.
“Stacy.”
“What?” Benjamin turned in his seat and scanned the room as well. “You’re right.”
Before Summer could ask Don what that meant, the judge was calling the room to order.
“This is a guardianship hearing for Max Ellis,” she announced, “in response to a petition by Benjamin and Summer Calvano.” Summer’s heart jumped a little every time she heard their names paired like that. “Before I hear statements from the petitioners and the child, is there anyone who would like to contest the petition?”
The courtroom was silent, and the judge’s eyes tracked to the people gathered behind Summer and Benjamin. Summer tensed, resisting the urge to turn around. What if Stacy had come in at the last second and was even now raising her hand?
But after another moment, the judge smiled, and said, “All right then, this should be pretty straightforward.”
The hearing raced by, with the judge asking first her, then Benjamin, a series of questions. Then the judge called Max and the social worker into her chambers. Even though Don had warned them that this would be part of the proceedings, it was still unsettling. But not as unsettling as the fact that Stacy hadn’t shown up.
Summer leaned closer to Don. “I thought Stacy was going to contest the guardianship.”
Don shrugged. “That was the last I heard. I guess she changed her mind. It’s good news for you. I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t get guardianship now.”
Summer nodded, biting her tongue against the question that had been needling her through the whole hearing—since Stacy hadn’t shown up, could she have gotten guardianship without Benjamin? Had he married her for nothing?
The time ticked by slowly, the courtroom eerily silent, and Summer focused all of her attention on praying that Don was right. That the judge would come out here and say that Max could stay with her forever.
Benjamin had folded his hands in his lap, and his head was bowed, so she knew he was doing the same.
The sound of a door opening cracked through the courtroom, and Benjamin lifted his head quickly.
The judge reentered the room, but Max and the social worker weren’t with her.
Summer’s breath caught sharp against her ribs. Benjamin’s arm was instantly around her, his lips pressed to the top of her head. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered hoarsely into her hair.
The judge took her seat. “That Max is a delightful boy,” she said easily. “He found some magnet blocks in my chambers and asked if he could keep playing with them while I came back to the boring courtroom.” She laughed lightly, and Summer heard the nervous chuckles from behind her, but she couldn’t let out enough air to laugh.
“It’s also clear that he adores the two of you,” the judge continued, and Summer felt Benjamin’s tension ease, but she couldn’t bring herself to relax.
“And as you have the means and the desire to raise him,” the judge said, “I am happy to grant permanent guardianship of the minor Max Ellis to you, Benjamin and Summer Calvano.”
A giant sob of relief escaped Summer as Benjamin’s arms engulfed her and the courtroom burst into a clamor of applause and cheers.
Summer buried her head in Benjamin’s chest as he stroked her hair. After a moment, he let go of her, and his arms were replaced by those of her in-laws.
Summer finally had her tears under control when Max came sauntering into the courtroom, his eyes going wide at the noise but a grin on his lips.
Benjamin stooped to pick him up and hug him tight, and Summer’s tears poured down again.
“What’s wrong, Aunt Sunny?” Max’s little face wrinkled with worry.
“Nothing is wrong.” Summer quickly wiped her eyes. “I’m just happy.”
“The judge said we all get to stay together,” Benjamin explained to the boy.
Max smiled. “That’s what I told her to say. Can we get some magnet blocks?”
“Yes.” Benjamin kissed Max’s cheek with a loud smack that made the boy giggle. “I think we can definitely get some magnet blocks.”
He looked at Summer with shining eyes and held out his arm so she could join their hug. As soon as she did, he leaned over and kissed her cheek as loudly as he had kissed Max’s.