Page 75 of One Last Shot

“But all my employees are in Park City,” Petra says, and I hear the worry in her voice.

“I’m not a small business attorney, but I don’t think there would be any reason your employees couldn’t continue to work from Park City. However, if you’re going to be a resident of New York, your business should be here, too, or it will look suspicious.”

Petra sighs, a long, low sound of frustration leaving her lips. I feel the magnitude of what’s being asked of her.

“This feels like everything is coming down on Petra,” I say to the lawyer. “Isn’t there somethingIcould do to make this happen that doesn’t involve her sacrificing so much?”

She squeezes my hand in hers, a small offering of thanks or support or love—I’m not sure which.

“Unfortunately, whereas she’s the US citizen, she’s the one who is going to have to do the work here.”

“That feels very unfair,” I say.

“And yet it’s what the law requires. You could always go the route of getting citizenship yourself, and then adopting Stella. But as you already know, that process might take a couple years. I suspect a judge would be sympathetic to you wanting to adopt your niece after her parents’ death, and that the adoption process would be significantly quicker, but I also can’t make any promises. And you’d have to get citizenship first. There could be any variety of delays, and even if we go for the faster option of Petra adopting Stella, the judge needs to believe that you two are married and living together and in this for the long run, or he might deny the adoption petition.”

My frustration rattles around in the back of my throat, and Petra looks at me like she’s shocked by the groan I’ve let loose in this office. “This feels like an impossible task.”

“May I ask what the hurry is?” the lawyer asks. “Why not go through the process of becoming a citizen and adopting without involving Petra? You’re already the legal guardian.”

“If anything were to happen to me ...” I trail off, but Petra picks up and explains about Nikolai and Colette’s will, and how CeCe and Tony tried to get custody and how they are still sniffing around, trying to be part of Stella’s life even though that’s not what her parents wanted.

“You don’t have any specific evidence that your brother and sister-in-law didn’t want the aunt and uncle around?”

“No,” I tell her. “Just that they had separate conversations with me and my sister-in-law’s best friend, Sofia, where they explained their wishes to each of us.” She’s already seen the will, I don’t need to explain that they clearly didn’t include CeCe or Tony in any part of that.

“Keeping families together is almost always the goal,” she tells us, and it’s exactly what Tom had told me and exactly why I’m worried. “But if their wishes are clearly spelled out in their will, I don’t think you need to worry.”

“I wish that was the case, but when the judge decided in my favor, he also said he’d reconsider if I was ever unwilling or unable to serve as Stella’s guardian.”

“Whichever option you choose,” the lawyer says, “I’d get started on it as quickly as possible. I do honestly think yourbestoption is getting your citizenship and adopting Stella yourself. Given the ... unique ... nature of your marriage, having Petra adopt Stella may be the fastest option, but may not be the wisest.”

“What do you mean?” Petra asks.

“Given the circumstances, if you don’t plan to stay married, things might get messy when you separate. If you’re the one who has adopted Stella,” she tells Petra, “then that gives you a lot of leverage when it comes to the divorce. It’s possible”—she looks over at me—“that you might not end up with Stella in the end.”

Petra draws back, her eyes wide. “I wouldneverdo that. Stella isn’t a bargaining chip, and I’m not looking to gain anything from this, except to help Aleksandr adopt his niece.”

“That’s true right now, but who’s to say what might happen in a year? This whole process might take that long, and adoption is tough even for two people in a loving, committed relationship.”

Her concern gives me a moment’s pause. Petra has put her life on pause to stay in New York and help me over the last couple weeks. There hasn’t been even the slightest indication she’d do anything that wouldn’t be in my or Stella’s best interest.But. The word rattles around in my head.But could she?

She’s been extraordinarily honest about the fact that she doesn’t want kids. I know the idea of getting a divorce also weighs heavily on her mind, as she doesn’t want the attention that would bring. Could she—would she—ever use Stella as a bargaining chip to get what she wanted out of a divorce?

Petra wouldn’t do that, I assure myself. But the question is there, digging into the soft spot in my heart that I didn’t even know existed before I had Stella:Are you sure?

Do I know her well enough to know this for sure? How could I guarantee that she wouldn’t cross me down the road to get something she wanted?

I glance over at Petra, who is gazing at me as if she can read my mind and looks disappointed in my thought process. “Thank you. We’ll take your advice into consideration,” I tell the lawyer as I reach for Petra’s hand.

* * *

Petra is still working when I get home from picking Stella up at school, and she’s quiet through dinner. It’s a combination of watching her lost in thought and submersed in sadness—one minute she’s staring off into space, the next she’s choked up while answering a question from Stella. She’s a hollow shell of herself. I’ve never seen her like this, and it’s breaking my heart to watch.

After dinner, I suggest we walk over to the ice cream stand in the park, and while Stella practically hits the ceiling in her excitement, Petra just says, “You guys go, I should probably stay home and pack.”

“Do youreallyhave to leave? I want you to stay,” Stella speaks the words I’ve been thinking for days.

“Unfortunately, I do,” Petra says. “I have a lot of things going on for work right now, and I have to be there for them. But like I told you the other night, I’ll be back in a few weeks.” Her smile is small and pitiful.

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