Page 53 of Roll With The Punches
“As long as she’s with Pat, I’m not going to go visit her. She can come see me at my swim meets, or she can come visit me at our house—without Pat—when you or one of the guys are home.”
“That’s probably wise.” He’d tried to be a neutral parental ally for Tracey before this bullshit.
Not anymore.
No amount of guilt he felt could tip the scales back toward Tracey after today’s stunt. Not as long as she chose to stay with Pat.
Emma stared out the windshield. “Ijust…I still cannotunderstand how she can let him push her around like that! Why isn’t she putting me first when Pat’s obviously an idiot? Why does she stay with him?”
“Sometimes,” he said, “people don’t feel they have any worth. Then they hitch their wagon to someone else so they can fill that void within them.”
She stared at him, jaw gaping. “So she choosesPat? I mean, comeon, Dad. I could have found her a better guy by randomly right-swiping in a dating app or something.”
He held a hand out for a fist bump.
“Use this as a lesson when you decide to start dating,” he said. “Never go for a guy who doesn’t value you and lift you up.”
She turned back to the window. “Yeah,” she muttered. “Sure.”
* * * *
Brandon imagined, from the sound of Ed’s exasperated sigh, that the lawyer was probably pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re kidding.Pleasetell me you’re kidding.”
“I wish I was,” Brandon said. “I watched the video Emma shot, and it’s all there.”
“Oh, boy. Well, we can file an emergency motion terminating Tracey’s visitation at their house, terminating any unsupervised visitation, and a contempt order for refusing to let Emma leave.”
“Do you think it’ll be granted?”
“Very likely, under the circumstances. Judges don’t like it when one parent has a pattern of behavior like Tracey’s exhibited. And we’ll tell the court about Emma’s concerns about the step-brother’s behavior. Even more reason for a finding in your favor. We can strong-arm Tracey into giving in by threatening to put her paying you child support back on the table, as well.”
This pissed Brandon off for a number of reasons, including the fact it meant money he could be putting into working on the house, or into savings for covering Emma’s future college costs, would have to be paid to Ed.
“Do it. And go for child support. If she agrees to sign the modified agreement without forcing us to a hearing, take child support off.”
“Atta boy. Nowthat’swhat I’m talking about. On Monday, I’ll e-mail you the preliminary text of the order to look over before I file it.”
“Thanks. I’m tempted to call her and chew her out.”
“Who, your ex?”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah? Well, fight the temptation, and Dom or not, that’s a friggin’ order to you from the guy you pay for his professional opinion on things like this. From this point on, you letmehandleallcommunications with her. At least until we get the signed court order.”
When Brandon ended the call, he emerged from his bedroom. Emma, Jeff, and Stuart stood in the kitchen, discussing dinner preparations.
It never failed to strike him how much like a “normal” family it felt having everyone home. Far more “normal” than he’d felt growing up, or even while he was married to Tracey.
Emma never had clashes with Jeff and Stuart.
They all looked up at his return. “Ed will get the ball rolling Monday,” he told them.
“Thanks, Dad,” Emma said.
He draped an arm around her shoulder. “I’m sorry I made you go visit her.”
“Don’t you dare apologize for them. And you didn’t make me go.”
