Page 49 of Lies and Lullabies
Later,when Vivi was asleep, Adam and I sat together on the couch, plotting together in low voices.
“I’ll call his lawyer tomorrow,” Adam promised. “I’ll try to figure out what he’s really trying to accomplish. The problem is that after you swab for a paternity test, it takes a week or ten days to come back. And he has no incentive to level with me until he has the results.”
I fingered my phone. “Jonas has been calling me, but we haven’t connected. What am I supposed to say to him?”
Adam’s gray eyes were full of concern. “You could tell him that you can only speak through your lawyers for now. If he’s going to play hardball, then so can you.”
“God, I’m no good at hardball.”
He smiled. “You are when it comes to me.”
“Are you suggesting that I hide the plaintiff’s clean underwear until he does what I asked?”
He shook his head. “That judge may construe that as harassment. However, as your lawyer, I’d advise you not to hide hissalamiuntil this is settled.”
“Adam! I wouldnever.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Um,never?”
“That was a long time ago.”
“He’s still hot, though.”
“No kidding.” But that didn’t help my case. “Adam, what’s the worst thing that could happen here?”
“The worst thing? A meteor hits Boston.”
I gave his knee a little shove. “I’m not kidding. Don’t mock.”
“I’m not.” He leaned back against the couch, making himself comfortable against the cushions. “A lawyer’s job is to prepare for the unlikeliest scenarios. It’s your job to worry about the likelier ones.”
“Fine. What’s the worstlikelyoutcome, then. Hit me.”
“Well, if he’s a vindictive asshole, he’ll pursue this joint-custody thing for real. The judge isn’t likely to grant it, though, because the state cares about Vivi’s welfare. And a child who lives in a good home shouldn’t be yanked out of it. That’s common sense.”
I sensed a “but” coming. “Then why are you worried?”
He toyed with the piping on the edge of the couch. “Because they might have a shot at convincing the judge that your deception is grounds for an unusual decision. The other side could argue that if he’dknownabout Vivi, he wouldn’t be a stranger in the first place.”
I groaned.
He reached over and pulled on my ponytail. “You asked me for the ugly version. I still think it’s just posturing.”
“I hate this.”
“I know. But this too shall pass.”
I made another irritated sound and picked up my phone. Tapping the message app, I stared at Jonas’s message.When is a good time to talk?
I wanted to reply:Does never work for you?
But I didn’t do it. I didn’t reply at all.
Eleven
Jonas
I lay in my bunk on the tour bus, staring at the ceiling, feeling tense. A movie blared from the big screen in the forward lounge. Since I heard frequent gunfire, I supposed Nixon had chosen the film.
