Stranger

Lin

          

I paced back and forth in my office, on the phone with my lawyer as he tried to explain the ins and outs of New York state child custody laws.

"If you don't file a petition at all, you'll have joint custody, so she'll live with you both 50% of the time.  That time would be worked out between the two of you," he explained.

"And if I file for full custody?" I asked, which was what I was interested in.

"Laura would get visitation rights.  You would have to prove she's a danger to the child to cut off all visitation rights."

"No, I wouldn't want to do that," I scrubbed a hand over my face.  "I'd rather she be with me almost all the time and go for weekend visits with her mother."

"Right, so we would need to show that's in the best interest of the child.  There are several factors that determine that.  Some of those are mental and physical health of the parents, need for a continuation of a stable home environment, evidence of drug or alcohol abuse, and also the age of the child.  Since Nora is 13, the court will likely ask her opinion."

I honestly wasn't sure what Nora would say.  She seemed to be adjusting well to living with Vanessa and me, but I knew she loved her mother dearly.  They'd been each other's rocks for thirteen years.  If Nora knew I was trying to get full custody, it might backfire.  She'd think I was wanting to keep her from her mother.  Which, I kind of was.

"Well, she's been arrested on drug charges, and I think I can provide evidence we have a more stable home environment," I said, putting my hand in my pocket.

"I think we've got a shot, Lin," he told me. "So if you'd like to, we can make an appointment to start working on our petition."

I made an appointment for tomorrow.  If Laura found an apartment soon, Nora would be back with her as soon as next week.  I didn't have much time to spare.  I let out a deep breath and tossed my phone onto the couch.  I hated having to do this, but I didn't want Nora slipping backwards.  She'd come so far.

I was expecting Nora home soon, but I got a text from her that she was going to look at apartments with her mom.  I couldn't really protest that, so I just texted back that it was fine and would she be home for dinner.  Nora replied that she and her mom would get dinner together.  I hoped she'd be home at a decent time so I could spend time with her before bed.  Her mother had been out for one day and already she was monopolizing her time.

It was almost 9:00, and Laura still hadn't brought Nora home.  I texted my daughter again to say it was about time to come back.  She responded that she was going to stay the night with her mom's friend.  I sighed out, disappointed.  I told Nora this needed to be one night only.  I'm sure she wouldn't get a good night sleep wherever she was and she'd had an extra long subway ride to school in the morning.

The next morning, I was more alarmed when I got a call from Nora's school saying she was absent.  I thanked the secretary and immediately dialed Laura's number.  When she answered, it was obvious she had just woken up.

"Yeah?" She said groggily.

"Hi, it's Lin," I began.  "Why isn't Nora at school?"

"How do you know she's not at school?"

"Her school calls me when she has an unreported absence," I explained.  "She's still with you, I assume?"

"Yeah, she's still asleep.  I didn't want to make her take such a long subway ride across town."

"Laura, this is her education," I said, my voice terse.  "She can ride an extra 20 minutes to school.  She's thirteen."

"Don't tell me what to do with my child," she snapped.  "I just spent two months behind bars separated from her so excuse me if I want to spend a couple days alone with her."