Chapter 17 - Finley starts seeing me
Family court established temporary paternity order.
Evelyn retained primary residence initially.
I received gradual parenting time.
First:
Supervised only because Finley barely knew me and my lifestyle required assessment.
I hated the word supervised.
Accepted.
Then unsupervised daytime.
Then one overnight months later.
No instant father-son montage.
Finley was wary.
He did not like my mansion.
Too many people.
Too quiet.
Too expensive.
He preferred my smaller city apartment.
So we met there.
He liked grilled cheese.
Hated olives.
Loved old monster movies.
Played chess badly but confidently.
Then one day:
“Why didn’t you find us?”
I answered:
“I was told your mother died.”
“Couldn’t you check?”
“I thought I did.”
He looked disappointed.
Fair.
Then:
“Mom says Maude fooled everyone.”
“She did.”
“Even you.”
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“Good.”
“Why good?”
May you like
“So you’re not magic.”
I was never that.
