So Wrong (Heart of Hope 3)

He looked at me incredulously. “Seriously? With the way you treat her?” He shook his head.

I thought back to the day Maisie went to Veronica’s for the weeklong visit. That was the day I learned Tessa was pregnant. I yelled at her and then hung up. She could have called me back, but I knew I wouldn’t have answered. Jesus, I was a dick.

“You don’t deserve her,” my lawyer said as he stood when the judge appeared.

Hadn’t I said that all along? I stood as well until the judge told us to be seated. I looked over at Veronica who was sitting stoically, but I could see the anger and pain etched on her face. Had she known about Leo? Was she going to stick by him? I wanted to feel bad for her, but then I remembered she’d planned to take Maisie out of the country, and all sympathy dissipated.

“I’ve reviewed the evidence from both sides on their charges. The first that Mr. and Mrs. Hyatt have a marriage of convenience in order to retain custody, and the second that the Baskins sought sole custody to take Maisie out of the country.”

“That’s not true,” Veronica blurted out. Her lawyer turned to quiet her.

“I don’t know how to prove or disprove a marriage is real or not. The social worker’s report didn’t give any indication that there was something off in the marriage. Of course, there was no indication of infidelity on Mr. Baskin’s part, although these photos suggest that’s indeed the case.”

Leo cursed under his breath.

“I don’t care what any of you do in regards to each other. I care about what you do as it impacts what is best for the child, Maisie Hyatt. To that end, the most concerning to me is the possibility of taking her out of the country.”

“Your honor, Mr. and Mrs. Baskin would be well within their rights to do so if you’d granted them sole custody,” Veronica’s lawyer said.

“You’re right, but you’ve been in my court enough to know that the chances of me granting sole custody to the Baskins is nil. Mr. Hyatt has provided a safe, loving home to Maisie since her birth, and as a single father over the last three years since Mrs. Baskin left the family. Up until the last few months, her visits with the child were far and few between.”

The iron tight grip on my heart loosened slightly at the judge’s comments. Veronica wouldn’t be getting sole custody.

“The idea that her mother would remove her indefinitely from her father, the one constant in her life, bothers me.”

Veronica opened her mouth, but her lawyer put his hand on her arm.

“As far as I can see, Mr. Hyatt has always been accommodating to visits with Mrs. Baskin, and yet it doesn’t appear she was going to provide that same accommodation to Mr. Hyatt.”

“We wouldn’t live there all the time—”

“Mrs. Baskin, you need to stay quiet,” the judge said. “It doesn’t matter how long you lived there. It’s not like Mr. Hyatt could have weekend visits if you lived in Europe.”

“I think she’s about to render a decision,” my lawyer murmured next to me. “This could be over today.”

My heart stopped as anticipation filled me.

“I do believe Mrs. Baskin loves her child and could provide a loving, stable home.”

Wait, what?

“But at this time, the child, Maisie Hyatt, will remain in full legal and physical custody of Mr. Hyatt—”

Yes!

“No, your honor—” Veronica cried out.

“With regular visitations with Mrs. Baskin. The Baskins are ordered to surrender the passport they have of Maisie Hyatt, and for six months, visitations will be supervised to ensure there is no attempt to leave the country with her.”

Veronica started to cry.

“In six months, we’ll meet again and can reassess the situation. However, Mrs. Baskin, I suggest you consider amending your request to joint custody. Court is adjourned.” She banged the gavel.

I sat in stunned silence, while around me Leo barked out obscenities, Veronica cried, and my lawyer patted me on the back.

I won. So why did I feel like I’d also lost? Because after all this, the one person who’d believed in me and had stuck by me wasn’t here to share the victory.

I cursed at myself for letting my situation with Tessa get in the way of my victory. This all started by wanting to keep Maisie, and now I had won. That’s what mattered.